RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24951, 25 June 1942, Page 7

RACING NEWS

. By Sentinel Top-weights did not trouble the judge at Wingatui to any serious extent. Taxpayer was shaping fairly well in his fast work with Compeer, but failed to show up in his race. The stake attached to the Christchurch Hunt Cup, amounting to £SO, is about the smallest on offer in connection with a totalisator meeting. There is not much of Brightform, and a rise of 101 b stopped him from repeating his second to Sally Lunn at the Dunedin Cup meeting. In the handicaps for the Wellington Steeplechase Bally Brit came in on lib better terms with Anglo-French than when they met in the Otago Steeples. In the Trentham Hurdles, Noko meets Donadea on 101 b better terms than in' the Otago Hurdles. The distance is Donadea's greatest obstacle. The reduction of racing does not mean a reduction in expenses to owners. Sending a horse up to the Wellington meeting would about double the expense incurred under normal conditions. Dozie Boy, who won the Great Northern Steeplechase with 9.12, has been sent up to 10.6 in the Wellington Steeplechase, and meets Conflagration, second to him at Ellerslie, on 51b worse terms. Yogi won the Manawatu Winter Cup going away at the finish. Atreus and Sir Cameron led into the straight, but Yogi came on and won from Old Bill and Centrepoise. Atreus was close up fourth. - Irish Lass made two bold efforts at Wingatui. She finished third in the Brighton Handicap, and in her second race Arabian Night got up in the last few strides to cut her out of a place. Fleet Street created a bit of a surprise at Wingatui not only by winning but.by the manner in which he made a one-horse race of it. It was his first placed performance in eight races.

Erndale, who won the Great Northern Hurdles under 10.2, has been sent up to 11.4 in the Trentham Hurdles. Kanui Te Pai, who finished third at Auckland, goes up 21b, and Lapidarian (fourth with 9.10) goes up 61b. Lapidarian won the Campbell Hurdles on the second day at Ellerslie.

Arabian Night was making up ground at the finish of the Aldworth Handicap and shaped as if he could stay. He was got by Lord Quex from Arab Song, by Hunting Song—Scarab, by Vascc—Rubleite, by Lord Rosslyn, who won the Dunedin Cup in 1897 in a field of three, the smallest ever started in the race. Surcoat first came into prominence in 1939-40, when, racing as a six-year-old., he won three times in seven starts. Last season he won twice in seven starts, and also ran a second and a third. This season Surcoat started six times prior to the Dunedin meeting, and scored a second and a third. He was third to Erination and Anglo-French in the Riverton Steeplechase, and in the Southland Steeplechase Anglo-French beat him by 50 yards, with Gay Boa in third place. Surcoat is rising nine years old, and may train on to achieve a more important success in the future.