SPORTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25364, 23 October 1943, Page 6

SPORTING

TTHE GORE MEETING PLATFORM FANCIED The Southland racing season will be opened on Monday, Labour Day, with the Gore Racing Club’s spring meeting. The club has succeeded in providing a card of good fields which should supply interesting racing. Two star performers in Royal Lancer and Bashful Lady are at the head of the list engaged in the President’s Handicap, and their appearance in the field will arouse considerable interest. Royal Lancer was second out of the barrier at the Dunedin spring meeting, where he finished fourth to Minority. Platform and Foxhaven, He was coming on at the finish of the race, but with his important engagements at the New Zealand Cup meeting it could not be expected that he would be tuned up so early in the season. Bashful Lady was raced at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting, but she had apparently been eased up after her success at the Gi’and National meeting. Minority has been in winning form but pays for his success by meeting Platform on 61b worse terms than in the Ranfurly Handicap. The others engaged have apparently satisfied, their trainers in a preparation ■ for the race. R. E. McLellan has Macedoine and Sascha engaged and holds a strong hand, as both have good winning form. Atreus has been off the scene since the early part of last season. In his last placed performance he carried 7.9 and finished second to Royal Lancer in the Ranfurly Handicap. At the Ashburton spring meeting Atreus finished third, with 8.3. to Don’t Forget 9.2 and Gay Parade 7.13 over a mile and a-quarter. He has won over the distance and may prove one of the hardest to beat. Southern Sail was unplaced in 11 starts last season. Nightcalm and Heidelberg will have luxurious burdens compared with what they carried when racing over hurdles. Fidelis requires a soft track. The following may be among those fancied for their engagements. 12.30: Highweight Handicap.—Gnohill, Arabian Night, Steward. 1.10: Novice Handicap.—Nor’-wester, Inscrutable, Killarney. 1.50: Balfour Trot.—Loyal Peter, Liberty Bond, Dynamic. 2.30: President’s Handicap.—Platform, Macedoine, Atreus. 3.10: Waimea Hack Handicap.—Salmi, Royal Brief, First In. 3.50: Stewards’ Handicap.—Gold Flight, Night Lancer, Dark Olga. 4.30: Otama Trot.—l’m Sure, Fancy Goods, Arian Mac. 5.10: Farewell Hack Handicap,—Fair Trial, Riding Home, Dash o’ Dublin. ENGLISH RACING SEASON MISS PAGET LEADING OWNER / LONDON, Oct. 21. One of the most successful flat-racing seasons of the war ended in Britain yesterday, with Miss Dorothy Paget, a daughter of Lord Queensborough, as the leading owner. Although the fixture lisis were restricted, there were large attendances at all meetings, with increased prize money. Miss Paget is one of the few owners who have won the Derby and the Grand National. The season’s leading owners, trainers, and jockeys are: Miss Paget, £13,145 in stakes: Lord Derby, £7045; the Aga Khan, £5596. Trainers: W. Nightingale, £13,833 in stakes; F. Butters, £8359; J. Lawson, £7752. Jockeys: Gordon Richards, 65 winners; T. H. Carey, 44; E. Smith, 31. The Jockey Club, meeting the wishes of the Government, is drastically reducing the number of horses in training. The Racing Calendar announced that the following horses will not be qualified to race in 1944:—First, seven-year-olds and upwards; secondly, five and six-year-olds which have not won since they were two-vear-olds or were unplaced in 1943 over'a distance of at least a mile; thirdly, four-year-olds which have never been placed; fourthly, four-year-olds and upwards not being trained by a licensed trainer. The Racing Calendar stated, that an additional compulsory reduction may be necessary unless trainers voluntarily reject younger horses showing no promise.

NOTES FROM RICCARTON (Special) CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 22. Though D. Cotton has taken a team of four north, only Botany and Hunting Charm ' ill run on the first day. Pallid and Denary will race only on Monday. It is reported that W. F. Ellis will ride at Trentham only on the first day, returning for Motukarara, where he has engagements on Monday for John o’ London, Waltzing Matilda, Inscription, and AbdiTaxpayer will not be started In the North Canterbury Handicap. He is showing signs of lameness, and will be spelled for a few months. Night Pal has two engagements on Monday, but apparently he will start in the Dr T. A. Will Handicap. K. Thomson, who is booked to ride him, will be on Foxleap In the North Canterbury Handicap.