RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25394, 27 November 1943, Page 6

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel Intense Is the only acceptor In the Spring Nursery Handicap who has displayed winning form. Monetary and Grilse will probably bo improved by their races at the Invercargill meeting. , _ . First In won so well at the Gore meeting that she cannot be overlooked in connection with the Apprentices’ Handicap. Silver Lily lias been galloping well on the track and may hold more than an outside chance in the Stewards Handicap. Espadrille displayed pace in a sprint at Wingatui prior to running In the McLean Stakes, in which he dwelt at the start. High Play may not be seasoned enougn to run out a Derby distance, but he should more than pay his way this season. Botany finished second to Rink in the Derby last year, being beaten by two lengths in 2min 33 3-ssec. In the Riccarton Handicap Botany comes in on lblb better terms. Paladeo finished a close third in the Islington Handicap with 8.0 to Bashiul Ladv 10.0 and Kevin 8.13. On that form he should shape well in the Riccarton The C Ringmaster filly Subdued, who is encaged in the Welcome Stakes, has scored two wins in her only starts. She won a division of a Nursery Handicap run at Masterton, and in her second start won the Wellesley Stakes from 18 others. At even weights Gladynev beat Rakanui in the New Zealand Cup last year, and should do so again with 51b in his favour In fact Gladynev reads well treated m getting a drop of 41b on what he carried form shown by Kevin, Foxhaven, and Palfrey suggests that they may shape well in the New Zealand Cup undei light weights. Kevin may prove the best of the trio. They should at least help to m -l,p it a soundly-run race. Mr Valiant, who shaped well in a gallop ...,—l Tara King and Sir Wina on Thursday is a bay colt by Mr Standfast-Un-reasonable, by Absurd-Fairy Gold, by Gold Reef— Nymph, by Ingomar—Woodnymph, by Musket—Sylvia, by Fisherman. He has a stayer’s pedigree, and ran second to Tara King in the Wellington Guineas. Tavern Light, who is engaged in the Middleton Handicap, has not succeeded m four starts this season. Last season he scored twice and also ran two seconds m 10 starts. He won over six furlongs, and at nine furlongs at the Manawatu Cup meeting, when he outclassed a hack field over the distance. He was also second over a mile and a-quarter, and so gave some evidence of being able to stay. Retriever, who is engaged in the Apprentices’ Handicap, did not race last season. As a two-year-old lie won the first division of a race at the Banks Peninsula spring meeting. With 8 3 he ran second to Dominate in the Spring Nursery Handicap, being beaten by a length in imin, and in the Pioneer Handicap'.he carried 8.3 into third place behind Dominate 9 5 and Prince Leighon 7.5/ being a length behind the winner in 58 4-ssec. A field of 17 is on the card lor the Stewards’ Handicap, and the draw for positions becomes a matter of importance, as very few winners come from horses on the outside at the barrier. . Nightcalm may not be much in favour tor the Middleton Handicap, but lie is a well-seasoned horse who may be found staying on at the right end of the race. The same remark applies to Rockery, i who, however, is apt to give away a start in a's Battledress ranked as a better-class performer than those near him at the top of the weights in the New Zealand Cuo. In that season Rattledress won seven times and ran a Second and a third in 10 starts. He won over nine furlongs at Stratford and over a mile at Wellington, and then came down and won the Spring Plate at Riccarton. His next success was a win in the New Zealand Derby, which he followed with a win over R mile at Auckland with 8.11 in lmin 36see. Regal Fox and Route March beat him in the Great Northern Derby, run on a. slow track. Happy Ending 7 13 beat Battledress 7.11 bv half a head 'in the Wellington Qup in 3mm 24ifsec. He then completed his three-year-old season by winning the Autumn Handicap, of 11 furlongs, at Trentham in 3min ffiisec, and the Great Northern St. Leger in 2min 59scc, equalling the New Zealand record. Assuming that Battledress has trained on well this season, he holds a good claim to start favourite for the New The veteran Caulfield trainer Frank Musgrave must have had mixed feelings (says the Melbourne Argus) when he saw Dark Felt winning the Cup. Dark Felt might easily have been winning the Melbourne Cup for him instead of for his present owner. Dark Felt was bred at the Alma Vale Stud at Greenmount, i Queensland, by the late Mr Thomas Jennings, and was one of a draft of Spearfelt yearlings sent by him to the Sydney sales in 1939, Musgrave purchased him for 550gns, named him, and raced the colt himself. Dark Felt was used for' a time as a galloping companion for Ajax-. Musgrave did not win a race with him, and he ran for the last time for Musgrave when he was unplaced as a four-year-old at Flemington on Boxing Day, 1941. At that time trainers were finding it difficult to get stable hands, and as it was necessary to reduce the number of horses in his stable Musgrave unselfishly decided to sell his own instead of any of those belonging to his patrons. He sold Dark Felt privately to Mr E. W. Spark. After Mr Spark became the owner of Dark Felt he leased

him to J. A. Cain, who was formerly a iockev in Melbourne. Cain was riding over hurdles and fences in Melbourne durnig the last war, and later trained horses which raced on the pony courses in Melbourne and Sydney. His lease of Dark Felt will expire on April 2, 1944. Dark Felt started favourite for the Melbourne Cup won by Colonus last year, but he missed a place.