SOUTHLAND NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26746, 15 April 1948, Page 8

SOUTHLAND NOTES

INTEREST IN FULL PLAY JUMPING CAREER FOR BENBECULA Special to the Daily Times INVERCARGILL, Apl. 14. Benbecula continues to be fractious at the start of his races, and although he has hot been placed on the schooling list, it was officially reported after the Southland meeting that he would do no more racing on the flat. In the meantime he has been purchased by Mr W. E. Hazlett, who intends making a jumper of him. He has shaped well in the schooling he has done and he will be raced over hurdles on Saturday. At the end of last season he was given a race over hurdles, but he did not last long and was on the injured list for some time afterwards. Both Spare Part and Signal Officer have been put aside for the remainder of the season, while Excellency is also in winter quarters. R. E. McLellan stated at the week-end that no future plans had as yet been mapped out for Signal Officer. If the next New Zealand Cup provided for a maximum weight Signal Officer would no doubt be prepared for the Riccarton two mile. A trip to Australia in the spring had been mentioned, but so far it had not been seriously considered. One of the most impressive performances at the opening of the Southland winter meeting was that put up by Desert Trek in winning the hack mile and aquarter, under 9.3. He tailed his field most of the way, but over the last three furlongs he put in a sustained run to win narrowly from the unlucky String Band. Desert Trek was one of the most promising of the younger hurdlers seen out last winter, and this week he will be tried over the Invercargill brush steeplechase course. As he is to be campaigned over country later in the season some interest will be shown in his form. It was a grand performance on the part of Lisheen to win the Southern Hurdles last week as it was his first appearance since the Dunedin winter meeting last May, but he finished on over the mile and three-quarter journey in solid style. Lisheen had been in work at Riverton for some months, and if he remains sound he looks certain to win an important jumping race in the next few weeks. He is one of the many capable jumpers sired by Sir Simper, and has bright prospects of winning again at the meeting. The Hazlett stable has more jumpers in work at the present time than at any previous stage. One of the best fields of hurdlers to assemble in Southland in recent years will contest the Pukemaori Hurdles on Saturday. Prize Ring was to have raced over country on the first day, but he was not brought south because of accommodation difficulties. With 12.8, he is set no easy task, but the race should assist him in his preparation for the Great Northern meeting. Although he was a hurdle winner in the North Island, Batal, a- winner on the flat at Riverton, is a newcomer to southern jumping ranks. Detain is to have ‘his first race as a hurdler on Saturday, and Siegform and Beau Son are other newcomers. Full Play’s form in the Waiau Handicap on Saturday will be followed with some interest, as in his last start he completely outclassed a strong field of milers at the Riverton meeting. Full Play is the best staying three-year-old raced in Southland this season, and with 7.5 on Saturday he should make matters very awkward for this middle-distance field. Full Play is a half-brother by Salmagundi to useful winners in Secret Flight, Fair Trial and Wild Career, and his form to date has been most impressive. Irish Wit has been a disappointment in his recent racing over country, and he is much more capable than his latest form makes him out to be. At Riverton he fell at the first fence in the Great Western, but he negotiated the country in his only other start at he meeting to finish a fair third. Ove r the Invercargill course on Saturday he appeared to have matters much his own way when he fell at the third to last fence. Irish Wit is a brilliant jumper, but the risks he takes make him an unreliable proposition. Recent racing has shown Sal’s Pal to be as good as ever he was. He was off the scene for almost two years after being badly galloped on in the 1944 season, after which he was deregistered. Since he resumed racing his form has been particularly good, and he has shown no signs of the unsoundness which troubled him in the past. Sal’s Pal has bright prospects of winning an important handicap In the next few weeks.