Heathcote Handicap Winner May Develop Into High-class Performer

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27166, 23 August 1949, Page 8

Heathcote Handicap Winner May Develop Into High-class Performer

SPORTING

Finigin, the surprise but decisive winner of the Heathcote Handicap on Saturday, covered a lot of ground in the Winter Cup and finished about the middle of the field, wide out. On the second day of the Grand National meeting he finished closer up in the Islington Handicap, being seventh, almost in line with Helio. On Saturday he never left the issue in doubt. Last season, Finigin was a good winner for Mr C. Davis, being successful in five of his 15 races and placed in four of the others. His first win was in the Kanieri Hack Handicap, of six furlongs, at the Westland meeting, in December, and at the Greymouth meeting, in February, he was successful in the Stewards’ Hack Handicap, of one mile. At the Westland February meeting he won a double —over a mile on the first day and over seven furlongs on the second day. Taken to Riverton at Easter, Finigin showed consistent form in his three races for a win, a second and a fourth. On the middle day he won the Monowai Handicap, of one mile, and on the concluding day Nullah nosed him into second place in the Fiord Handicap, of one mile, among those finishing behind him being St. Bruno, Super Flight and Jimmy the One. The Robin Goodfellow galloper finished last season by running third to Conclusion and Akbar in the Parliamentary Handicap at Trentham. He is a much improved galloper, and still well placed in the handicaps, he should go on to better things.