BRILLIANT FILLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27278, 3 January 1950, Page 8

BRILLIANT FILLY

SWEET SPRAY'S VICTORY LORD MOSS FAILED TO STAY Special to the Daily Times AUCKLAND, Jan. 2. The filly Sweet Spray proved too good for the colts and scored by three-quarters of a length in the Great Northern Derby, the principal event on the third day of the Auckland Racing Club’s summer meeting at Ellerslie yesterday. In spite of a muddling pace early, the race was run in the fairly good time of 2min 32sec, which was one second outside Kindergarten's race record. The last half mile was run in 47sec. A race record of 2min 29 3-ssec was established by Wonder Boy when he won by half a neck from Fifth Note in the Auckland Racing Club Handicap. Wonder Boy’s time was only two-fifths of a second outside Lord Revel’s course and New Zealand record. Lord Moss began from wide out at the start of the Great Northern Derby, and his rider steadied him alongside Sweet Spray and in behind Tudor Prince. Passing the stands at the end of two furlongs, the pace was very slow, but it quickened at the five-furlong' post, when Lord Moss went up on the outside to take command from Sweet Spray and Tudor Prince who were together ahead of Beaumaris and King Finchall. Lord Moss drew out two lengths at the half mile, but at the turn Sweet Spray and Tudor Prince, Beaumaris and Bhutan were in close pursuit A furlong from the post Lord Moss, Sweet Spray, Tudor Prince and Beaumaris were fighting hard for supremacy, but Sweet Spray finished best. The winner is undoubtedly one of the best three-year-old fillies for many years, not onlv possessing brilliance, but . also stamina. Beaumaris and Tudoi Prince fought gamely in the straight and were by no means discredited in buffering defeat bv such a good filly as Sweet Spray. Lord Moss again faired to stay and tired quickly in the last furlong. Bhutan was closer at the finish than at any othei stage.