IRON DUKE HAS IMPROVED

Southland Times, Issue 23376, 7 December 1937, Page 10

IRON DUKE HAS IMPROVED

DIRECTLY IS LIKELY NEWCOMER

USEFUL PERFORMANCES AT WAIRIO

Several horses were produced at Wairio on Saturday whose chances will have to be considered during the holidays and the best of these may be Iron Duke, Aqua Bond, Waitemata, Blue Logan and Directly. The times recorded in several of the races were much faster than at most totalizator meetings, and on this score alone the merit of some of the performances has to be appreciated. Iron Duke’s form was the best he has yet shown and it would appear that he will have a maiden field at his mercy during the holidays. As a three-year-old big things were expected of him, but he failed to win a race. Last season he did not put in an appearance at all. As a five-year-old now, the Wellington Direct gelding appears capable of redeeming his early promise. At Wairio he won over a mile and aquarter in saddle in 2min 49sec, time which has rarely been bettered in this type of field, while his success against a field of improvers was also a decisive one. Iron Duke is a reliable customer and can be expected to show up during the holidays. PROMISING NOVICE Directly is another novice of some promise. A member of E. Todd’s team, like Iron Duke, he is by Wellington Direct, and the experience of Saturday’s outings will be to his advantage. In his first race in saddle he did well to finish fourth, and in harness later he lost some ground at the start and it was a useful effort on his part to get within a length of Fransol. Directly’s dam, Playsoon, also left Harold Thorpe (4.24 1-5), Will Soon, Playwave and others. The performances of Aqua Bond and Waitemata over two miles were ones to enthuse over. Although Aqua Bond won she had little to spare and both are likely to be heard from as stayers later on. The race was run at a fast clip, the time of 4min 37 3-ssec being much better than anticipated. A high opinion has always been held of Aqua Bond and as a four-year-old now the half-sister to Rocks Ahead appears capable of carrying on with the business.

Waitemata raced much better than she did at Invercargill although at times she was not pacing as evenly as she might have. Both are prospects for the cup races before the season is far advanced. j Fransol has always had a reputation for speed, but a failing to begin correctly has cost her a number of good winning chances. On Saturday she did not make a mistake and, patiently handled by P. P. McKay, she won well at the finish. A repetition of this form would find her playing a big part in a maiden field. HOLIDAY PROSPECTS Unless Appomatox and Blue Logan, who will be conceding starts during the holidays, meet some northerner above the average, both should be capable of winning races. Appomatox is a reliable horse and he won really well, while Blue Logan gave a fine exhibition in giving a field 60yds and a beating. Blue Logan was one of the most promising young trotters to race, last-term and is capable of taking a much tighter mark.

Two novice trotters to attract attention were Halesia and Lady Hedford. Halesia was the only one capable of making a race of it with Appomatox and she might have been a little unlucky in being beaten as she was frightened after she had gone three furlongs and almost ran off the track, Halesia, who is now in J. McLennan’s stable, is out of a great race mare in Bellflower, the dam of Flowerbell, Nelson Bell, Arctotis, Coreopsis and others." Lady Hedford broke up at the start of her race, but displayed a good turn of speed over the last half and is one who should be heard from before long. She is an aged mare by Rey de Oro from a Blackchild mare and is a member of J. M. Maconnell’s team.