WALTER GAY’S PROSPECTS

Southland Times, Issue 23443, 25 February 1938, Page 10

WALTER GAY’S PROSPECTS

Aqua Bond’s Staying

Credentials

EPISODE STILL BEING PERSEVERED WITH

Handicaps for the Invercargill meeting will appear on Monday and acceptances will close on Tuesday. Entries for the Sapling Stakes 1939 and the Champion Stakes 1939 close on March 3. Both are for present yearlings.

C. S. Donald’s Team C. S. Donald has a useful team for the Wairarapa meeting on Saturday. It will comprise Captain Bolt, Savoldi and Sans Pareil. A Cup Prospect

Walter Gay has been nominated foi the Southland Handicap on the Invercargill Trotting Club’s programme on Saturday week and judging by his form during the holidays he can be expected to show up. At Gore he was narrowly beaten by Dark Hazard but won at Wyndham over a mile and five furlongs in a manner which suggested that he would not be troubled to see out two miles. Walter Gay has come through a lot of strong work at Invercargill and will be well fitted for his tasks ahead. Earlier in the season his trainer had some difficulty with him in his work but he has overcome this. A Veteran Although she is now 15 years of age Episode is still being persevered with but she appears a hopeless case. She is at present being worked as a pacer and although at different stages of her career she has been switched from the trotting gait to the pacing gait she has failed to win a race at either. Episode is a half-sister to Countryman and Gold Country and a full sister to Escapade but she has been an absolute failure and it appears rather late in life for her to make amends. Aqua Bond’s Chance

Aqua Bond is likely to be an early favourite for the Southland Handicap, the chief event on the Invercargill Trotting Club’s card, on Saturday week. The Worthy Bond mare has proved herself a fine stayer in the racing she has done, and this is where a good number of the contestants are likely to be in difficulties. Aqua Bond has not looked back since she linked up with J. Walsh’s team and she has won her way to her present mark by very decisive successes. The half-sister to Rocks Ahead promises to improve still further.

Nearing Cup Company As a result of her win at New Brighton on Saturday Renown s Best is now assessed on a 4.28 two-mile mark. Judging by the decisive manner in which she won she appears certain

to win her way to New Zealand Cup company within the next week cr two. Her New Brighton win was one of the most decisive scored in this class for some time.

Scooped the Pool The Auckland trainer, J. T. Paul, produced three two-year-olds in the Great Northern Trotting Stakes, the first two-year-old race of the season, and his representatives finished first, second and fourth. Paul took suddenly ill the night before the meeting and was unable to see his youngsters race.

Unlucky at New Brighton Norham Lady is regarded in Canterbury as likely to do good service for P. Gallagher, as she raced very gamely when placed at New Brighton after striking trouble in the running. The Wellington Direct mare is now racing very solidly and gave the impression at the last Forbury Park meeting that she would not be long off the winning list.

A Reputation Eddie Tolan, hailing from Southland and now in S. A. Edwards’s stable, has a big reputation for speed, but he has yet to confirm this on Canterbury courses. He started in the Belfast Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday, but was not dangerous at the end of the race, states a Christchurch writer. There is a difference, however, in the fields at New Brighton and Wairarapa, and Eddie Tolan will be afforded other chances on Saturday. In the hands of Edwards he will be well served by horsemanship. For Wairarapa

M. B. Edwards will make the trip to the Wairarapa meeting, to be held on Saturday, with a useful team of young horses, including Princess Beverley, Zincali and Philario, states The Press, Christchurch. All three appear to have chances of success, especially the first-named, who on Boxing Day ran a capital race to finish second to Peggotty at the Ashburton meeting. This good-looking filly ran up against an exceptionally good trotter, but in the weaker company She will meet at Wairarapa she should make amends and gain valuable experience.' Zincali is an improver, and promises to develop into a real stayer. The Carterton Handicap looks to be well within his compass. Philario gave a taste of his quality at New Brighton on Saturday last when, under a hard drive, he fought on gamely to run second to Royal Doulton in the good time of 2min 47 2-ssec for a mile and a-quarter. This was a sterling trial for his Wairarapa engagements. Philario is a pacer of whom good things might be expected.