BRYCE STREET IN FAVOUR

Southland Times, Issue 23548, 30 June 1938, Page 10

BRYCE STREET IN FAVOUR

WELLINGTON STEEPLE FIELD FLASHLIGHT BEST OF LIGHTWEIGHTS Interest in the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting, to be held at Trentham on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of next week, has been stimulated by the appearance of the weights for the Wellington Steeplechase and other events on the first day, as well as those for the Winter Hurdles on the concluding day. A more definite idea of owners’ intentions may be obtained when the acceptances fall due, states The New Zealand Herald. It is customary to see horses from all parts of the Dominion at the various meetings at Trentham and the coming one should be no exception. . Pride of place in. the Wellington Steeplechase has been awarded to Clarion Call and Jolly Beggar, who have been assessed . equal with 11.4. They failed under 11.10 and 11.8 respectively over the longer journey in the Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie, but they may fare better here with the slight concessions they have been made. However, probably neither is at his best when the ground is very heavy and, in view of the fact that such a condition usually exists at Trentham in July, there may be a disposition, to look lower down the list for the winner, notwithstanding that they are the class horses of the field.

IMPROVING FIVE-YEAR-OLD One of the early fancies may be the improving five-year-old Bryce Street, a fine steeplechaser in the making, who has run second in his last three starts and.is due to win at any time. Bryce Street’s second in the Great Northern Steeplechase demonstrated that he is a genuine stayer, and his future appears bright. Although beaten by All Irish in the W. G. Park Steeplechase at Te Rapa on Saturday, he made a fine showing, and the longer journey at Trentham will not be to his disadvantage. Compared with last Saturday he will meet All Irish on 71b better terms, and that should assist him to turn the tables, especially as he may be the more likely to make improvement. All Irish has raced well at Trentham previously in the winter, and last year he was second in both the Mariri Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase and the July Steeplechase. It is therefore evident that he is capable of handling the conditions there and, as his win at Te Rapa showed him to be right back to form, he has to be respected. When he won the W. G. Park Steeplechase, All Irish had 11.5 and now has 101 b less with 10.9. Nocturnus has only recently returned after a long absence . from racing, and may not be forward enough to show his best just yet; When fit Nocturnus is a good perfprmer and at Riccarton last August won the Grand National Steeplechase with 9.12 and the Beaufort Steeplechase with 11.1.

RED SUN AND URINATION A good staying hurdler like Red Sun should make a fine steeplechaser and he gave an indication that he is at home over country, when he won the Whirokino Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase with 11.10 at Foxton last month. Red Sun is a possibility with 10.7 and so is the Great Northern Hurdles, winner Erination, who, has 10.2, which is 21b more than he carried when he finished third to Valpeen and Bryce Street in the Great Northern Steeplechase. On this occasion he will meet Bryce Street on 31b better terms and he should go well, although a very heavy track might not be entirely to his liking. However, he is a fine fencer with plenty of courage, and has to be reckoned with always when fit. By his success in the June Steeplechase at Hastings recently John Charles demonstrated that he is likely to do equally as well over country as over hurdles and with 10.1 he is handily placed. It is in favour of John Charles that he has performed well previously under winter conditions at Trentham. Moreover, he is a big horse who carries weight well and a good steeplechase may come his way at any time. Last year’s victor, Santoft, recently showed a return to winning form in the Pareora Steeplechase at Timaru, carrying 11.5. However, the field he defeated was not strong, and he may not find it easy to repeat his previous success with 9.13, which is 131 b more than he had last year. KINKLE AND SMILIN’ THRU The Aucklander Kinkle has been displaying steadily improving form and he should be capable of a solid effort under 9.5. The same applies to the Winter Steeplechase winner Smilin' Thru, who also has 9.5. Two factors in favour of Smilin’ Thru are that she stays well and also handles heavy going better than most. Possibly she will be running on when some, of the more brilliant candidates are tiring. By virtue of his two winning performances in his two starts over country, Flashlight has placed himself in the limelight. Up to the present his form has been nothing out of the ordinary, but it has been very promising and the best has not been seen of him.

On the score ■of breeding, Flashlight has a good deal to recomtnend him, being by the imported Phalaris horse Shambles from Snapshot, by Calibre from the good imported mare First Glance, by Kosmos Bay. The future appears bright for Flashlight, and on recent form he looks the best of the horses on the minimum, although several of them have shown promise. At this stage the issue appears very open, but some likely to find favour are Bryce Street, Erinatjon, John Charles, Flashlight, Kinkle and Smilin’ Thru.