FORM OF KING’S PLAY

Southland Times, Issue 23793, 15 April 1939, Page 10

FORM OF KING’S PLAY

GENTLEMAN JIM AN IMPROVER DAN McGREW WINS OVER TWO MILES Nominations for the Oamaru meeting close on Monday, April 24. Forbury Park nominations close on Wednesday, April 26. Near Cup Company Both Colonel Grattan and Fine Art look like qualifying for this year’s New Zealand Cup, even if the limit is tightened. Unlucky Nell Grattan was regarded as the unluckiest pacer raced at Addington. She was three times placed in three starts, and twice she was decidedly unlucky in the running. Certainty Beaten

The opinion has been expressed that King’s Play was a certainty beaten in the Free-For-All at Addington on Thursday. He tangled and lost ground at the start and at one stage was hopelessly out of it.

Costly Van Derby proved an expensive proposition at Addington and there is an idea that he has almost qualified for a place on the schooling list. The Aus-tralian-bred pacer showed brilliant speed but did not appear to be able to control it. Well Beaten

Loyalist was finishing on in third place at the end of a mile and a-half at Riverton and this effort pointed to her having a chance over two miles later in the day. In the latter race she was right in the firing line but at the home turn she dropped out well beaten.

Royal Chief Royal Chief, who is now a member of E. Todd’s team, was regarded as a certainty for the Wakatipu Trot at Riverton. He looked a much improved horse but after losing ground at the start and then being compelled to cover extra ground he had little chance at the finish.

Has Improved Gentleman Jim went his best race yet when he finished second to Sinbad. He had to make up some ground he lost in the early running and in a keen finish he fought on gamely. He has improved with the racing he has had and is a very likely improver. A Bad Run Although she was beaten out of a place at Riverton Indianola was far from disgraced. In a big field she was slow to hit her hopples and when on the journey she was badly placed on the rails in the middle of a big field. She endeavoured to get clear at the home turn but at the straight entrance was on the outer of several sulkies. She finished right up behind the placed horses and under the circumstances it was a creditable effort for the Wrack mare. Not a , layer Foremost Junior began brilliantly in his race at Riverton but he was well beaten at the end of two miles. He fan to the front early and set- a solid pace all the way. Over the last furlong he was one of the first beaten and did not finish in a place. The Logan Sun gelding may never make a name for himself over two miles, but there is no doubting his brilliance, and there is no horse in his class with better prospects up to a mile and a-half. Surprise Winner

Sinbad, who returned a dividend of more than half a century at Riverton, is not the first member of this stable to return an outside price this season, as Central Lad, also trained by L. L. Abernethy at Gore, returned big win prices at both Winton and Gore in February. Sinbad finished on in solid style on Saturday and he appears capable of improving on this form. By Happy Voyage he is out of Wee Daphne.

Third On End Dan McGrew won his third race on end when he was successful over two miles at Riverton, this being one of the best performances of his short career. The Sungod gelding is one of the most improved pacers produced in Southland this season, and while he was deficient in stamina when first produced he has not looked back since joining E. Todd’s stable and may win again at short notice as a stayer. Dan McGrew has done everything right in his races and while he was continually troubled with unsoundness when first rroduced he has shown no signs of this ailment this season. Although now in his seventh season Dan McGrew is by a sire, Sungod, whose stock have all improved with age, and the Wyndham pacer looks certain to carry on and take a much tighter mark.

By Truman Direct Windsor Lass, who is a sprinter of great promise, is one of the few of the stock of the imported horse, Truman Direct, to make the grade. Truman Direct is a member of a great pacing family which includes Wellington Direct, Jack Potts and Logan Pointer. The dam of Windsor Lass is Rose Logan by Logan Pointer from Rosalie, by Wildwood.