A MATCH RACE LIKELY

Southland Times, Issue 23989, 2 December 1939, Page 8

A MATCH RACE LIKELY

Lucky Jack And Lawn Derby May Meet GREAT DON MAY MAKE AMENDS The Gore Trotting Club will take nominations for its annual fixture on Monday, closing at 5 p.m. As a Gelding When next produced Eddie Tolan will race as a gelding. Highly Rated Club King is regarded as one much above average and may continue his winning way at New Brighton. Good Form Black Surprise would only need to secure a good run in the Wainoni Handicap today to take a hand in the finish as there was a lot of merit in her Forbury Park success. Southern Chief Providing he begins correctly Southern Chief should be hard to beat from 36yds back in the New Brighton Handicap. On his good days he is a champion of the first water. May Make Amends Great Don may make amends for his Forbury failures at New Brighton today. Great Don did not appear to be able to handle the turning track at the Dunedin meeting. By Real Gold A. McLellan is working a good type of two-year-old colt at Invercargill. He is by Real Gold (by Gold Bell) from Coy Bells, and is an attractive pacer. He is engaged in next seasons classics. A Prospect Ringtrue is a prospect at the Waikato meeting today. After being used at the stud for a time he was added to the list and on making a reappearance was returned a winner recently. He is expected to improve further. Against Time Lawn Derby’s trial against time at New Brighton today is scheduled for 12.45, immediately after the first race. Australian Purchase The Australian-bred pacer Brilliant Globe, by Globe Derby from Ruby Pronto, has been purchased by Mr E. G. Bridgens and he will arrive in Auckland shortly' in company with Springfield Globe, who is making the trip to contest the Auckland Centennial Gold Trotting Cup and other important events at the summer carnival at Epsom. Will be Fancied

Josedale Grattan will be bracketed with Francisco in the Waikato Handicap today, and starting off the 36yds mark in a 4min 38sec class will be strongly fancied. When he won the Australasian Handicap on the third day of the Trotting Cup meeting he registered 4min 32 2-ssec and won easily. Lucky Jack v. Lawn Derby

The offer of Mr W. T. Lowe, owner of the New Zealand Cup winner, Lucky Jack, to make an attempt on the New Zealand mile record of Imin 59 2-ssec, held by Lawn Derby, has been taken advantage of by the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association; but it is likely to provide a great deal more interest than was really expected, states a Christchurch report. The Owners’ and Breeders’ Association, ever' ready to do something in the cause of charity, has suggested to the owners of Lucky Jack and Lawn Derby that the horses should meet in a match race over a flying mile. Both Mr Lowe and Mr W. J. O’Shea readily agreed to the proposal, and at Addington next Tuesday the two champions will meet. The proceeds of the matinee meeting will be given to the different orphanages of Christchurch. The match should create the greatest interest, for while Lawn Derby, Imin 59 2-ssec, is the only horse in the Southern Hemisphere to do a mile in better than two minutes, Lucky Jack has twice won the New Zealand Cup, and almost equalled the record of three wins in succession of Indianapolis, by finishing second on another occasion. With both horses at the top of their form, it will not surprise to find another record established, for both are great pacers. Lucky Jack only needs a companion of his own class to put up a great record over a mile, for in lower classes he is inclined to loaf, and cannot be persuaded to do his best. With Lawn Derby in racing order, he will find the class plenty good enough this time. It is likely that a good supporting programme will also be arranged by the Owners’ and Breeders’ Association, and a great day’s racing may be expected.

At New Brighton Discussing the principal event at New Brighton today The Press, Christchurch, comments: In the Mace Memorial Handicap, 10 horses will go to the post, and there is no question as to the quality of this field. Included is Fine Art, whose great run of successes found him one of the prime fancies for the New Zealand Cup, and while he was beaten in this race, he made amends later at the meeting. Fine Art has shown his ability, both on grass and clay tracks, and he looks like being the favourite. In the Ollivier Handicap, of two miles, on the second day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s spring meeting, Fine Art defeated a high-class field that included Blair Athol, Cantata, Pot Luck, Plutus, Gallant Knight, King’s Play, and Lawn Derby, several of which will oppose him in Saturday’s race. Great Jewel, too, showed brilliant form at Addington, and a rumour that he had broken down is without foundation. The recent rain has taken the sting out of the ground, and Great Jewel will be quite at home on the grass track. Navy Blue will be driven by his trainer, M. Stewart, while C. S. Donald will drive Renown’s Best and M. Holmes will be behind Pot Luck, who has recently shown a return to the form that won him the final of the Inter-Dominion Championships. Frisco Boy has not been on the winning list for some time; but he is a pacer -well above the average, and a possibility in a race of this class. Blair Athol, too, is in racing form, while over a mile and a-quarter Gallant Knight defeated what was practically a New Zealand Cup field in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru. Interest will be taken in the appearance of Indianapolis, who, however, is likely to start at a long price, and, with an attempt on the mile record in view, Lawn Derby is not likely to be seen in action. This is a splendid field in the big race of the day, and early speculators have already selected Fine Art, Blair Athol, and Great Jewel as the most likely to fill the places.