CONTINGENT FOR WINGATUI

Southland Times, Issue 24057, 22 February 1940, Page 10

CONTINGENT FOR WINGATUI

' SOUTHLAND’S USEFUL HAND SPARKLE HAS THE RIGHT r CREDENTIALS Southland stables will be strongly t represented at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting which opens today and as the majority have been raced at ; the Gore and Winton meetings they ’ should lack nothing on the score of condition. Spendthrift, Spanish Lad, Sparkle, Peony Rose, King’s Chorus and Gold Flight may do best of the • Southland contingent. Spanish Lad has not raced since he finished second to Arvakur at Trentham, but he has done everything right in his work since. While there is no questioning Spanish Lad’s class he will not find it easy conceding 121 b to Spendthrift, who has compiled a fine record this season. Spendthrift was well beaten by Phalanx at Winton on Saturday, but under different conditions the Paper Money gelding should be prominent in his Wingatui engagements. Because of the tracks being under water at Invercargill Spendthrift was not able to be galloped between the Gore and Winton meetings and this fact was much against him. At Wingatui he will have 181 b off his back compared with his Winton weight. Spendthrift has won four races and been twice second in seven starts this season. The Winton Cup winner Sparkle will be an interesting runner in the Dunedin Cup. She has run her best races under a light scale of weights and with 7.3 on her back in the Dunedin Cup she can be expected to make a bold showing. The Colonel Cygnus mare is an out-and-out stayer and in present form is capable of showing up in any company. At Gore she dead-heated with Peony Rose over 1J miles and the second day she finished third to Wild Career and Boaform over 84- furlongs after covering extra ground. She 1 narrowly beat Peony Rose in the Winton Cup. Taking the allowances into account Sparkle received 91b from Peony Rose in the Winton Cup and at Wingatui Sparkle comes in on 61b worse terms. PEONY ROSE IN FORM Now that she has struck top form Peony Rose can be expected to carry on. The journey will not trouble her as she is a great stayer and she will appreciate her drop in weight. She carried 8.2 when Sparkle beat her in the Winton Cup and 8.13 when she finished second to Valantua over a mile at Winton. In the Dunedin Cup she has 7.6. I Mona’s Song will require to improve on recent efforts to have a chance, but the firm tracks have been against her. She is unlikely to make the trip, however. Wild Career, a winner at Gore, and third to Sparkle and Peony Rose i at Winton, is racing very solidly. On Winton running, however, both Sparkle and Peony Rose should finish ahead of him. Gold Flight will have an army of supporters in the Champagne Stakes. The Nigger Minstrel filly has trained on the right way since Doria beat her at Riccarton and she can be relied on to make a bold effort to avenge this defeat. She looks well at the present time. SMART HACK King’s Chorus has the best credentials of the Southland hacks. He. won in easy style at Gore and was a good second to Cherokee at Winton. The Nigger Minstrel gelding has two engagements today but is to contest the hack sprint. King’s Chorus is the most improved hack about these parts. He is in the open sprint the second day.

Pink Bond has been racing solidly She was twice placed at Gore and finished fourth in each of her starts al Winton. She has plenty of speed and stays on much better than formerly and the Pink Coat mare is capable of returning to the winning list at short notice., Moon Raider is' a good staying hack, but she will require to improve cn Winton form to have a chance. Waitoru is to contest the mile welter the first day. He was confidently supported in his Winton engagements but his saddle slipped the first day. There was no excuse for him in the big race the second day and he finished last. With the sting out of the going he is seen in his best form. Milford is to contest the hurdle events. He was given a run in a highweight field at Gore and this outing should bring him on. Milford was placed in his last two starts over hurdlers and can be expected to improve.