RETIREMENT OF NIGHTWINGS

Southland Times, Issue 24180, 17 July 1940, Page 9

RETIREMENT OF NIGHTWINGS

Comment On Form At Trentham JEWELLED GIRDLE WAS IMPRESSIVE Nominations for the August meeting at Addington close tomorrow. Handicaps for the South Canterbury meeting are due on Friday. Nominations for the Christchurch Hunt meeting close on Friday. Out of Hacks Pink Lad’s win in the Highweight Handicap at Trentham on Thursday made him ineligible for entry in hack races. More Serious Work Millisle is now being given more serious tasks in preparation ior August racing, when he will be well placed in the principal trotters’ events. In his fast work in private he is a most impressive mover, and he does not display the J en " dency to break which has maned so many of his public performances. Nell Grattan After a period of useful work on the roads, S. A. Edwards has Nell Grattan, Adversity and Ngarimu among the daily workers at Addington. Nell Grattan, a solid and consistent mare, looks in great order and it should not be long before she is at her best. Ngarimu shaped well early this season. Sue has grown considerably, and is built on solid lines.

For Gentlemen Riders The Hunters’ Plate at Waimate is for gentlemen riders, but there is a provision that in the event of such riders not being available, horses may be ridden by recognized hurdle or steeplechase jockeys on condition that they carry 71b extra. Lady Tinkle

Lady Tinkle was not produced until the final day at Trentham, and then was unlucky enough to encounter a greatly-improved galloper in Royal Star 11. The mare had had only one run since she was spelled after returning from Melbourne, and possibly would have been harder to beat if she had been given a race earlier in the week. First Hurdle Success

The Surveyor gelding Saccone gained his first success over hurdles when he won at Trentham on Saturday, and his only other victory this season was achieved in a hack sprint at Ellerslie at New Year. His dam Adi Vunivola, was bred in Australia, but did most of her racing in Suva, where she was the champion of hei- day.

Unlucky Boloyna was ridden by J. W. Dooley in the Crofton Handicap on Saturday, and, starting from No. 4 berth, was always in the picture. Over the final stages Boloyna and Hasten singled themselves out from the others, and had a great set-to to the post. Half a dozen strides from the judge Boloyna had his head in front, but Hasten, a three-year-old by Colossus from Miss Hastings, came again and just scored by half a head. Jewelled Girdle The most impressive win scored during the three days at Trentham last week was Jewelled Girdles success in the Winter Hurdles, in which he was allowed to return falsely good prices. Always in the front line, he was taken to the lead after racing with Araboa for about a mile and a-half, and from then to the post was never troubled. He gave an excellent exhibition of clevei and fast jumping in the heavy going, and if he is as good on firm tracks will take no end of beating in the Grand National Hurdles next month., When he starts in that race the son oFKilbroney and Loloma will be 11 years old. Early Favourites

The displays given over the Trentham country last week did not suggest that any of the competitors would not find trouble in mastering the bigger Riccarton fences There was, however, plenty of excuse for any faulty jumping, and with altogether different ground conditions at Riccarton, last week’s form may not be too reliable to follow. On the other hand, there was no jumper out outside of Padishah and Clarion Call, and to a lesser degree, Ballybrit, who could be classed as a likely Grand National winner, and until something definite is known of the movements of the first mentioned pair, opinions regarding early fancies will be well divided. In the meantime, Ballybrit and Slayer will probably attract most attention.

Nightwings Retired Nightwings suffered a severe fall during the running of the Winter Oats at Trentham on Saturday. She was moving up in the middle of 'the field just as the straight was being entered when her feet went from under her, and she slipped right under the inside course railing. She lay there for some time, and when extricated it was found she had injured her back and some difficulty was experienced in getting her to her stable. Nightwings was to have been retired to the stud after the Grand National meeting, but following her accident, her owner, Mr J. A. Smaill, of Dunedin, has decided that her racing career has terminated. By Nightmarch from Francolin, dam also of Dark Flight, Ortyx and Gold Flight, Nightwings proved herself a useful stake-earner, and she should be a success at the stud.

Trentham Jottings Land Raid did not show any improvement on his first day’s form in Saturday’s hurdle race and was always well back. Waka was disappointing in his two races last week, although he had fo be given credit for better jumping on Saturday than in his earlier effort. Norse was well sunorted in his engagement on Saturday, but was not prominent until the closing stages when he finished into fifth place but well awaj from "he dividend payers. Black Majesty was one of the best looking young horses seen out at Trentham. He was bred by his owner, Mr C. T. Keeble, of Palmerston North, his dam, Lucky Bag, being by Lucullus from Moondine by Sir Laddo from Undine by Quilt from Jeuzail by Musket. It would not be surprising to find Black Majesty develop into one of the best four-year-olds of next season. Kaiwaka Disappoints Kaiwaka was one of the biggest disappointments at Trentham on Saturday. He did not jump one fence correctly, and his rider was well advised in pulling him up when he found him in distress three furlongs from home. Kai-

waka is booked to go to Riccarton in company with his stable mate El Meynell, who will be ridden by L. Dulieu. A. E. Elies rode Kaiwaka on Saturday and was offered the ride on him at Riccarton, but Elies will not make any engagement for either of the two big jumping races until he receives definite word that Padishah will not be coming south.

Will Do Better Wardress’s trip to Trentham was very unsatisfactory, as in both her races she was slow to find her feet, and was always in an almost hopeless position. Wagner ran one of his best races for a long time to finish solidly into third place in front of many high-class horses in the Winter Oats. His owner, Mr D. O. Rutherford, has been very patient with his gelding, and a return to winning form would be well deserved. The two previous races executed by Grey Honour left their effect, as he showed none of his usual dash on Saturday. Skyrena is a lightly-built mare, and quite unsuited to a heavy track such as Trentham. She, however, ran two creditable races, and such form will entitle her to consideration for forthcoming engagements in Canterbury Paper Note was unlucky on Saturday. ' She appeared to move out smartly, but soon drifted to the rear, and although in last place going on the course proper, she finished close up to the third horse. Her stable mate Gold Don was again not produced, as it was feared that the track' was too heavy for him. Statistics The South Canterbury trainer, P. Gallagher, has been the most successful reinsman during the season with unhoppled trotters, with 11 wins scored by Millisle (8), Guyvester and Manian. Next on the list are J. T. Paul, J. A. Gerrard and R. Townley, each with seven wins, and M. Holmes, who won six races straight out, besides taking part in a dead-heat. R. Townley won the first trotters’ race of the season with Gracie Fields, and the two last with Helen Scott. Millisle was the outstanding trotter of the 1939-40 season with eight wins, next in order being George Arliss, Houghton Feast and Judgment, with four wins each. Horses converted from the pacing to the trotting gait that won races included Allworthy, Chudic, Danzie Guy, Dark Hazard and Elite Rey. Native King was the most successful sire of trotters, for his progeny won 21 races. Wrack and Worthy Bingen were next, with 19 winners. A feature of the year’s racing has been the success of Nelson Bingen blood. Nelson Bingen sired the winners of 11 races, while his sons, Worthy Bingen, Peter Bingen, Great Bingen, Great Nelson, Native King and Nelson Derby between them were represented by the winners of 52 races, making a total of 63 out of the 159 events for unhoppled trotters decided during the year.