TRAINER’S GOOD RECORD

Southland Times, Issue 24499, 29 July 1941, Page 9

TRAINER’S GOOD RECORD

F. D. JONES’S SUCCESS AT RICCARTON

F. D. Jones once again leads the Riccarton trainers as far as stakewinnings are concerned, his team having won £5565 this season, says The Christchurch Star-Sun. Jones has compiled a wonderful record since he took up training in 1913, horses prepared by him having won the great total of oyer £170,000. Season after season he has produced good horses. The best horse which he has trained was Limerick, winner of almost £39,000 for Mr H. A. Knight. Royal Chief was another big stake winner prepared by Jones. He won close on £19,000 for Mr A. K. Firth. Royal Chief was again the chief contributor from the stable this season, winning £2650, the result of four wins, including the Metropolitan Handicap. Iceland Spar, winner of the Great Autumn Handicap and other races, is next on the list with £1895. He is making steady progress in his preparation for spring racing, and being a grand stayer should win. further distance races. Jones also trains King s Toast, who was second to Kentucky in the Great Easter and later won the Timaru Cup for Mr J. R. McKenzie. Half And Half

Half and Half, trained at Wingatui by A. E. Didham for Mr T. Deegan, paid a three-figure dividend when he beat a strong field in the Claremont Handicap at the South Canterbury Hunt meeting on Saturday. He is an aged chestnut gelding by Balboa from Insolence and after showing mediocre form on the flat he was later put to hurdling. This season he has had three successes, scoring a double over hurdles at the Dunedin winter meeting. His other success was on the fiat. The Crack Pacers The August Handicap on the opening day of the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting looks like being the race of the day outside the All-Aged Stakes. Several horses, including Peter - Smith and Marsceres, claim engagements in both races and not until acceptances are taken will the intentions of owners be known. The 4min 29sec limit does not encourage the entry of the recognized New Zealand Cup horses, but it provides the opportunity to qualify for this race. Bayard and Dusky Sound, who have reached the best grade, will start from 48 yards behind a 4min 25sec mark and Marsceres and Sandusky from 36 yards. Of this quartet Sandusky makes a direct appeal for he has come through his classes in the way of a fast-improving pacer. He should stay two miles and there is no question about his brilliance. Possibly the winner should not be looked for among the back markers, who will have all their work cut out to give starts to horses of the calibre of Ned Worthy, Molly Direct and a great little pacer in Lady Milne, who would only have to be at her best to beat the majority. Her form 12 months ago showed her a fine pacer and since then she has not been overraced. She has not had a race for some time, but this is a disadvantage the majority will be faced with. Lightning Lady has previously impressed more as a sprinter than a stayer, but there is no reason why she should not go two miles. She may not always begin smartly, but once balanced there are few faster pacers. The August Handicap is a race that will give her every chance.

A Grey There have been few good grey pacers in recent years in Canterbury and one of the most consistent and one of the most improved is the Travis Axworthy gelding Glen Travis in G. Cameron’s care. At one stage he did not appear anything but a losing proposition and his rise to good class is a tribute to the work of his trainer. His three wins during the season returned excellent dividends and in a betting stable Glen Travis would have proved a great winner. His next appearance at Addington will be in the Selwyn Handicap of two miles and as a placebetting proposition he looks the part. A Southland Pacer

Drumoak has not been raced a great deal since going to Canterbury from Southland and the difficulty has been to find suitable races for a horse of his class. In the Advance Handicap at Addington he will start off the limit of a 4min 40sec class and here appears his opportunity to graduate to the better classes. To Come South The owners of Centrepoise were doubtful about taking the Hunting Song gelding south, but he put up an improved gallop last week and he will definitely make the Riccarton trip. He easily beat Lamboum and Gayest Son in a gallop over- a mile, but the latter pair arc lazy track workers. Promising Hurdler Having only his second start over hurdles, Noko gained an easy win in the Hadlow Hurdles at Washdyke on Saturday. His task was made easier by a mix up at the first fence, but by the manner in which he outstayed Donadea it appears that with more experience he will develop into a hurdler of note. In his first start as a hurdler at Waimate, when he carried 141 b overweight, he put up a creditable performance, but on Saturday he was not a well-fancied runner and returned a good dividend. Although Noko gained several successes on the flat his form as a whole was disappointing. At Ashburton The Te Rapa trotting trainer M. Stewart has taken three of his charges, Molly Direct, Adversity and Grand Dame, to Ashburton, where they will be prepared for the meeting at Addington next month. All three were good winners this season, and should have prospects of extending their records next month. A. Jenkins’s Mounts A. Jenkins will ride a Manawatu treble at the Grand National meeting, Bridegroom, Saxon Tor and Foxiana. Bridegroom and Foxiana are in the favoured division for their respective events, while Saxon Tor, having his first race after a spell, finished close up to the placed division in the Te Oro Handicap at Manawatu. He should be improved by the race. When at his best he is a first-class sprinter. A Good Trial The most impressive of the Winter Cup candidates raced in the Claremont Handicap at Timaru were Boloyna and St. Cloud, who finished second and third respectively. Boloyna’s performance was particularly pleasing and on that form he should again finish ahead of St. Cloud in the Winter Cup. The latter, however, is brilliant in the early stages of a race and that will be an important factor in the big field likely to contest the Winter Cup. Another candidate, Haughty Winner, appeared unlucky at Timaru as he was going well in fourth place when interfered with by Sham Boy.