RACING AND TROTTING

Southland Times, Issue 24601, 25 November 1941, Page 9

RACING AND TROTTING

SUCCESS OF BETTING SYSTEM

The sale of win-and-place tickets at the one window at the Southland spring meeting on Saturday was a success and there is no doubt that the system will be adopted at future meetings. Mr W. F. James and his staff put up a good performance in handling a turnover several hundred pounds more than that put through the machine at the holiday meeting last year, when tickets for win-and-place were sold at separate windows. Black Bard

Black Bard, reported to have been carrying a “dicky” leg on the eve of the meeting, had conditions made to order on Saturday. He revelled in the heavy going and over the last two furlongs had too much speed for his opponents. Black Bard was started at Gore without being placed. He was not raced last season, but two seasons ago he showed much promise and was placed four times. He won the Myross Hack Handicap and beat Royal Lancer, who was second, and Gold Robe (third). Merry Simon

Merry Simon, topweight in the Southland Highweight Handicap, ran his usual honest race and completed a sequence of 14 consecutive placings by running third to Black Bard and Prince Ruenalf. He has been placed 10 times this season and has won £530 in stakes (three wins, three seconds and four thirds). Last season he won £l5O. Well Backed

Georgia (Darien-Real Glad) was well backed in the Southland Highweight on the strength of some good running at the New Zealand Cup meeting. He was well placed in the running, but could get no nearer than fourth at the finish.

Answer to Inquiry “Wager” (Gore). —When Fidelis won the Awarua Handicap at the Southland winter meeting last year he carried 7.0 and was ridden by K. R. Ford. Wild Career (D. A. Hamill) was second and Silkwood (W. Connor) was third. The time was 2min 20 4-ssec. Waitoru was favourite and Heidelberg (G. Barclay) was second favourite. First Winner

R. E. McLellan, the Invercargill trainer, led in his first winner for the season when Black Bard won the Southland Highweight Handicap at the Southland meeting on Saturday. He also scored a minor success with Elvena, the Philamor-Pompax mare who was having her second start. Last season McLellan was fourth on the Southland trainers’ list with 10 wins and 20 placings. Statistics

With four months of the 1941-42 season completed Southland stables have not been nearly as successful as they were at this time last season. W. E. Hazlett, leading trainer last season, is again in the lead with five winners (Astral Flame 3, Chandelier - and Anglo-Irish); A. McKay (Riverton) is next with four winners (Sing Sing 2, Boaform and Sally Lunn) and then follow D. M. Tweedie (Riverton) with two (Winning Flight and Dark Flight), and T. G. Pollock (Gore) with two (Phalanx and Fidelis). F. W. Ellis and F. Voight, both of whom were well up last season, have yet to lead in a winner this season.

T. J. Boyle, the steeplechase rider, leads the Southland jockeys with five wins (Astral Flame twice, Bally Brit, Tidewaiter and Black Bard) and K. R. Ford and K. E. Wilson are next with three each. Ford’s winning mounts were Islay Downs, Royal Chorus and Anglo-Irish and Wilson’s were Dark Colleen, Fleet Street and Fidelis. Brilliant Fillies

Two fillies who took the eye at the Southland meeting on Saturday as possessing ability above the average were Sally Lunn and Sing Sing, both winners from the stable of A. McKay. Sally Lunn ran away from her field and registered one of the easiest wins ever seen on the course and Sing Sing galloped impressively when winning the Stewart Island Handicap. The future of both will be followed with great interest. Irish Ruler

Irish Ruler confirmed the good impression formed of him when he ran third in open hack company at Gore by running out a good seven furlongs in the Stewart Island Handicap. His finishing run was a good one and he looks certain to run out a good mile later on. Sunny Dell Sunny Dell was a consistent pacer who did not have the best of luck in the racing last season and his success in the New River Trot on Saturday, although not generally expected by most bettors, was a popular one. He was well handled by L. Boivin, who made the most of Sunny Dell’s speed in the early stages. Ocean Singer

Ocean Singer carried a penalty to get the services of P. Spratt in the Highweight, but beyond showing up over the first half he never threatened danger. Ocean Singer last raced at the Winton meeting in February of last year. Fervent

Fervent's pacing in the Waverley Trot on Saturday reflected benefit from her outings at Gore and Invercargill. She began well and stayed on much better than generally expected in the heavy going and returned her backers a good win-and-place dividend. She has plenty of speed and may be expected to show up again in the near future. A Good Finish

One of the best finishes of Saturday’s racing was that provided by Certainty (winner) and Monaco (second) in the second division of the Waverley Trot. Certainty responded well to the whip and left no doubt about his quality, a reputation he apparently built up by some outstanding work in private. Monaco went one of his best races and was perhaps a bit unlucky to strike Certainty in such impressive form. Boaform

Boaform won only two races last year, but she did so in a style which ranked her with the best sprinters in the south. A brilliant beginner, she got away well on Saturday and never left the result of the Flying Handicap in doubt. She is a free galloper who has done her best work when fresh and in dead going. With only 61b above the minimum, she looked the best of good things. A. McKay had her in great order for her first race for the season.