RACING AND TROTTING

Southland Times, Issue 24603, 27 November 1941, Page 9

RACING AND TROTTING

WAIRIO MEETING IN DECEMBER

Nominations for the Wairio Jockey Club’s annual meeting on December 20 close on Monday, December 8. The club has included a hurdle race on its programme this year, and judging by the number of horses which have been schooled in Southland this season there is every prospect of the event being well patronized. The Wairio Cup carries with it the club’s silver challenge cup valued at £lOO, the sum of £BO in cash and a trophy valued at £5. There is no steeplechase event. Fremont

The Gore-owned Fremont is in good shape just now and is one of the backmarkers in the King George Handicap at Forbury on Saturday likely to carry a lot of public support. Fremont has developed into a consistent racehorse and his winning effort at Addington earlier in the month was a bit above the ordinary. In a field of 11 in the New Zealand sprint championship he was third away from the barrier and went to the front five furlongs from the post. He covered the first two furlongs in 34 seconds, the half-mile in Imin 6sec and the mile and a quarter in 2min 40 l-ssec. His forte is sprinting, but he has shown that he can get two miles in fast time. Gold Robe

Gold Robe, who will probably be put to hurdling this season, has shaped fairly well in his schooling tasks. He may be given a race at the Wairio meeting on December 20. Gold Robe is a six-year-old geldihg by Nigger Minstrel from Pretty Maiden. He failed to win a race in 10 starts last season, but was placed three times. He won two races as a four-year-old.

Gay Boa Gay Boa has been recommissioned by the Winton trainer, F. Langford, and is being prepared for the hurdle event on the Wairio programme. An addition to F. Langford’s stable is a three-year-old mare by Grattan Loyal from Queen Dulse.

Winton Successes Winton district owners secured £390 in stakes as a result of four wins, a second and a third at the Southland Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday. The winning owners were: F. Moore (Boaform, £120), J. J. Woods (Sing Sing, £100), T. Cosgrove, jun. (Fervent, £75), F. J. Boyle (Platform, £7O), J. T. Looney (Erin’s Country, £l5), P. J. Boyle (Merry Simon, £10). Lament

Lament continued his monopoly of Free-for-Alls by beating Dark Hazard narrowly in the New Zealand Trotting Championship after a great duel between the pair from the half-mile. Dark Hazard went away well on this occasion, so there were no excuses for him, although he made practically all the pace. The surprise of the race was Josedale Dictator, who gave his only smooth performance of the meeting and finished up resolutely in third place. Racing must have improved him, as he showed no inclination to mix his gait or put in a “long one,” factors which retarded him in his other three races at the meeting. Record Pool

The £14,539 invested on the final event on the concluding day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s November meeting is a record for a final event at Addington. In this event Walter Moore was a hot favourite, and on both pools the amount invested on him was £3751, which is believed to be the record amount invested on any one horse at a Canterbury meeting. The total for the three days at Addington was £220,286/10/-, compared with £205,118 last year. The total for Show Day was £85,659, compared with £76,584/10/- last year and £91,813 in the record year of 1920. The total for the three days in 1920 was £259,076. Addington and Riccarton together contributed £46,746 in Government taxes for seven days’ racing. Celebrity

After the English-bred mare Celebrity had scored a runaway win in the Strowan Plate at Riccarton, her first race, her appearance in the seven-fur-long Seymour Handicap on the final day was awaited with interest, but her Hastings trainer, J. H. Jefferd, did not accept for her. Celebrity will eventually go to Mr J. G. Alexander’s stud at Maxwell, but before that time she should win more races, and easily. She is a half-sister by Nothing Venture to proved sires in Gay Shield, Beau Pere and Mr Standfast, while her brother, Dink, has been represented by his first winner, Dash o’ Dink, this season. Haughty

Haughty averaged a 2min 9Jsec gait for a mile and five furlongs when she won the Louisson Handicap in most attractive style. Haughty’s latest performances entitle her to rank as one of the best mares in the Dominion today—perhaps she will eventually top them all. From being a very nervous mare and a bad beginner, Haughty has come right at th'' barrier. She looks certain to win another important race, and will still be on handy marks in the Ashburton Cup, and Canterbury Handicap. Not Disgraced

It was no disgrace for Walter Moore to be beaten by Fremont in the Intermediate Sprint Championship. Fremont is a brilliant pacer, and he has beaten some of our greatest pacers. At Forbury Park last January he beat Gold Bar over a mile and three furlongs, after giving him a start at the home turn. In the previous season he finished second in a two-mile event, beating Icevus, Zincali and others. Last season he also finished second to Zincali in the Wellington Cup, and this season, at the Metropolitan August meeting, he won over a mile and a half from Mankind. Years ago Fremont took records of 2min 7 l-ssec and 4min 19 4-ssec.