Sporting TROTTING CLUB AT WINTON

Southland Times, Issue 25513, 6 November 1944, Page 3

Sporting TROTTING CLUB AT WINTON

PERMIT TO RACE ON DECEMBER 30

The Winton Trotting Club has been granted a permit to hold its annual meeting this season. December 30 has been fixed as the date of the meeting. It was generally thought by Southland trotting men that the Winton Club would get a permit if the decision was made to issue extra permits this season, and now that it has materialized, the club may be assured of plenty of support. Last season the club conducted a patriotic fixture under several handicaps and made a success of it. The weather was bad, the transport restrictions were in operation and the club had to rely on Southland horses to fill the programme. It is three seasons since the Winton Trotting Club last held its annual fixture. Af that meeting Gentleman Jim won the Winton Trotting Handicap and Lady Dawn won the Winton Juvenile Stakes. Since then the Juvenile Stakes event has been conducted by the Winton Jockey Club and that club was to have done so again this season, but now that the trotting club has been granted a permit it will conduct the Juvenile Stakes as usual.

Trotting Cup Winner Bronze Eagle, winner of the New Zealand Trotting Cup on Saturday, is a chestnut horse by Wrack from Lady Bridget, by Guy Parrish-Bridget Galindo. He was Lady Bridget’s first foal and was bred in 1936 by Mrs M. A. Tasker, of Christchurch. Only a few years ago he was racing on Southland tracks. He is now eight years old. Pacing Power Pacing Power, second string of R. B. Berry’s stable in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, gained his second third in successive years. He was third to Haughty and Countless last year. Blue Horizon

Blue Horizon looks like being full value for the £l5OO Mr H. M. Allan gave for him. He has now had four starts in his new ownership and has won three times. At his other start (his first this season) he ran fourth. Blue Horizon has now won £l7lO in stakes in two seasons, £9BO of which has been won for his present owner. This South-land-bred trotter can be named as next year’s winner of the Dominion Trotting Handicap, the premier race for straightout trotters in New Zealand. Will Cary Will Cary is another Southland-bred straightout trotter who distinguished himself on Saturday. His dead-heat with Lady Scott in the Dominion Handicap put him in the class he looked like reaching when he beat the best in Southland two seasons ago. Blue Horizon, Will Cary, Sea Max, Jimmy Dillon and Castigate make up a quintet of trotters which have placed Southland in the forefront of the square T gaited brigade in recent years. On recent performances it is not too much to suggest that at least one of them would have matched the great Certissimus for brilliance. , Inquiry

“Wager” (Bluff).—Sing Sing has not contested a Stewards’ Handicap (C.J.C.) before.

Invercargill Tracks Improved conditions for trial gallops were available to Invercargill trainers on Saturday morning. The tracks are still on the easy side, and times were not fast, but horses with engagements at the Southland and New Zealand Cup meetings this month were able to be given good workouts. All fast work was done on the course proper well out from the rails.

Royal Lancer, topweight in toe New Zealand Cup, proved that there was little wrong with him by galloping a good mile in company with Nigger Lad. Royal Lancer covered toe first three furlongs in 43sec and was then picked up by Nigger Lad. The pace was increased over the last half, but Royal Lancer finished solidly. Whether he has had sufficient work for the exacting task of a New Zealand Cup remains to be seen, but he certainly looks well. If the weather keeps fine toe prospect of his being ready by Cup day looks fairly good. A good line on his form and prospects should be obtained in the Southland Cup on November 18. Nigger Lad is showing some of the form which promised to take him out of hack class last season. He shaped well at toe Southland spring meeting last season, where he was beaten into second place in the Roslyn Trial Handicap by Aurora Australis. Psalm

Psalm, toe McLean Stakes winner, showed a lot of speed in the early stages of a half-mile sprint in company with Carolyn. She revelled in her work and had Carolyn well extended at the end of toe distance run in a shade better than 53 seconds. F. W. Ellis has toe filly in good order, and with another gallop or two she should be in tip top order for her Welcome Stakes engagement at Riccarton.

Carolyn showed all her speed in toe gallop and is one who should not be long off toe winning list. She shaped like an early winner at toe Gore fixture. Wild Cry

Another smart gallop was that accomplished by Wild Cry, who went amiss after toe Dunedin meeting. He was sent over five furlongs and came home the last half mile in better than 53sec. It was an impressive gallop. Benbecula looks well enough to win good races. He went a mile and was picked up by Siegdowa. There is nothing wrong with toe former, whose form at Gore was a disappointment.

Sai and Invulnerable were not extended to run five furlongs. Both horses look as if they will race well at the Southland meeting next week. Royal Chorus and Royal Brief were not bustled in a gallop over seven furlongs and Great Coon and Eboness shaped encouragingly over six furlongs. Others who accomplished useful tasks included Fleet Street, Green Note, Lisheen, Jack o’ Lantern, Pocket Flash, Straightaway, Starlee, Pont Spean, Lindy Lou and Red Prize.