IMMEDIATE AS A STAYER

Southland Times, Issue 25641, 7 April 1945, Page 7

IMMEDIATE AS A STAYER

Fairy Bard Highly Rated NAVIGATES SOUND DISPLAY

By HAMPTON Acceptances for the Southland winter meeting close on Tuesday.

Forbury Nominations Nominations for the Forbury Park winter meeting are due on April 17. Short Odds Pensacola is likely to be at short odds for the Templeton Handicap today. Uncertain It has not been decided whether John Gay will run in the Challenge Stakes or the Templeton Handicap. Falconbridge Falconbridge is expected to contest the Gimcrack Handicap in preference to the Addington Handicap. Form a Puzzle Typhoon has apparently made a good recovery, but his condition will be a puzzle to the majority of followers. Not Out Of It Foxhaven’s claims for the Great Autumn Handicap have not been greatly discussed, but his form has been better than that of several in today’s field. Slow Away Sing Sing, Whackie, and Longsword were Great Easter candidates slow away. Whackie did best of them to finish fifth, while Sing Sing was not far behind him. Disappointed Last Effort failed to race up to expectations in the hurdle race at Riccarton on Monday and he has been returned to Invercargill. He will next appear at the Southland winter meeting. Southland Bred

Belhall, who won a double at the Hawera meeting, is a four-year-old mare by Dillon Hall from Goldflower, dam also of Gentleman Jim. Goldflower was a Gold Bell mare from Bellflower, an outstanding square trotter some years ago.

Staying Credentials Immediate has yet to win over some ground, but the fact that he was sired by Siegfried and has been finishing on in all his races suggests that he will be better suited by the Great Autumn journey than he was by the Great Easter distance.

Unlucky In Draw Falconbridge has been unlucky for some time in the draw for barrier positions. He had to start from No. 21, the outside but one in the Papanui Handicap at Riccarton, and did well to finish third. Through a series of minor placings Falconbridge is well up, in the weights.

A Dogged Finish One of the most impressive finishing efforts at Riccarton on Monday was that in the Russley Handicap of Bruce, a son of Royal Chief. He was well back when the course proper was reached, but made a telling run over the last furlong. This dogged work was reminiscent of his sire, and Bruce promises to do good service for his Auckland owner, Mr S. Ramsan, and Riccarton trainer, L. J. Ellis. Slow Beginner Honest Sal would have paid a dividend in the Autumn Plate on Monday but for her slow beginning. She had to make up a lot of leeway to get up for fourth place. There is not much of this filly, but she possesses stamina, and would win races if she did not jeopardise her chances in the early stages. She is engaged inthe Addington Handicap, a mile and a-quarter, today, with 7.7. Engaged Twice As there was no payment for the Challenge Stakes" and Essay and Battle Lord were paid up for in the Autumn Nursery Handicap, they will probably contest the handicap race. A similar programme may be followed with Koa Manu, which was accepted for in the Yaldhurst Hack. Fairy Bard Fairy Bard, a winner at Riccarton on Monday and in favour again today, races in the colours of Mr W. McCarthy, of South Hillend, who owned and trained two fine jumpers in French Fleet and Colham some years ago. By Nigger Minstrel, Fairy Bard is out of Fairy Dart, by Last Dart from Fairy Ring, by Elysian from Sequinette, by St Ambrose. Reliable Facer

Characteristic, winner of the principal race at the Hawera Trotting Club’s meeting, has developed into a reliable and capable pacer. During this season she has contested 13 races for four firsts, three seconds, and three thirds. She is trained for Mr J. Henderson by C. S. Donald, at Belfast, and has shown big improvement this season over all distances. Characteristic is engaged at the Manawatu meeting today, where her prospects again look bright. Three-year-olds Pensacola, who did not pay up for the Great Autumn Handicap, was weighted at 7.9 for this race, the same weight as Signal Officer has been rehandicapped to carry. On these figures Signal Officer is rated the equal of Pensacola, one of the outstanding three-year-olds of the current season, whose successes included the New Zealand Derby and the Canterbury Cup. Signal Officer’s 7.9 in the Great Autumn rates him highly among the season’s best three-year-olds. Should Go Far

Navigate is a smart four-year-old, and his performance to challenge Dundee Sandy with three furlongs to go in the Canterbury Handicap, and go stride for stride with the older horse, only to suffer defeat by half a head; was a brilliant effort for one of his age, states The Press, Christchurch. Navigate actually headed Dundee Sandy in the straight, but J. Walsh had to check him to stop him from boring in on Rushton’s gelding, and that incident might have cost him the race. Navigate, which is trained at Gore by J. Walsh, is by Sandydale from Rocks Ahead, a mare by Happy Voyage from First Water, which won her way to New Zealand Trotting Cup company.