TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN WORK

Southland Times, Issue 25763, 29 August 1945, Page 7

TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN WORK

SOUTHLAND STRONGLY REPRESENTED Fourteen Southland two-year-olds have been entered for the McLean Stakes, the first South Island two-year-old event of the new season, to be run at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting in October. There is little chance of all these youngsters getting to the post, but practically all of them are in work at the present time, seven of the number being trained at Invercargill. They represent an outstanding collection of well-bred two-year-olds, and from their ranks some good class winners should emerge. F. W. Ellis, who won last years McLean Stakes with Psalm, and was successful in 1942 with Invulnerable, has two candidates in My Cobber and a colt by Man’s Pal from Dinner Music. The last-named is the more forward of the two, as he has been in work throughout the winter. Dinner Music was a Tea Tray mare from Tea Party, a good winner when trained by Ellis some seasons back. My Cobber, a Man’s Pal fdly, is a member of a speedy family, her dam, Tray Bond, being the dam of Pink Bond, who held the Wingatui half-mile record of 48 4-ssec until it was bettered by Winning Flight in 1941. T. E. Pankhurst has Spare Part engaged. He is a well-developed gelding by Salmagundi from Mei Tui and has done a good amount of work without being asked of any serious efforts. R. E. McLellan has a filly by Salmagundi from Miss Redowa, but she is on the small side and has not shown anything as yet. F. J. Boyle’s candidate Regular was given a run in the two-year-old parade at the Grand National meeting. He is a likely type by Nightly from Grey Vixen, a Hunting Song mare from Grey Eyes, by Grey Spear. He remained at Riccarton after the National meeting. SPECIAL FLIGHT Great interest will be shown in the progress of Mr D. M. Tweedie’s candidate, Special Flight, a sister to Royal Flight and Bonny Flight, and a halfsister to Winning Flight, the 1941 winner of the McLean Stakes and holder of the half-mile record of 48 l-ssec at Wingatui. She is in steady work at Riverton and is a grand type of filly. Another particularly well-bred youngster is a colt by Salmagundi from Honest Maid, and thus a brother to Macedoine and Honest Sal, and a halfbrother to Pride of Mossburn. He is a member of T. G. Pollock’s Gore team.

At Riverton A. McKay has two candidates in Faithful Pal and Sally Locket. Faithful Pal is a gelding by Man’s Pal from that useful sprinter Rodeur and Sally Locket is a filly by Salmagundi from Lucky Locket, a good class mare some years ago and dam of Chirp and Green Locket. Another Riverton entrant is Naughty Lady, a Haughty Winner filly from the Balboa mare Perboa. She is trained by M. Corkery.

At Gore J. R. Cochrane has Winning Cheer in work. He is a gelding by Haughty Winner from the Full Feather mare Chirp, who won several races. An Invercargill entrant is Grand Pal,, a gelding by Man’s Pal from the British Empire mare Alms, but he has done very little as yet. R. E. McLellan has a second candidate in a good-looking youngster by Salmagundi from Bay Biddy, but he was recently gelded. A colt by Man’s Pal from Miss Fox can claim some breeding, as his dam was by Gallant Fox out of Miss Camouflage, by All Red from Winter Rose.

The progress of these youngsters will be closely followed, for on the score of blood they have much to recommend them. The majority of these two-year-olds have also been entered for the Champagne Stakes, to be run at the Cup meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club.

AL-SIRAT’S NEXT RACE WANGANUI GUINEAS , (Special) WELLINGTON, August 28. Al-Sirat, the three-year-old brother to Bridge Acre and to the record-priced yearling Barwon, will have his first race of the new season in the Wanganui Guineas, in which he will be ridden by W. J. Broughton. It was originally intended to reserve him for his three-year-old debut until the Wellington Guineas in October, but he has wintered so well that he will be started off a month earlier. Al-Sirat has been in light exercise throughout the winter and has been a regular visitor to the tracks, though all he did was jogging and the lightest of work. Last week he was given his first fast work since he last raced at Easter. He ran half a mile with Bridge Acre on the No. 2 grass and finished a short length behind the mare in 49sec. Al-Sirat has developed into a splendid type of colt, being sturdy looking and muscular, and it will not take much fast work to bring him to concert pitch. Bridge Acre, who is well forward for the spring campaign, will contest the main spring races at- Wanganui. Master Robin has done only routme work since his return from the Grand National meeting. It is probable that his first classic engagement of the season will be the Avondale Guineas on September 8. Caithness has not been to the tracks since she returned from Christchurch. She is picking up again and is being given exercise on the roads. Macedoine, who is to resume racing at the Wanganui meeting, was given a round of solid pace work and she speeded up to run the final half-mile in 54sec. Macedoine has not raced since the Wellington October meeting. She has been in light work throughout the winter and is carrying plenty of condition. She will be accompanied to I Wanganui by Tutere, who is being trained on a light preparation. LORD DARNLEY Lord Darnley has been having an easy time since he returned from the Grand National meeting. Though he has been running well in open company, Lord Darnley is still a hack and he requires a further win before he is eligible for nomination in any of the open races at the Wellington October meeting. No opportunity will be lost of qualifying Lord Darnley for entry at Trentham, and he will race next at the Wanganui spring meeting. . Typhoon has done so well since being put into work under C. J. Stowe at Hastings that he may be raced in the open sprint on the second day of the Wanganui meeting on September 15, and it is possible also that he will have a further tuning up race at the Foxton meeting at Awapuni on September 22 He is booked to leave for Melbourne in the last week in September. The Wellington Racing Club recently obtained expert advice on the grassing of the tracks at Trentham, and a comprehensive programme of reconditioning has been put in hand. The work began today and the first circuit being treated is the course proper.