WAIKATO TROTTING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 78, Issue 7018, 11 February 1949, Page 5

WAIKATO TROTTING

FIRST STAKES CONTEST MURRAY GRATTAN AND ELMDALE IN FAVOUR (By “Old Rowley”) The progressive policy of the Waikato Trotting Club in placing a Stakes race on its programme at Claudelands to-morrow, has been justified by the response of owners and trainers, 18 three-year-olds having been paid up, including one bracket. With non-winners handicapped on the limit, winners of one race penalised 24 yards and winners of two races 36 yards, the race should resolve itself into a keen contest. Prominent running against pacers of all ages draws attention to Billy Boy, Blaire, and Flying Smith, especially Blaire, the Josedale Grattan— Barbara Scott gelding which has been placed in his last four starts. Auto Chimes is a speedy sort of filly and she finished very resolutely for a second placing at Cambridge last month, provided she begins correctly the Auto Machine— Kimiora 3-year-old has prospects. Globestock, owned by Mr R. R. Milne and trained by R. August at Greenlane, also has a fund of speed, but he has been erratic at the barrier and this may prejudice his chances. Rolling Home is one of the most promising fillies engaged. She has raced with exasperating misfortune to date and her performance at Claudelapds last month when, twice during the running she was checked and made up ground to finally make a desperate effort for victory in the straight was full of merit and she should make her presence felt in this field. To some extent the backmarkers have proved themselves and for this reason Halfar, which broke up at Claudelands and tailed the field, will be expected to do* better and Peggy’s Star, although he failed to run on in his first start this season, must be

considered. Quindale, also on 24 yds, is a solid type of Josedale Grattan gelding and being from Crocus, he lacks nothing on the score of breeding. Conceding the limit markers 36 yards, Mojavie is alone on this mark, but she has shown such brilliance in the past that the handicap is not unduly harsh when racing against her own age. She is owned by the successful breeder, Mr W. Hosking and is in the hands of his private trainer, J. K. Hughes, whose successes have brought him to the forefront as a mentor and driver. Pre-post discussions about the Waikato Cup find Murray Grattan to a large extent sharing favouritism witn the South Island entry, Elmdale, but there is an increasing interest being manifest in Overdraft, Tyrone Power, Fly On and Entrust, all of which have raced prominently at recent meetings and have been working attractively. Unless the weather breaks the track will be hard .and fast, ensuring true racing. The first race will commence at 11 a.m., the Waikato Cup is Scheduled for 1.25 p.m. and will be followed by the Waikato Stakes at 2.10 p.m. The day’s racing will conclude at 4.35 p.m. with the running of the Farewell Handicap. With large fields engaged in most events public fancy is expected to cover a wide range, but the following horses may attract attention in their engagements:— Waitoa Handicap, trotters, limit 4.9, 1 mile, 5 furlongs: Airworthy, Finale, Merchant Prince. Hillcrest Handicap, limit 3.56, 1 mile, 5 furlongs: Ist Division: Prince Belwin, Pacing Lady, Peter Amanda. 2nd Division: Gay Gyp, Petite Raider, Bela Lea. Te Kawa Handicap, limit 4.50, 2 miles: Earl Pine, Unlimited, Sir John. Waikato Cup, limit 4.40, 2 miles: Murray Grattan, Elmdale, Fly On. Waikato Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile, 5 furlongs: Rolling Home, Quindale, Peggy’s Star. Taupiri Handicap, trotters, limit 4.53, 2 miles: Noble Triumph, Gay Indiana brkt., High Pressure. Te Awamutu Handicap, limit 3.49, 1 mile, 5 furlongs: General Manager brkt., Unlimited, Brig-o-Dee. Farewell Handicap, limit 2.51, 1} miles: Overdraft brkt., Tyrone Power, Real Nugget.

RACING AT ROTORUA

GOOD FIELD FOR JUBILEE CUP Racing at Rotorua will have a special significance to-morrow, -for it is the Racing Club’s Jubilee meeting, worthily commemorated by offering a stake of £lOOO for the Rotorua Racing Club Jubilee Cup Handicap, run over a distance of H miles and 180 yards. It was only to be expected that a ready response would be forthcoming from racing men and the 21 acceptors includes some good quality handicap horses. Folkstone seems assured of favouritism and this promising galloper from the stables of H. E. Grey certainly has the breeding and past performance to demand respect. However, he will need to be at his best and get a good position early in the running to have an even chance with good beginners like Silver Sam, which should be suited by the shorter distance, the consistent Hunting Rua, Earldale, Tilting, and Foxfable, which is very well at present. Dakota would only need to repeat his Matamata form to be a factor. Others which may improve sufficiently to add considerable interest to the contest are Double Chance, Gay Rosina and Kaitawa.

Provision has been made for divisions in the Arawa Nursery Handicap, and the Hot Springs Handicap. Reports indicate that the track will be in excellent order and the first race will commence at 11 a.m. Among those horses to be favoured on the day may be:— Waimangu Handicap, 6 furlongs: Clear View, Psalm Singer, Nectarina. . Arawa Nursery Handicap, 2-year-olds, 5& furlongs: First Division: Scribble, Good Century, Gold Pal. Second Division: Epsom Boy, Oxford Blue, Sabina. Pohutu Highweight Handicap, 1 mile, 163 yards: King’s Law, Leadership, Silver Dan. Rotorua R.C. Jubilee Cup, 1$ miles, 180 yards: Folkstone, Silver Sam, Hunting Rua. Hot Springs Handicap, 6 furlongs: Ist Division: Park Princess, Kintimani, Spiteful Lad. 2nd Division: Taiwa, Chatacre, Cornishman. Geyser Hack Cup, 1} miles, 180 yards: Bengal Bay, Radiant Fox, Highworth. Tourist Handicap, 6 furlongs: Highland Lad, Ganjah, Foxfable brkt. Mokoia Hack Handicap, 6 furlongs: Concise, Fort Knox, Raleigh in absence of Park Princess.

JACKSON STAKES AT WANGANUI Although the handicap races carded for the second day of the Wanganui Jockey Club’s summer meeting, to be held at the River City to-morrow, provide little to interest Waikato followers of racing, the weight-for-age Jackson Stakes will claim their attention. Mr W. S. Goosman’s Tauloch is to contest this mile race and should the champion Balloch three-year-old succeed he will gain the honour of being the highest single * season stake winner in the history of Dominion racing. Opposing the colt will be the brilliant miler Da Vinci (9.1), King’s Ransom (9.1), who has a prior engagement in the Earle Stakes, where he is weighted at 10.0; New Deer (9.1), Voltaic (9.1) and Aggravation (8.11) which has little recent form.

With the exception of King’s Ransom, which defeated Tauloch at Trentham and then went on to win the Wanganui Cup, the others have shown a lapse in form lately and provided F. Smith has been able to keep his equine charge right, Tauloch’s chances appear excellent. All followers of racing will wish the connections success, for the Balloch—Taupiri three-year-old is a very honest type and very much of a horse, so much indeed, that he may prove a problem to the Takanini mentor, as he gets older, although at present Tauloch is very tractable.