RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23013, 3 October 1944, Page 6

RACING ON AND OFF THE TRACK

This week there will be racing at Wingatui and Otaki, and trotting «t New Brighton. There is a payment for the McLean Stakes due to-night. At present 25 youngsters are eligible to start. Eighteen remain in the Dunedin Guineas. A fairly substantial reduction is desirable in both cases.

The Wellington Racing Club considered overtures from the Trotting Club for the permanent use of the Trentham course, and appointed a sub-committee to investigate various aspects of the proposal. Loyal Peter, winner of the Brockville Trot at Wingatui, is by Grattan Loyal from that good mare Erin’s Fortune. Last season he filled fourth place four times, and was prominent on several other occasions.

The pacer Gold Flight, who on two occasions was in J. B. Pringle’s stable, died suddenly at Petone. He was taken over again by his owner, D. G. Nyhan, on the eve of the last Wellington meeting.

Water Ranger was inconspicuous m two starts last season, but he was runner-up to Traverse at Ashburton and to Barometer Chimes at Orari, form which pointed the way to success on his home track at Methven. The four-year Sandyvale horse is out of a Rey de Oro mare. Albino won the Seaview Hurdles very easily, and is such a big jumper that steeplechase fences should come easily to him next winter. He is at home in soft ground, and his dam Arden’s Beauty, besides being by Shambles, traces back to Birkenhead, a noted sire of jumpers. Consequent on wins at Methven, the following horses have incurred penalties at New Brighton.—lntroductory Handicap, Castigate 84yds. Spring Handicap. Scott Axworthy 12, Festivity 48. Avon Handicap, Special Edition 48. Members’ Handicap. Great Deceiver 36, Scott Axworthy 60. Farewell Handicap, Special Edition 24. An apt piece of nomenclature is Bayreuth for a solt by Siegfried from Bay Biddy. Patmos for a filly by Revelation and Free Play for a filly by Croupier from Free Air are other commendable efforts in the latest list. Tara King was a good class colt last spring, but deteriorated after a hard struggle to win the Christmas Handicap at Auckland. There are indications that he may be coming back. In the sprint at the Foxton meeting he was a long way back in .the earlv stages, but finished brilliantly in third place. Battledress is a poor performer in soft ground, and apparently his halfbrother Matador labours under the same disability. At the Foxton meeting Matador was heavily supported, but let his backers down badly. Saturday’s programme at Wingatui will differ materially from that of the Otago Hunt. The harness races will be replaced by the McLean Stakes and Dunedin Guineas, and the Hunters’ Flat by an open sprint. The principal flat race will be run over 10J furlongs instead of a mile and the second hack race is similarly extended. Joygiver was the best performer as a two-year-old of the Dunedin Guineas field, but he has been somewhat under a cloud this season. Form indicates that there is not much between Pensacola, Piccolo and Air Ace, though Piccolo may be best over a mile. A new contender has appeared in Bonny Flight, sister to last year’s winner Royal Flight, and it will occasion no surprise if this filly is favourite. Several McLean Stakes candidates participated in a “parade” at the Otago Hunt meeting. In the. first division Knight Crusader (Medieval KnightVidi Vice) finished first from Amicus (Man’s Pal-Tracsone). In the second the winner was Loyal Lady (Man's Pal-Broken Rule) from Te Anau Lady (Siegfried-Honest Maid). .Loyal Lady is a half-sister to Abdicate. A reader inquires whether a maiden is eligible for the New Zealand Cup. There is nothing in the conditions of the race to debar maidens from entry, and so long as the safety number is not exceeded a maiden would be permitted to start. The safety number is 24, and in all open races at the meeting any excess will be eliminated by ballot. First to go would be horses eligible for hack races, which includes maidens. In 1908 the starters numbered 21, and in 1939 22, and these were the only occasions on which there have been more than 18 runners in the Cup. The probability of a maiden 'being eliminated therefore is remote. SOUTH CANTERBURY J.C. NOMINATIONS FOR SPRING MEETING The South Canterbury Jockey Club has received the following nominations for its spring meeting, to be held on October 14:—• OTAIO HURDLES, of £200; 13 miles —Albino, Big Joe, Donadea, Fairy Bard, Forage, Jack o’ Lantern, Kiicato, Night Robe, Overland Red, Prince Dolomite, Roman Son, Strip, Swordstick, Test Pilot, Tan Peter, The Vulture, Tikume. SPRING STAKES, of £145; 6 furlongs.—Belfort, Baffling, Cinderella, Classy Vixen, Dark Diana, Ever Ready, Falconbridge, Fortitude, Gold Lance, Irish Brogue, Irish Coin, Joy Rosa, Koa Manu, Kingburn, Lady Law, Lord Roland, Lisheen, Lord Dundonald, Little Blonde, Mister John, Miss Quickly, Miss Molly, Newsreel, Peter Cazell, Plutocrat, Ration, Rahiri, Real Chase, St. Joachim, Simon Tor, Twelve Pointer, Tikakoura, Velevt Slipper, Wondrous, Weld Cona, DefaulterMoonbeam filly. WASHDYKE TROT, of £lBO (3.38); 1J miles.—Barometer Chimes, Bonny Bridge, Country Jack, Cameronian, Characteristic, Dinghy, First Degree, Ingle Belmer, Le Compte, Lady Spray, Lucky Girl, Lady Maxine, Quite Evident, Robinette, Radical, Vimy Ridge, Water Ranger, Worthy Prince. Worthy Gold, Windermere. TESCHEMAKER HANDICAP, of £500; 11 furlongs—Arustra, Arctic Dawn, Amorlad, Arabian Night, First In, Hearth, Justitia, Kohara. Palfrey, Sascha, Salary, Sir Saladin, Tring. TAIKO HACK HANDICAP, of £180; 6 furlongs. —Air Lord. Astros, Bowmore, Eastern Slipper, Even Calm, Girl Friend, Gold Lance, Hunting Charm, Irish Coin, Joy Rosa, Kingburn, Kiloney, Lucky Girl, Lyndon Lea, Night Believer, Olga’s Choice, Pink Gauntlet, Prize Ring, Pallid, Plutocrat, Paybook, Rout, Royoney, Tikakoura, Wise Girl. FLYING HANDICAP, of £300; 6 furlongs.—All Night, Aurora Australis, First In, Fur Coat, Gulf Stream, High Play, Hearth, Justitia, Lord Advocate, Lyndal, Silver Lily, Winning Flight. HADLOW TROT, of £250 (3.34); IS miles.—Bien Sur, Bonny Axworth, Barometer Chimes, Binky Dillon, Comeaway, Cameronian, Dunstan Direct, Frances Easton. Keewah, Loyal Nurse, Lady Spray, Lucky Loyal, Lady Bligh, Lady Maxine, Max Baer, Overid, Quite New, Radical, Sunny Glen, Traverse. KERRYTOWN HACK HANDICAP, of £250; 1 mile and 35 yards.—Authentic, Bowmore. Boolamskee, Battle Robe, Double Cross, Eastern Coin, Gay Thread, Girl Friend, Grand Forest, Hunting Charm, Jack o’ Lantern, Kiloney, Mister John, Miss Medley, Miss Quickly, Maharajah, Night Robe, Olga’s Choice, On Silver, Prize Ring, Pallid, Royoney, Salary, Twelve Pointer, Trueway, Warfield, Weld Cona.