FLYING GOLD’S WIN NO FLUKE HAWERA OPENING DAY IN REVIEW

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 February 1947, Page 3

FLYING GOLD’S WIN NO FLUKE HAWERA OPENING DAY IN REVIEW

The good run that J. G. Farrell has experienced since setting up as a trainer at Stratford continued last week-end when he won the Egmont Cup with Flying Gold for his patron, Mr. E. L. Healy. Flying Gold, an aged Autopay gelding, had shown good hack form during the summer meeting and although he won narrowly there, was no fluke about the success. He came wide out in the straight and reached the front inside the last furlong, but in the end had only a good head to spare from Loyal Bian, who finished fairly well under pressure. Flying Gold might run well again over a middle distance.

Flying Gold carried 101 b. overweight, on Saturday- and, as a result of the win, has been lifted up the scale from the minimum of 7.0 to 8.5 in the Tonks Stakes for this coming Saturday. The additional 91b. to that which he carried in the Egmont Cup will provide a good test of his ability.

Young Trent ran badly in the Egmonl Cup and disappointed a host of Stratford supporters. Another from the same quarter to fail rather badly was Dink’s Own, but he ran a better race than Young Trent did. Flying Ace went well till the real pressure was applied and then he crumpled. He was going strongly as he turned for home, but the last furlong beat him and he was only fourth as the line was crossed. His form was good enough, however, to entitle him to consideration if he runs this week.

Tahli does not stay well. He led the highweight field into the straight at Hawera, but made a poor job of running the last two furlongs. The only surprise about the win of Flirtatious at Hawera was that she was not a short-price favourite. She met a woefully weak lot in the highweight and outclassed it.

There was no easier win than that of Furioso in the Flying. The Broiefort horse, looking well, covered a lot of extra ground, but when he reached the front half way down the straight he drew right away and won as he liked. Probably the race would improve him, so he should be hard to beat next time he appears in similar company.

There was confident support for Lord Leo, winner of the seven-fur-long Trial Handicap, and he won narrowly from Shove Bloom. Broughton secured him a good run and nursed him nicely, otherwise he might have been beaten, hut he is likely to improve. Lord Leo is a four-year-old gelding by the one-eyed horse The Bigot, who was bred in Australia and raced successfully in t>:s country. Slieve Bloom is by Salevc, and is owned by Mr. G. Ryan, viho seems to get hold of a useful galloper every now and then. One he raced in recent years wa s Corday. Exemplary, winner of the Juvenile Handicap, is a half-sister (by Broiefort) to Behave. She finished well and can be expected to improve. Early Astir and White Cliffs, second and third, ran good races and White Cliffs was finishing better than anything else. The boomed favourite, Sparkling Scholar, ran moderately and finished fourth.

Carmelita's Wellington form pointed to her being hard to beat in the hack seven, and she realised expectations by coming through next the rails in the last thirty yards and taking a narrow verdict from Morning Dew, who could not maintain his run. The Aucklander, Light Opera, turned on a nice burst of speed to reach the front in the straight, but she, too, was beaten in the final run. Aggravation, who was fourth, was almost in line with the first and as he covered more ground than any of the three who beat him, it would not be surprising were he to do a little better shortly.

My Way should win more races. She beat a bad lot at Hawera, but did it well.

There was good backing for Standee in the Waipapa Hack Handicap, but he stumbled after going about two and a-half furlongs, and his rider lost the use of his irons.