TWO WANGANUI WINNERS AT TRENTHAM MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 January 1948, Page 3

TWO WANGANUI WINNERS AT TRENTHAM MEETING

South Island Stables Secured Good Share Of Stake-Money

Wanganui stables did not have a strong representation at the three-day summer meeting at Trentham, but close on £2OOO of the stake-money offered by the Wellington Racing Club came this way through the placings registered by The Pagan and Miss Bairnsfather. To the South Island, however, went what might be regarded as the lion’s share, for representatives from south of Cook Strait were credited with winning more than £12,575 in stakes over the three days.

Considering that the only share of the stake-money for Wanganui eame through a win and a second for The Pagan and a dcad-heat for first and a third for Miss Bairnsfather, this centre did well to secure £1985, toward which The Pagan’s contribution was £1490. The Pagan has definitely established Himself among the top flight of sprinters, for after failing on the opening day at Trentham, when the going was against him, the St. Boswells gelding beat all but Citril in the seven-furlong Metropolitan Handicap on the second day, and then turned the tables against the Defaulter filly when he beat her half a head in the six-furlong City Handicap on Saturday. Incidentally, he registered 1.11 for the distance, which was only fractionally slower than the record jointly held by John Gay, Da Vinci and Karachi. The Pagan has been a model of consistency since G. S. Rayner took him over, and this season he has registered six wins and several placings to return his owner, Mr. W. B. Connors, Wanganui, well over £2OOO for his original outlay of less than a quarter of that sum. Miss Bairnsfather is not owned in Wanganui, but she is trained here, and credit for her consistent form is due to H. Dulieu, as in ten starts she has never been out of a place. After she has run out her hack nominations Miss Bairnsfather will have to do her future racing in open company, but she should hold her own, and she should prove a good advertisement for her sire, the Wellington Centennial Cup winner Old Bill. Miss Bairnsfather was narrowly beaten by Broie and Bayfort in the Pencarrow Handicap on the ' opening day at Trentham, but in the Douro Handicap on the middle day she held on till Broie got up in the last stride to make a dead heat of it. An outright win in this £lOOO hack race would have been worth £650, but Miss Baimsfathers’ share was £425 and this brought her stake-winnings at the meeting to £495. She is raced by Messrs F. A. Cousins and G V. Simpson. Heading the South Island contingent was Spare Part, Southland-

trained winner of the Wellington Cup, whose victory in the principal event at the meeting was worth £3900 in addition to a gold cup valued at 100 guineas. The Salmagundi gelding blotted his copybook when he was beaten out of a place in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap on the middle day, but his display could be excused as he never races kindly when he has an inside berth. Spare Part was an acceptor for the Summer Handicap, but the scratching pen was put through his name early in the day, and probably his next mission will be the Dunedin Centennial Cup. Another of the big events at the meeting went to the South Island contingent when Indian Dawn won the Summer Handicap on Saturday to earn £1950. The Nizami mare was favourite for the event and won handsomely, though Howe, conceding her 171 b and unlucky in- the running, was only a neck away at the finish. Another Riccarton-trained entrant in Royal Tan secured third money, £3OO. The Defaulter filly Citril was one of the leading sprinters at the meeting, winning the Metropolitan Handicap and being beaten only half a head i the City Handicap by The Pagan. She earned her owner, the Riccarton trainer F. A. Roberts, £1490 with these two placings The Broiefort gelding Broie, trained by G. Ridgway at Riccarton, won the Pencarrow Handicap and shared the Douro Handicap honours with Miss Bairnsfather, these two successes being worth £915. He should be another acquisition to the ranks of open handicappers. Pimlico, who won the Ruapehu Handicap on the opening day, earned £520, as did Ruling Moment, winner of the hurdle race on the middle day, and Balkis, the Sir Beau Ally who won the Hopeful Stakes on Saturday. Kartikeya’s win in the Anniversary Handicap on the opening day was worth £7BO, and Signal Officer earned £450 bv running second in the Trentham Stakes on Saturday. Other placings for South Islanders at the meeting included Bayfort (£140), Magical (£355). Revolte (£240), Euooy Dazzler (£80), Diameter (£140), and Wantwood (£175). Incidentally, former South Islanders in Tenor Royal (two wins) and Wild Note were on hand to keep the flag flying at the meeting.