TAKANINI TRAINER HAD FIELD DAY AT ELLERSLIE

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 October 1948, Page 3

TAKANINI TRAINER HAD FIELD DAY AT ELLERSLIE

(Special Correspondent) AUCKLAND, Oct 12 Coincidence was carried 1o the extreme by the Takanini trainer, F. Smith, when the Auckland Racing Club’s Welcome Stakes was run on Saturday at. Ellerslie. Twelve months ago Smith produced Tauloch, Regality and Coonbridge in the Welcome Stakes, and the trio finished first, second ami fourth respectively. On Saturday the Takanini trainer saddled up three more youngsters for the rare and again they finished first, second and fourth. Gold Script winning from Lord Cranleigh. with Denebridge fourth.

It was rather a field day for Smith, who has a large team under his charge, for he won three races. Tauloch taking the honours in the Great Northern Guineas, Vice Chancellor the second division of the Gordon Handicap, and Gohl Script the Welcome Stakes. Smith had won the Guineas with Representative in 1942, with My Bonnie in 1944 and with Majesty in 1946, Tauloch giving him his fourth success in six years. The two classic races were full of interest, though in the Guineas there was nothing to extend Tauloch and he won as easily as the betting suggested. Rizzio was restless at the barrier and he finally whipped round when the fieid was sent away, taking no part in the race. Beau Conte appears a much better horse now than he did at Avondale last month. In Saturday’s race he did not handle the heavy ground at all well, so he will be expected to do better when the going firms. Pakistan, a maiden, and Ozami shaped fairly well for horses of their class. Indian Coronet, one of J. Farrell’s team, went a fair race and should come right shortlyThe two-year-old event fell to the Gold Nib youngster Go.d Script, as was anticipated. For all that, though he won very well indeed, his apparently two most dangerous opponents, his stablemates Lord Cranleigh and Denebridge, struck trouble soon after the start when Lady Zenib failed to run straight. So actually, while the Takanini trainer F. Smith saddled up the first, second and fourth horses in the Welcome Stakes, his charges should have filled all three places. Gold Script did not bounce out orilliantly but merely left with the bunch. However, when he did impress was after the first 100 yards, where he sprinted brilliantly to make up a few lengths to join the leaders quickly. This was ar. eye-opener for sheer speed in bad ground. Gold Script had no trouble in heading off the pacemaker, Gay Cushla, and Lord Cranleigh came along late to run the colt to three-quarters of a length—on sufferance. Gay Cushla was a length away, three parts of a length ahead of Denebridge, with daylight back to the bunch.

Last year Smith had three brilliant juveniles in Tauloch, Regality and Coonbridge, and now they appeal- to have worthy successors in Gold Script, Lord Cranleigh and Denebridge. Gold Script impresses most at the moment, a’.though that opinion is sobered by the fact that the stable jockey, W. Hooton, has chosen to pilot Lord Cranleigh in his two outings to date, a third at Avondale and a second in the Welcome Stakes-

Whether Hooton has picked right in deciding for Mr. Goosman’s colt, time alone will tell. It may not be until the Foal Stakes on Boxing Day that Gold Script or Lord Cranleigh—or Denebridge—will be the champion. In hte meantime there is the country circuit and other budding champions may be in the offing. Wonder Boy has at last got on the winning list this season, and there was something impressive in his success in the Flying Handicap on Saturday. He held on well under pressure from a good galloper in Iwo Jima, and there seems no reason why he should not go further than a mile. He raced well during the winter at Trentham and Riccarton.

Prince Chat was several lengths ahead of the Flying Handicap field at the three furlongs. He appeared to be collared at the bottom of the straight, but it was probable that he was given a breather, for he fought back all the way up the straight to be a close third. Prince Chat can still be regarded as a good handicap horse in the making. Kind Regards registered a fine per-

formance under weight to score In the first division of the hack mile at headquarters jast week. It was left to the filly Maricrana to make a race of it, and she went under with colours flying, suggesting an early success. Alter the Auckland meeting Kind Regards will be competing in open company.

Vice-Chancellor made amends for his Te Aroha failure by winning the second division impressively, going right away at the end. He has only to stand up to training to be a really good horse, and that may prove to be the stumbling block. His success, combined with that of Go.d Script in the Welcome Stakes, was a welcome change of luck for th?ir owner, Mr. T. Impey, who is treasurer of the Auckland Racing Club.