TURF BREVITIES

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1949, Page 3

TURF BREVITIES

Taranaki Autumn Meeting Good nominations have been received for the Taranaki Jockey Club’s autumn meeting at New Plymouth on March 12 and 14. For the main event, the Taranaki Cup of £l4OO, 41 horses have nominated. Acceptances for th e first day close at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 7. Good Two-Year-Olds i Cyclops and Already ran creditable [races against their older rivals to fill minor places in their respective divisions of the Trial Plate at the Rangitikei meeting. Both two-year-olds not well served in the running, and but for being forced over a good deal of ground may have been much harder to beat. Jolly Robin’s Style Jolly Robin was only having his second start when he won the second heat of the Trial Plate at the Rangitikei meeting. His effort was quite attractive, for he stuck to his task really well after making the pace throughout. This nuggety colt- should do good service for his owner-trainer, B. Burgess, who also races his fullbrother, Merry Robin. Holland Riding Well N. By- Holland's, enforced absence from the saddle after breaking a leg at Te Rapa last July does not seem to have impaired his skill as a rider. !He resumed riding at Matamata on

February 5, and has already ridden two winners, Royal Beau at Rotorua and Gold Pal at Te Rapa. In addition to his win on Gold Pal on Saturday, he was third on Rhonddavale and second on Bar Garette. He had a ride in every flat event at Te Rapa on Saturday. Success on West Coast Finigin, who is racing with success at West Qoast, South Islana, meetings, is a three-year-old by Room Goodfellow from Knocklin. His only win last season was in the Bernicia Handicap at Dunedin, when he decisively defeated The Hob. His three wins this season have been gained at West Coast meetings. Finigin is a halfbrother to Floral Dance, who displayed promising form when trained at New Plymouth by N. F. Johnson.

Finished Close Up Master Coronach went a good race in the Storey Memorial at Te Rapa on Saturday to finish fifth in that ne was slow away and had to make up ground early to run into a good position. Sixth at the turn, he did well to finish as close up as he did. The Coronach horse proved troublesome at the start and though separated by

a trestle from Rizzio on the inside he kept coming out on the balance of the field and causing overcrowding. It was not surprising, under the circumstances, that he was slow away when th e tapes were released. Three On End

The Silver Stick gelding Silver Dan mad e it three on end when he came home full of running to take the latter division of the Champion Waikato Hack Cup on Saturday, his other successes being recorded at Tauranga and Rotorua, where he finished on resolutely in the straight to wear down Alnajo, after the latter had a clear advantage at the home turn. Silver Dan will have to do his future racing in open class when he runs out his hack nominations, but he should not find such elevation a bar to further success-

Caber Fa© Off the Track As the field left the straight in the Storey Memorial Handicap at Te Rapa on Saturday. Caber Fae, having his first start in open company, ran wide. He was following about half a dozen horses at the time and the misadventure cost him several lengths. It was with som e surprise, therefore, that as the field raced across the top the Beau Repaire gelding had ranged up into fourth place behind Silver Gull, Hunting Rua and Contango. The effort in getting there, however, took toll of the Whangarei three-yeay-old- and he eventually weakened to finish well behind the place-getters. Caber Fae's form in hack class was good, and, providing he overcomes his tendency to run wide, he should be heard of in open company. He is from the Appellant mare Just Me. Patuone’s Form Having his eighth start, Patuone was impressive in winning the second division of the Puketaha Hack Handicap at Te Rapa on Saturday. After a couple of furlongs had been covered the race resolved itself into a duel between Patuone and Flying Jane, and they drew right away to have a great set-to in the straight. It looked like being a tight finish, but Flying Jane faltered in the last 50yds and Patuone ran on well to win by threequarters of a length. Patuone, raced by Mr L. H. Wyndyard, is trained at Ellerslie by Ernie George, and the success proved a welcome change of luck for the veteran. Patuone is by the imported Trimdon horse Probation from Ella Bunsby. H e is a good track worker, and earlier this season had been placed at Whangarei and Pukekohe. New Zealand-bred Filly Descending in direct female line from the Flatcatcher mare Jeu d'Esprit, Happy Medium, winner of the first division of the Tweedside Handicap for two-year-olds at Moone e Valley this month, can claim relationship to many notab] e racehorses. Happy Medium, which is one of the first crop of foals by Ruthless, was bred at

Winnings of Attack By his dual success at Alexandra Park on Saturday. Attack maintaintained his unbeaten record .since entering M. Holmes’s stable last November. The five-year-old Light Brigade pacer has gained eight consecutive victories and, judging by the manner in which he achieved his latest triumphs, he has by no means reached the end of his tether. To date, Attack has contested 21 races for 11 firsts, two seconds and two thirds for £7719 ,in stakes, of which £6634 has been won this season. Attack was purchased before he raced by Messrs J. N. Scott and O. G. Oakley for 1740 gns—a record price for a pacer at auction. His dam, Sparkling Sunshine, who has also produced Lanoma and Flare Path, is by Silk Thread (imp.) from Native Queen, by Native King from Rawene- by Albert Victor (imp.) from a mare by Judge BeldonNative Queen proved a prolific breeder, and her progeny include MaltravChelidon, Keewah, Statuette and Native Scott.