Gothard And Railway Handicaps As Tote At Woodville Tomorrow

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 December 1950, Page 2

Gothard And Railway Handicaps As Tote At Woodville Tomorrow

(By

“KESTREL.”)

Though Gay Gordon paid a double-figure price when he won the first leg of the Woodville double last Saturday, the fact that Sweepstake stood out in the Mangarawa Hack Handicap prevented the double dividend from reaching century

For the concluding day, tomorrow, backers will have a more difficult problem, as the totalisator double will be run on the Gothard Handicap and the open sprint, the Railway Handicap, with a number of fnesh horses engaged.

Of the first five horses home in the Bolton Handicap last Saturday Snow Saint, who finished fifth, is the only one claiming the engagement in the Gothard Handicap, and others to finish just behind him in Beau Bijou, Jolly Robin and Voiron, will also sport silk.

Heading the list is Super Snipe, who proved herself last season as little inferior to Beaumaris, Tudor Chief and Sweet Spray. A half-sister to Tauloch, this four-year-old mare should be capable of winning an important handicap this season. She beat all but Royal Bouquet in the Metropolitan Handicap at the C.J.C. Grand National meeting, and if shoi has made the expected improvement she must be difficult to beat, in spite of her 9.1.

In spite of Signify’s failures at Riccarton, where seasonal troubles prevented her from giving of her best in the Metropolitan Handicap after a good race in the New Zealand Cup, the Contact mare may be fancied over this journey as she has had time to freshen up. She showed her best form when she won the Pearce Handicap at Trentham, and at 8.11 she must be given an excellent chance. Golden Spa has done his recent racing over sprint distances, but at the Hawke’s Bay spring meeting he ran Dennis O’Kelly to half a neck in the T. H. Lowry Handicap over ten furlongs. His three-year-old form suggested that he would be capable of holding his own in strong provincial company. Arcara is better than his Riccarton form suggested, and it would occasion no surprise to find him playing a prominent part.

Bursar is capable of making a bold bid for the major honours, in spite of his defeat at Feilding, where he met with interference The Gisborne-trained Almora was rather burly when she paraded last Saturday, and she should be benefited as the result, of that race. Voiron is another who ran a satisfactory race in the Bolton Handicap until the pressure was applied, and there is a prospect of his being better placed tomorrow. King's Ransom ran one of his bQ5t races for some time when he was in a challenging position entering the straight last Saturday. He could not foot it with the opposition over the final furlong.

Blue Spec and Coromandel are likely sorts, and Ngarobi has run some good races already this season. Jolly Robin finished strongly just behind the placed horses last week, but probably it will be Snow Saint that will be preferred among the lightweights. The fresh horses complicate the issue, but Voiron may be able to account for Super Snipe and Golden Spa. Last Saturday a field of ten lined up for the six-furlong Oete Handicap, in which Trafalgar Day sprang a decided surprise, but tomorrow there will be a much larger field, two of the 21 acceptors having been balloted out with the right of re-entry. Virginius and Nakura, third and fourth respectively, are the only firstday place-getters engaged, and Nakura is meeting Virginius on 21b better terms. The topweight is capable of making the necessary improvement.

Castlebrae was the winner of the Members’ Handicap in strong company at Riccarton, but he now meets Ptolemy on even terms, and Ptolemy, after beating all but The Unicorn at Trentham, went on to finish third in the Stewards’ Handicap and also in the Members’ Handicap at Riccarton.

Infinity, a winner at, Bulls in October, ran a splendid race in the Members' Handicap at Riccarton, being almost in line with the major placegetters. This Airway mare looks like making a name for herself in the best sprint company. Best* of the lightweights may br Paper Strip, who finished fourth in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton. Lord Burford, Anvil Song, Pavia and Guerdon may be the best of the promoted hacks. However, backers may rely on the form shown by Infinity, Ptolemy, anti Nakura.