TEST FOR SPECIAL FORCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 223, 19 September 1940, Page 22

TEST FOR SPECIAL FORCE

TROHING CLASSIC.

WELLINGTON STAKES.

HUTT PARK ATTRACTION. STRONG OPPOSITION. The Wellington Stakes, of £000, to be decided ait Hutt Park on Saturday, is the finst oif a series of classic events for three-year-old pacers to be staged during the season. '.Due distance is a mile and a half, and since the race was established in 1937, it has 'been won 'by horses that have failed in the New Zealand Denby Stakes, run at Addington in November. Another significant factor is that the Wellington Stakes has never boon won by a winner of the New Zealand Sapling Stakes.

Special Force, who had a.n coey win in the Now Zealand Sopliitig Stakes in June last, is a candidate for the Wellington prize, and will be favourite. Tliiis year may in-rove the exception to the rule. Special Force will meet most of the paters he defeated in the Juvenile Stakes and in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, He had eo miioh up his sleeve on each occasion that it would seo.m only a question of his being in good form to beat them .again. What should make his task at Wellington even easier is the absence of Ronald Logan, who chased him home in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes.

Special Force competed in four races as a two-year-old for two wins and a fourth, and he improved greatly with every race. In his first race—the second division of the Timaru Nursery Stakes, nun over a mile—he was decisively beaten by Walter Moore, Gold Oliief and Quite Likely. In his next race he caught the eye of many good judges by the resolute manner in which 'he finished foiwtth in a handicap race for horses of all ages over a mile and a quarter, won by Wairfield at Timeru. From then on, he developed speed and stamina, and wihen he met the ipiek of his age over a mile and a quarter in the Juvenile Stakes, and over a mile and a hailf in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, his superiority in stamina enabled him to beat them pointless. He has 'been well cared for since his victory in June, and should step out in his best trim for his Hirtt Park engagement.

Will Have to Improve^ Walter Moore, who won the second division of the Timaru Nursery Stakes in the' fast time of 2.10 4-5 for the mile, did not appreciate the longer distances of the Juvenile Stakes and the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, and while he has wintered well and is in good order for hie approaching engagements \fe will have to make a big improvement iu stamina to win the Wellington Stakes

Gold Chief, who fought out the second division of the Timaru Nursery Stakes with Walter Moore, also failed to beat Special Force, Ronald Logan and Walter Moore iu the New Zealand Sapling Stakes. In that race -he lost ground in the early stages and came home strongly to be fourth. He was given a short rest in June and was hacked about during, July and August. He has furnished into a handsome colt and is hitting out in convincing style in his track work at New Brighton. There is every reason to expect him to make a etout bid for the Wellington Stakes. Like Special Force and Walter Moore he has given evidence of hie ability to pace on grass, and he should earn some of tse rich prize money available for three-year-olds this season.

ily Lady Luck, now trained at Addington by J. "Fraser, jun., is a full sister to Horsepower and shows promke. She had one race as a two-year-old, in the second division of the Timaru Xuisery Stakes, in which she failed to get a place. While she ia a good-looking filly with some ability, ehe also will have to improve to measure up to the field.

Diamond Jim did a fair amount of racing as a two-year-old, stalling in no fewer than 12 races. His only placing was second to Kara in a inile-and-a-half race at Forbury in May, and the eolidity of that performance brought him into prominence for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, in which he failed to come up to expectations.- He is a well-bred three-year-old, and should develop into a tough customer, but he has not displayed the brilliance shown by Special Force, Walter Moore and .Gold Chief.

Shadow Maid, winner of the first division of the Timaru Futurity Stakes, ie trained by J. Bryce, who holds a very high opinion of the daughter of Red Shadow and a Matehlight mare. At Timaru she led all the way to win by six lengths' in 2.14 3-5 for the "mile, but in the Juvenile Stakes she was , decisively beaten. She had not been long in work when she won at Timaru, andt is certain to be improved by racing and age. She may be capable of effecting a surprise at Hutt Park, and, if ehe does, her followers will receive a good double-figure dividend. Not Good Prospects. F. _J. Smith . will be represented iby Village Maid. wTho last season contested five races anrl scored a second. That was in an open handicap event over a mile and a quarter at Auckland in April, but nothing ehe has done in public suggests that she ie ae good as several of the Canterbury-tr'ained three-year-olde. An interesting candidate is Salisbury, a brother to Indianapolis. Salisbury shaped well at a matinee meeting held during the autumn at New Brighton, but was never prominent in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes. He knows how to pace and ie the image of hie illustrious* brother. Being a big gelding, he may require age before coming to the height of his form, but he ie one of the most likely of the unknown candidates to test Special Force at Wellington. NOT OUT OF TURN. Wainoni Jack's win at Ashburton last Saturday did not come out of turn for, now five years old, he did a lot of racing last season, and gained experience. He started 19 times and two seconds earned hie owner £74. Wainoni Jack races in ■the coloiirs of Mr. H. H. Cook, who wae successful at New Brighton with Wainoni Girl. Braw Lass, another winner at Ashbnrton, has had an eaey programme during the laet 12 months, and her record over this period ie five starte for two wins and J a third. At her best i-his mare shows a lot of speed and can stay. WELLINGTON PROSPECT. Soon after the" start of the Belfast Handicap at New Brighton, Gold Bar broke up and lost a good stretch of ground. Once he settled down again, however, he showed fare speed and finished close up fourth. This performance draws attention to., his prospects in the Railway Handicap- "at Hutt Park on Saturday, where he will start from the limit of the Railway Handicap, 3.34 class. DOUBTFUL PROPOSITION. Inquisition, who. has been tried as a trotter, is back to the pacing gait and figures among the entrants for the slow class evente. at Hutt Park on Saturday. This gelding hae plenty of epeed, but there i« a question ae to hie honesty on race days.