RACING NEWS & VIEWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 63, 15 April 1946, Page 3

RACING NEWS & VIEWS

GREAT EASTER HAS BEEN

CRADLE OF RECORD MAKERS No flare path marks the way to success in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton. Honours have to be hard won; usually in fast time Horses placed at the top of the handicap and favourites have proved expensive to follow, the winner often turning up among promoted hacks.

Since 1918, the only horses carrying No. 1 saddle cloth to succeed have’ been Arrowsmith (Bst 131 b in 1920), Grand Knight (9st 31b in 1926), Reremoana (9st 91b in 1928) and Cimabue (Bst 91b in 1929). During the same period, the favourites to carry out their part of the contract have been Grand Knight (1926) Shirley (1927), Rebel Song (1933(, Cocksure (1939, place favourite) and Density (1940). Keen Competition

They are not imposing lists, but give some indication of how hard it is to win races of this type which attract candidates from all parts of the country. ■ It was in this race in 1940 that Mr Donald Grant’s brilliant Pink Coat mare Density recorded her New Zealand record-making run of 1.23 1-5. With Duncannon matching her for speed the pace was on from barrier rise and this telling effort in which Density triumphed by a head may have had some effect on both principals, as they did little of note afterwards. Another fast Great Easter was Cocksure’s 1.24 1-5 in 1939. Like Density the Hon. G. R. Hunter and the Hon. P. C. Webb’s Cockpit four-year-old was not burdened with weight, and, after a hard tussle, he beat Density by half a length. Lord Advocate’s 1.25 2-5 in 1943, Shirley’s 1.24' 3-5 in 1927, time that Cimabue equalled in 1929, and 1.24 4-5 recorded by Autopay (1932) and Immediate (1945) have been other fast Great Easters. Weight-Carrying Feats

The winning weight-carrying feat in the Great Easter was put up by Machine Gun, then raced by Mr G. G. Stead, which mastered lOst 41b in 1905, three years after Cruciform, also carrying the Stead livery, had carried 9st 91b successfully as a three-year-old. Machine Gun was a four-year-old in his year. Thethree-year-olds have a good record, 22 of them having won. In addition to Cruciform they have been Saracen (1893), Casket (1895), Pampero (1901), Cross Battery (1906), Fireiron (1907), Armlet (1909), Madam Madcap (1911), Royal Scotch (1912), Ventura (1913), Chudic (1914), Nystad (1917), Songbird (1922), Razzle Dazzle (1924), Siaosi (1925), Rebel Song (1933), The Masquerador (1934), Concertpitch (1936) Kentucky (1941), Scottish Dale (1942), Lord Advocate (1943) and Master Dash (1944).

Balgowan Resumes

Since registering record • time in the Herries Memorial Cup at Te Aroha, Balgowan has been allotted an easy time. He is back on the Takanini tracks again executing light work in view of Auckland events at Easter.

Western Front Plans

Western -Front figures in the nominations for the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton, but there is a possibility that he may be sent to Ellerslie to contest the Great Northern St. Leger at Easter. Western Front, an exceptionally well-bred colt by Coronach from All Quiet, by Siegfried from Speechless by Demosthenes from Queen Kora, by Posi-tano,-won the St. Leger in the manner of a true stayer and if brought north his form would be watched with great interest.

Hughes For Swingalong In the Great Northern Oaks the Canterbury filly, Swingalong will be ridden by G. Hughes, whose term of apprenticeship with trainer N. Cunningham is just expiring. New Jumpers

At Te Rapa Representative and The. Fake have been schooled over the battens recently. The first-named is a high-grade performer on the flat that has a second in the New Zealand Cup to his credit, and should be one to make good as a jumper.