Turf News And Views Great Trek Unlucky

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 37, 13 April 1948, Page 7

Turf News And Views Great Trek Unlucky

Throughout the Dominion Great Trek was strongly fancied for the £SOOO Easter Handicap, but he failed to run prominently. The reason for this was that he was just behind Shirley Fox when she fell on to her knees after traversing two furlongs. In being pulled up suddenly to avert a fall, he sustained a sudden jolt that put him out of action for the remainder of the meeting. When he next comes north he may have better luck.

Takanini Accessions At Takanini T. F. Verner has added Foxfable and Craftsman to his team, consequent on G. Cobb, of Matamata retiring from the training profession. Trainer E. Pope has taken in hand the two year * old, Treloar a full-brother to the Easter Handicap victor, Iwo Jima.

Big Prizes For Jumpers The Waikato Steeplechase to be run on the second day of the Waikato fixture will be worth £2OOO, and the prize money for the primcipal hurdle race will be £ISOO. Owners of proficient jumpers should experience a good time at the meeting.

An Improver One of. the improvers among the hacks is the Cambridge trained Trenchant, by Trench Fight—Pleasure Craze. He ran a good fourth in the Clarke Memorial at Rotorua, and will be benefited by the gallop.

Three Saturdays In May In the merry month of May the Waikato Racing Club will be well to the fore with race days on 8, 15 and 22. The programmes include big jumping events.

A Big Offer Refused An offer of 5000 guineas was recently refused for Excellency, winner of four races this seasoh. At the time of the offer she was deemed to have an excellent of winning the £SOOO Easter Handicap. In this event she was in front at the half-mile, but found the right-hand-ed going just a little difficult, and she finished in ninth place. It is worthy of note that the placed horses Iwo Jima, Bonny March and Angeline are trained on right-handed tracks, as also were the next division White Blaze, Royal Charter, Sleepy Fox and Hot Pursuit.

Speedy And Game Master Coronach, second favourite for the Easter Handicap, was badly left at the post, and backers of the bay were more than disappointed. On the second day he won the Huia Handicap covering the six furlongs in 1.11 4-5, and on Tuesday triumphed in the Great Northern Challenge Stakes, registering a course record of 1.23 3-5. Master Coronach has proved his speed, while a valuable attribute to his high-grade successes is the splendid degree of gameness by which he is able to indulge in a fighting finish.