DARKIE GRATTAN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24902, 15 June 1946, Page 4

DARKIE GRATTAN

WEST COAST OWNER’S “HUNCH”

Some owners spend years trying to breed or buy a potential Sapling Stakes candidate; but Mrs M, Becker, who lives at Ahaura, about 22 miles north of Greymouth, and was successful at her first attempt, and is represented in to-day’s classic by Darkie Grattan, the first horse she has ever raced. "I just followed a hunch,” said Mrs Becker at Addington yesterday morning, when explaining how she came to buy the filly. “I was visiting Christchurch with my husband some time ago, when I noticed that the broad mare, Superb, together with a filly foal by Grattan Loyal, was to be sold at auction at Motukarara, and I made up my mind to buy ' them. They did not reach the reserve placed on them at auction, and I bought them privately after the sale.” The mare and foal were taken home to Ahaura, and some months later Mrs Beckei decided to send Superb to Desmond’s Pride, which is at D. Teahen’s stud at Pleasant Point, and the filly was sent with her. Teahen mouthed and broke in the youngster, and was greatly impressed. “I’ve seen some good youngsters in my time, but this is one of the best I’ve ever looked at,” Teahen said to Mrs Becker when she visited the farm shortly after Darkie Grattan, as the filly was. named, had been broken in. Darkie Grattan was then taken back home and her education was continued on the old Ahaura racecourse. The seven furlongs track provided reasonable going, although It is by no means smooth. “She was bush trained,” laughingly remarked Mrs Becker, “but she is a nice pacer, and she never breaks in her races.” On the return of Q. Quinlan from overseas, Darkie Grattan was sent to him to train at Greymouth, and under his care she continued to make steady progress. She made her first appearance in the Second Division of the Borough Handicap at the Greymouth Jockey Club’s meeting on December 29, where she was never sighted: but she was improved by the experience and on the second day of the meeting she finished in second place to Hanover in a division of the Dobson Trot. Darkie Grattan continued to improve, and after recording a fourth placing to Calumet Pointer, Sandy Potts, and Symetra in the Mawhera Handicap on the first day of the Greymouth Jockey Club’s February meeting she finished second to. Sandy Potts in the Dcbson Handicap on the second day.

A visit to the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting followed and she gave a good display to finish third to Sahara Queen and Likely in , . Welcome Handicap, after being unlucky at the start. Her last appearance was on May 25 at the Canterbury Park meeting where she took the lead early in the Juvenile Handicap and carried on com A°rtably from County Antrim and Pirouette.

C t rattai l 1 k x as s P eed and brains, a J? d . Wltl ? he r ability to handle holding tracks she should be the hardest for Sahara Queen and On Approval to beat in the coveted classic to-day. Mrs qUiet L y co ? fid ent. “Of course, a lot will depend on luck in the running and what condition the track is in. Over Co u ast they will all be hoping the is ? eav >’ as Darkie Grattan goes well under those conditions. On the Bi F thda y we all hoped for rain, ,F ained sb hard that the meeting to b o.Postponed. What do you think the weather will be like to-morrow?” Jottings tte a , consistent record, and Stakes 1 nOt be dlsgraced in 'he Sapling N w Gr attan, which is trained by S for Mr T - Rattray, did not S^i- her in the Improvers’ Handicap at the Ashburton meeting l but she win probably start In ol’maru Handicap at the Oamaru Jockey Club s meeting to-day. y tt fojP l he showed to win the l i s~ n i i t Ca e P a ! S>I ASI S Ur^ n O g n a , “S; Handicap ? 0 P da ° 'lUtakU" part well A a n d ß t r he y Ha°nJ d cap d iP the T ‘ nWald Withdrawals The following horses have been beach Handicap, Sure Peg- Trial wXkru il ® A d sS Useful Types

Derby and Rural Ladv, which finished second in the divisions of tha Hand ‘ aap °n the day oi the Ashburton meeting, will meet again SiQ in „^ e Trial Handicap 66 on® a tim; basis Hal Derby should have a advantage as he registered 4min 39 2-ssar* S e fi ? ished second to Ben Ledi tw P seconds faster than Rural £? b y y s h *M n ‘p h 1 e fl ji n d s i ?£ S^urK £‘ U r «V e S6nt Brackets

„„ T !S f o u °wing horses will be bracketed tins rl Sat ° r 2* the Ashburton TrotClub s meeting to-day:—Longbeach Service and Sandy’s Epic, All Credit and Billy McElwvnSurT 6 !?,?!? A S ll ?l nati ? n: ste ®! Sword and Sure Jinks, Walter Jingle and Beverlev Palm ni ndi p p: Sure Catch and A? 1 Avert Devon and Stamina. xr!c*- Stakes. Dunaee Sandy and Acton Handicap: Bonny Sunny Nelson; Limerick Pride e nd Pyrham Lea: Worthy Prince and Ben Adam. New Zealand Sapling StakesFl l h t and Likely; Lady Diane and Sahara Queen Mayfield Handicap: Beverly ?? d falter Jingle: Jimmy Wharton and Quartermaster. Tinwald Handicap: Donald Dinnie and Veritas: MoneyGamble. Winter Handicap Air Marehall and Bien Sur; Quite and d Task n Fore:e nPennybit: Renown ’ s pride Will Not Start

Calurnella has broken down in her training and will not be a starter at the Ashburton meeting to-day. Early in her one ,? f u. h<!r Icgs was bad )y out, leaving a slight weakness; and the leg gave way this week. Her owner, Mr J. Cocks, decided not to start her to-mor--2£ W -J! he r an second to Betty Maxegin in Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton Club’s winter meeting. Honest Race *v. Al l ho V gh T om Gundy was beaten into third place m the Durbar Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton meeting, he gave a solid display and he may atone for this defeat in the Winter Handicap In bis winning efforts, the Lusty Volo gelding has shown that he has more speed than most c-£ the others in his class, and he should be capable of stepping a fast mile and a quarter; Has Improved Water Rjffiger, which defeated a useful field in the Durbar Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton meeting, was a visitor to Addington from New Brighton yesterday morning. The Sandydale horse was driven in his work by his trainer, L. Davidson, who deserves credit for the improvement he has worked in this pacer. Water Ranger has always been credited with outstanding speed, but a habit of breaking in his races has proved costly to his admirers. Though it may be too early to claim him as a reformed character, his Ashburton effort left little to be desired. At Oamaru The six-year-old Quite Sure gelding Special Effort has been racing ' consistently this season to record nine minor placings, and he may leave the maiden classes at the Oamaru Jockey Club’s Uieeting to-day. At his last appearance he was sent out 10/5 in the betting on the Trial Handicap at the Oamaru Trotting Clubs meeting, and after being handy all the way in the first division he finished in fourth place to Donald Dinnie, Travis Boy, and Gloxania. Not Starting Highland Pride has been withdrawn from her engagements at the Oamaru Jockey Club's meeting to-day. N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Entries for all events at the N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club’s winter meeting, to be held on the 29th Inst., will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. —Advt. Cheviot Trotting Club Nominations for all events at the Cheviot Trotting Club’s meeting, to be held at Rangiora on Saturday, July 6th, will close on Friday, June 21st, 1946, at 5 p.m., at the office of Byrne and Co., 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. —Advt.