ASHBURTON CLUB

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24903, 17 June 1946, Page 7

ASHBURTON CLUB

TROTTING

ON APPROVAL WINS SAPLING STAKES SILVER VOLO’S BIG DIVIDEND Silver Volo, the twenty-second favourite in a field of 23 in the Longbeach Handicap at the Ashburton Trotting Club's meeting on Saturday, returned a dividend of more than £2OO on the win totalisator and nearly £5O for a place when he gave a stylish exhibition of trotting to win b-y five lengths from Beverley Volo. A four-year-old gelding by Lusty Volo from Silver Letitia, he is owned and trained by J. W. Fraser, New Brighton, who bought him for a modest figure. The training of horses js only a hobby for Mr Fraser, who is now being rewarded for the patience he has displayed in educating Silver Volo. "I put a ‘fiver’ on him,” he said after the race, "but I did not expect him to pay half that price." . Silver Volo began smartly to follow Beethoven, Steel Sword, and Flame with a furlong covered, and he gradually improved his position to be in the lead five furlongs from home. Trotting in fine style he never looked like getting caught over th§ final stages of the race, and was not extended in the run home. Turco gave a brilliant performance to win the All-Aged Stakes. He slipped at the start and Jost his balance, with the result that he was in last positipn with a furlong covered, and was giving the leader, Dusky Sound, at least 50 yards’ start. G. S. Smith patiently let,him get properly balanced before trying to improve his position, and at the end of three furlongs still had Dusky Sound, Native Scott, Shadow Maid, Lou Hall, Trusty Scott, and Dundee Sandy in front of him. Three furlongs from home he was lying handy to the leaders and after following Dusky Sound into the straight he took charge less than a furlong from the post and hung on to win by a neck from the fast-finishing Countless. Now nine years of age, Turco has shown splendid form this season to . win six races and record seven minor placings for Mr A. V. Prenderville, for whom he is trained by G.. S. Smith, Addington. Turco has won over all distances this season, and, now assessed on 4min 22sec for two miles, he should have little difficulty in qualifying for cup company this year. The desperate struggle for supremacy between On Approval and Darkie Grattan in the Sapling Stakes provided one of the highlights of the day. Aided by the expert reinsmanship of O. E. Hooper, On Approval just got up to shade the Greymouth-trained filly by half a head after appearing to be securely pocketed when the straight was retched. Hooper was seen at his best as he forced On Approval through a narrow opening with less than a furlong to go and set out after Darkie Grattan. Once in the clear On Approval finished strongly to gain the advantage right on the post. With the exception of Likely, the 11 runners got away to a good start, and at the end of a furlong the order was County Antrim, Darkie Grattan, On Approval, O’Brien, Pirouette, Sahara Queen, Free Fight, Matai, His Excellency, Likely, and Tiny Trixie. The latter never appeared to be going comfortably and eventually finished a long way behind the winner. With six furlongs covered Darkie Grattan and County Antrim were setting the pace, with Pirouette racing on the outside of On Approval in second place, followed by Shamus O’Brien and Sahara Queen. Three furlohgs from home the order was still the same, but approaching the straight Darkie Grattan went into the lead and she was followed by County Antrim, On Approval, Sahara Queen, which had improved her position, Pirouette, and Free Fight. The field fanned across the track about a furlong from the post, with Darkie Grattan doing best, and with 50 yards to go she looked like hanging on, but On Approval finished with a rare burst of speed to take the major honours.

Owned by Mr C. L. Rhodes, who was unable to be present to see his first Sapling Stakes candidate run as he is now convalescent after an illness, On Ap* proval is trained at Lauriaton by O. EHooper. By Jack Potts, he is from Paulihe Dillon, the dam of other winners ‘in Volusta and Volo’s Victory. Pauline Dillon was bred by Mr R. A. Pearse, Christchurch, and is by Harold Dillon from Agasenia, by Young Irvington from Agapanthus, which is by Jhe Blackwood Abdallah horse Ebony. A big gelding. On Approval has grown two inches since he raced in the Timaru Nursery Stakes in March. He is a sensible type and should develop into a high-class three-year-old. Darkie Grattan is a racy type and she was just robbed of success by the narrowest of margins. Like the winner she should improve with agfe,. and should be seen to advantage in the classics next season.

As on the first ..day of the meeting the track was holding, but the club was favoured by fine weather and ope of I;he largest crowds seen <m .the Ashburton course invested £69.357, compared with £67,487 10s handled at the Sapling Stakes day meeting last year. The total for the two days, £122,996, was easily a record for the elub. Results;—

LONGBEACH HANDICAP, of £290; trotters; Smin 43sec class; one mile and a half.—22, 22 J. W. Fraser’s SILVER VOLO by Lusty Volo—Silver Letitia 4yrs scr owner 1; 7, 7 Beverley Volo 48 A. Holmes 2; 14, 12 Beethoven scr W. L. Han’s 3.

16, 15 Active Service and Sandy’s Epic; 4, 4 AU Credit and Billy McElwyn; 1,2 Flame and Acclamation; 5, 5 Steel Sword and Sure Jinks: 19. 19 Canny Scott; 9, 9 Excalibur; 11, 14* Julie; 20, 21 Little Jean; 17, 16 Olympus: 23, 23 Smoky; 10, 10 Tatsydale; 21. 20 Accord; 2. 3 Bonny Scott; 6, 6 Christmas Queen; 12, 11 Lucky Bill; 3, 1 Monitress; 7, 7 Walter Jingle, bracketed Beverley Volo; 13, 13 Worthy Robert; 18, 18 Noble Lady: 8, 8 Sure Note; 15, 16 Cathay also started. Five lengths; length. Monitress fourth. Times —Smin 30 2-ssed, 3min 33 2-ssec, 3min 37 4-ssec< ' Winner trained by owner, New Brighton. TRIAL HANDICAP, of £250; 4min 53sec class; two miles. —17, 17 T. Wilkinson and A. McKenzie’s REY POTTS by Jack Potts —Millie Rey aged scr A. McKenzie 1; 8, 8 Indigo scr M. C. McTigue 2; 9, 9 Glen Devon scr J. Behrns 3. 5, 0 Sure Catch; 9, 9 Stamina bracketed Glen Devon; 2,2 Abel Tasman; 15, 10 Bay Jack; 11/12 Betty Ducro.w: 3, 5 Cullion; 10, 10 Gaillard’s Son; I,’ 1 Hal Derby; 13, 11 Harold Jinks; 12. 13 Highland Dale; 6, 3 Rural Lady; 14, 14 Sandy Grey; 7, 7 Shadow Rose; 18, 18 Thelma's Bid; 16, 15 Tungsten Steel: 4, 4 Ben Ledi also started. Twelve lengths; four lengths. Ben Ledi fourth. Times—4min 43 3-ssec, 4min 45 4-ssec, 4min 46 l-ssec. Winner trained by A. McKenzie, New Brighton. . ALL AGED STAKES. Of £1000; special conditions. One mUe and three furlongs. 1. I—A. V. Prenderville's TURCO by Rey de Oro—Wrackoda aged 36 G. S. Smith 1 3. 3—P. A. Watson’s Countless aged 36 .. A. G. Collison 2 2. 2—B. Rushton’s Dundee Sandy aged 36 .. .. A. Purdom 3 8, 8 Dusky Sound; 2,2 Native Scott, bracketed Dundee Sandy; 10, 10 Lou Hall; 4, 5 Loyal Nurse; 7. 4 Shadow Maid; 9, 9 Trusty Scott; 6, 7 Clockwork; 5, 6 Double Peter also started. Neck; half length. Double Peter fourth. Times —3min 4 4-ssec, 3min ssec, Smin 5 1- Winner trained by G. S. Smith, Addington. „ , ACTON HANDICAP, of £450; 3min 29sec class; one mile and a half.—lo, 10 Mrs E. M. Flynn’s COPPER TRAIL by Quite Sure —June Nelson 4yrs 12 D. Todd 1; 13, 11 Wade Lane 12 H. J. Smith 2; 1,2 Cumnock 12 W. R. Butt 3. 2, 1 Bonny Clare and Sunny Nelson; 12, 13 Dyrham Lea; 4, 6 Nelsonova; 7, 9 Scottish Lord; 3,-3 Starshell: 14, 14 Top Line; 11. 12 True Potts; 8, 7 County Clare; 9, 8 Golden Glow; 5, 4 Ben Adam; 0, 5 Lyndale also started. Neck; half length. Dyrham Lea fourth. Times—3min 26sec, 3min 26 l-ssec, 3mm 26 2- Winner trained by D. Todd. Mataura. NEW ZEALAND SAPLING STAKES, Of £lOOO. For two-year-olds. One mile and a half. 3. . 3—C. L. Rhodes’s ON APPROVAL by Jack Potts—Pauline Dillon O. E. Hooper 1 2 2—Mrs M. J. Becker's Darkie Grattan by Grattan Loyal—Superb O. Quinlan 2 4 4—D. McFarlane’s Free Fight by Light Brigade—Rustic Maid M. Holmes 3 4, 4 Likely bracketed Free Fight; 1, 1 Sahara Queen; 5, 5 County Antrim; 9. 9 His Excellency; 8, 7 Matai; 6, 6 Pirouette; 7, 8 Shamus O’Brien; 10, 10 Tiny Trixie al HaHh r ead;' length. ' Sahara Queen fourth. Times—Smin 29 l-ssec, 3min 29 2-asec. 3min 29 3-ssec. Winner trained by O. E. H MAWIELD i HA I NDICAP. of £400: trotters - 3min 37sec class; one niile and a half—3, 3W. Dey ell’s ROYAL STONE by Nobleman— Coppiestone aged 24 L. Frost 1; 9, 8 Maximum scr p. Manson 2, 13, 13 Belle Header scr D. L. McGregor 3. 2 4 Beverley Volo and Walter Jingle; 1 i Golden Amazon: 12, 12 Great Worth; 5, 6 Tolerate; 6. 7 Appreciate; 8. 9 Blackdale; 4,2 Jimmy W h a, rt ?, I l ; . rt 3 0 ’, 10 s Parrish- 11. 11 Desmond's Pride; 7, 5 Betty Maxegin; 14, 14 Cleeve Hill also started. Neck- length. Desmond s Pride fourth. Time2l3min 28 3-ssec 3min 31sec, 3mm 31 l-ssec. Winner trained by N. C. Price, N ™WjffiD O HANDICAP s of & Bmta A SS S. “oW'&MIWS AGENT by Grattan Loyal—Emily de Oro syrs 24 D. Morland 1: 3. 3 Ace of Diamonds scr M. C. McTigue 2; 1, 1 Theabelle scr L. O. ’ T^ 01 7 “veritas; 1. 6 Moneymate and Royal r'-lnhio' 5 5 Carisbrook; 4, 4 Confirmed, i 8, 8 Great Show; 9, 9 Hanover; 10, 10 Tall T Great Show fourth. Times—3min 24sec, 3min :26 2-ssec, 3min ' 27sec. Winner trained by G. S. Smith, Addington.