DA VINCI IN FORM

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24911, 26 June 1946, Page 4

DA VINCI IN FORM

RACING

LIKELY WINTER CUP PROSPECT

Last August Da Vinci ran two good races at Riccarton. He finished third to Royal Flight and Gulf Stream in the Winter Cup, and won the August Handicap on the second day. This year, according to northern reports, his programme again includes the Winter Cup, and -his next start is apparently to be the Brabazon Handicap at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting. Da Vinci is credited with giving an impressive display when he won the Heretaunga Handicap at Hastings on Saturday, making his record for the season tour wins in eight starts. His most important success was in the Thompson Handicap, in which he led all the way to defeat two high-class horses in Master Dark and Irish Note by very narrow margins. Da Vinci has invariably raced well at Riccarton, running third in the Great Easter Handicap at his last appearance there, and he is sure to be a strong contender for the major honours in this year’s Winter Cup. First Appearance The two-year-old gelding Lord Chase ran quite a good race in the Novice Stakes at Ashburton,, and with experience he may be useful, He is a half-brother by Wild Chase to the speedy Peter Gazelle, and is trained at Washdyke by E, J. Shaw for Mr T. J. Lister, Well Beaten , The Southland mare Siegtone had every chance in the Novice Stakes at Ashburton, but £he was simply not good enough. She was quite well placed in the running, but was being hard ridden to keep her position a furlong and a half from tne post, and weakened over the last part of the journey and finished eighth. The field for the Novice Stakes had about the best of the going, as there was a small field of only five hurdlers in the first race, and the course did not become greasy on the surface until later. Team Depleted With the efforts to give Anglo-French another preparation unsuccessful, Noko on the easy list, and Lisheen now turned out for a spell, the usually strong Hazlett stable will be represented by a much smaller team of jumpers than usual at coming meetings. Ah Improved Display Trueway improved on his performance at Oamaru when he just failed to lead practically the whole way in the Mayfield Hack Handicap at Ashburton. It was easily his best race since he recommenced racing on the same course last month. He held on well in the run home, and at the post Desert Victory still had npt caught him after having the trail practically throughout. It was Trueway’s first attempt at one mile and a quarter for a long time, whereas Ealconbridge, the winner, had raced ovet that’distance the previous week, so Trueway’s performance was encouraging, C.J.C. Classic Entries. Entries for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s classic races for the 1946-47 season show a substantial increase on those received last year. The individual entries are as follows, last year’s figures being given in parenthesis:—Welcome Stakes, 1946, 145 (91); Midlde Park Plate, 1947, 137 (90); Champagne Stakes, 1947, 199 (146); Challenge Stakes, 1947, 230 (164); N.Z. Derby, 1947, 260 ( 219); N.Z. Oaks, 1947, 143 (114). With one exception, the New Zealand Derby, the entries last year showed a slight decrease on those jn 1943 and 1944; but this year’s entry is considerably in excess of those years also. Suitable Brush Scarce The Canterbury Jockey Club’s racecourse staff is having difficulty in procuring suitable brush for the steeplechase fences, and is having to go much farther afield for supplies than usual. A disease is killing large areas of manuka ip Canterbury, and much searching has bean necessary to find unaffected areas. Northern Trip In View The Riccarton-traiped hurdlers Prince Dolomite and Lunaria have been nominated for the principal hurdle races at the Manawatu Racing Club’s second winter meeting next month. Night Prince, which is to race at Te Rapa on Saturday, has been nominated for the hack and the opeir steeplechase events.

A Hack Programme The entire programme at the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting next Saturday, including jumping events, is confined to hacks. In the Auckland district, hack races have consistently been overfilled in the last few years, when the number of opportunities has been restricted; and meetings of this type provide an opportunity for hacks to work their way into open company. One of the unsatisfactory features of large stakes for hack races is that many hacks are forced to compete in open company after winning one race, and often they are not ready to tackle that class.

To Keep to Hurdling Although he has been schooled over steeplechase fences this season, and nominated for a few steeplechase races, Test Pilot will be restricted to hurdling for the remainder of the season, with the Grand National Hurdles as his main objective. He will not now race at the Manawatu meeting, and his next appearance may be at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting. Riding at Northern Meetings The Dunedin steeplchase rider, R. Heasley, was at Riccarton westerday morning, but unfortunately ground conditions made |t impossible to school horses, and trainers were not able to avail themselves of his services. Heasley is leaving on Thursday night for Hastings, where he will attend the second day of the Hawke’s Bay meeting. Later he will ride at the Manawatu meeting. Headed on the Post The two-year-old filly Indian Dawn was unlucky not to secure her first win at Ashburton, as it was only in the last stride that Great Chum headed her. She was in sixth place entering the straight, and finished on very well. She had Pink Gown (which had been one of the pacemakers) beaten when Great Chum swept past them both- Several of the stock of Nizami, the sire of Indian Dawn, have been very highly strung; but Indian Dawn has exhibited none of these traits. She is trained by C. C. McCarthy for Mrs N. H. Barlow, and cost 600gns as a yearling. Palissy’s Reappearance After being off the scene since he contested the Harcourt Stakes in October, Palissy resumed racing at Hastings, but lie received a bad check halfway through the Heretaunga Handicap that sent him back several places and no line was obtainable on him. His appearance suggested that he had done plenty of work and he seems to be sound. Palissy is by Robin Goodfellow from Dresden China, the dam of Greek Shepherd, and was sold as a yearling for 1850 guineas, but so far has won only one race. Ran a Sound Race Sanskrit ran a sound race in the Maronan Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday. it being her first attempt at a mile. This Defaulter filly has size, and she will more than hold her own in open company. She should be a much improved , mare later in the year. Lexia Also Pleases Lexia also showed that she has prospects in open company when she ran third to Salary and Sanskrit. She disputed the lead with Whitley, and it was only to be expected that she would pot be able to withstand a strong challenge in the straight. There are fewer gaiper fillies than Lexia about, and she has been remarkably consistent this season. Cracroft’s Form Impresses After taking nearly three seasons to clear hack ‘company, the Lang Bian gelding, Craoroft, has lately shown form that has enabled him to win at his first tempt in open company. At his last start in hack company he won the second Fitzroy Handicap at Ellerslie with 9-12. He has made steady improvement this season and the manner in which he finished on with a well-sustained run when he won the Woodstock • Stakes at the Waipa meeting on Saturday suggests that he may win in better company than he has met yet. Like most of Lang Bian’s stock he can handle heavy going. His dam Cyclax is a half-sister by Philamor to Cylinder and Cyrillian, the dam of Sanskrit. For Overseas Owners

Th® stallion, Solicitor-General, and the two-year-old Karachi, which have been quartered at Trentham for the last two weeks, are to leave on Thursday for Sydney. They will be accompanied by the rising two-year-old by Beau Repaire from Ross’s Gift, bought at the National sales for 480gns, on behalf of a Sydney owner. Champ© Kalee, Prince Fox, Blue Simon, and Ali?n have been resting at Brentwood since they last raced, and are awaiting shipment to their owners in India, and it is expected that they will get away during July.