Twenty Southerners Competing At Nelson

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 4

Twenty Southerners Competing At Nelson

Southland and Central Otago trainers seldom venture north of Canterbury for winter meetings, but they will be out in force at the Nelson Trotting Club’s winter meeting on Saturday and Monday.

Almost 20 runners from the southern districts are down to compete on Saturday, and while the form backgrounds of some of them are rather weak, it will not surprise if quite a number pay expenses. There has been good drying in Nelson in the last few days and unless there is unexpected rain, the track will be in good order. If it deteriorates some of the southern horses will really have conditions to their liking. One noted winter performer is Blustering, a candidate for the Appleby Handicap on the first day of the meeting Trained at Heriot by J. McKay, he is a gelding by Stormyway from a New Zealand Cup class mare in Excelsa.

He showed fair form in winter conditions in the south and has paced fair races in Canterbury in the last few weeks.

Unfortunately for him most of his racing has been on fairly firm tracks. He paced a sound race at Ashburton last Saturday, making up ground for sixth over 12 furlongs. The Hedgehope trainer, A. W. Skinner, has paid up with a team of four—Gay John, Global King, Silver Spring and Vandior.

Gay John, a smart three-year-old by Johnny Globe from Gaylee, will contest the races for maiden pacers. He recorded a fifth and a sixth at Ashburton and will have to show very little improvement to do better at Nelson. Global King and Silver Spring will contest the races for trotters. Global King is too erratic to be considered, but Silver Spring trotted a useful race for third behind Logan Count and Norwood Lass over two miles on the first day at Ashburton. That placing gives her a great chance of winning on the trip. Vandior, a runaway winner at Oamaru early last month, was disappointing at Ashburton when he finished twelfth over two miles on Monday. He put little dash into his work and at no stage looked likely to justify his favouritism for the Acton Handicap. He is much better than that and could make amends in either the Tahuna Handicap or the Stoke Handicap. Team Of Three

The Gore trainer, L. F. Norman, will be represented by Scott’s Song, Golden Garry and Dawn Peterson. Golden Garry was third behind Tahu and Eyreton over 10 furlongs at Washdyke, but he failed badly at the Canterbury Park meeting at his only other start.

He is only in the Stoke Handicap on Saturday and could be prominent. The sprint distance will suit him.

Dawn Peterson might be the best prospect among this trio. She finished on well for fourth in the race won by Compromise at Ashburton on Monday, and will be a place prospect in the Appleby Handicap on Saturday. The Gore trainer, A. W. Bishop, has Garry Shane and Globe Bell engaged at the meeting. Globe Bell has raced disappointingly lately, but Garry Shane has paced fair races.

H. W. Cox, from Winton, is booked to take Van Roth, Abel and Moonstorm north Van Roth requires two scratchings to get a start in the Stoke Handicap, but he will at least get a run in the Tahuna Handicap. He was fourth over 12 furlongs on the first day at Ashburton, an effort which will give him a chance. Eden Lad raced from W. R, McDonald’s Wyndham team on the first day at Ashburton. He will have to improve to have much chance on the trip. G. H. Ward, of Kyeburn. is taking Tahu north for the Caltex Gold Cup. He followed up his win at Washdyke with a sound run for sixth behind Soldier Gal in the Winter Handicap at Washdyke on Monday. Given a heavy track, he could show up. A. Rae, of Middlemarch, is taking Sal’s Hope, a place-get-ter at Ashburton, north for the Appleby Handicap on Saturday while P. Heffernan, of Hyde, will be represented in the same race by Platform. The Middlemarch trainer, V. Heffernan, has Winfield Chief engaged in the Stoke Handicap,