Form at Foxton

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1946, Page 8

Form at Foxton

Awapuni-trained horses were well to the fore at the Foxton Racing Olub's spring meeting on "Haturdav, Northfieia, Airpier, Grey Plume, Sir Bradbury and Ivahuraponga crediting this centre witn live wins. In vievv of the ppening oi the Wanganui meeting on Saturdav, racing was interesting and some of tne form should prove a reliable guide to prospects this week. It is a long time since a worse field of jumpers has been seen out than tnat paraded for the Paiaka Ilack Hurdies, but neyertheJess there was plenty oi merit in the winning performance ot Gay Flame. A. Midwooil kept him up to his work out in front all the vvay and, jumping splendid'iy, the Gay Boy gelding never looked like surrendenng over the linal stages. E. Temperton has vvorked a good deal of improvement in this liglit framed customer, who should have little diftieult.f in adding to his winning record before he elimb.s in tne weiglits. It was unfortunate for A. Wright tliat Hani Rock should brcak down dur ing the running of the hurdlo event as Ihe (Jisborne-owned gelding was shaping very promisingly in his new role and looked to have detinite prospeets. Uowever, the stable seored a triumph wlien Ihe brai-ke.ted pair, Iligli Moraie and Northfield f'ought out the finish oi the, Ilack and ] lunlers ' Steepleehase. Botli jumped too proficiently for their opponents and had the race to thtfmselves over the final stages. Iligli Moralc's performauee under J 1 .0 was really good, and it is a pit.v tliat the Bulandshar gelding is troubied by unsoundness, otlierwise lie may have colleeted a major steepleehase during tlie past sea SOII. After being through many ImmK Airpier finally roached the winning Ih> by easily accounting for the mediocie opposition in tlie Triai .Stakes, No. I. She was turned out in nice order by is.. it. Parker, and in her present condi ,on may soon win again wiien tlie clas- is not of the best. She was capablv liandled bv the foriner Dunedin horseinan, .T. W. Jenkins, who has made Awapuni his lieadr|uarters since his brolhor, \\ . •T. Jenkins, was seriousiy injured Jast June. There was a quiet paddock tip for Shut Out in tlie Triai Stakes, No. 1, but tlie Marton-trained gelding was always in tlie ruck and finished well back. The three-quarler brother to Hippodrcmie has not done a great deal of racing, but lie looks a iikely type who may improve with experience. After being slow away in the Triai Plate, No. 2, Grey Plume displayed a torran t of specd to run up and join the leaders after a couple of furiongs, but she further spoilt her chances by gomg very wide at the entrance to tlie straight. Under the eircumstances she did well to hang on for third place. Grey Plume is an Australian-bred mare iiy Gontact from Carletta and was only liaving her second start. Her performauee suggested that she should soon win her way out of novice companv, and she is not iikely to be at sucli Jong odds tlie next time she appears. Gay Tide battled on very gamelv to down the odds on favourite, Incision, in the Triai Stakes, No. 2, and her success was not unexpected by those who saw her racing as a two-year-old last season. The Wanganui-trained fillv was under pressure in the earlv stages to hold a position and slie gave tlie impression that she would be better suited over n liit more ground. Tiie Tiderace fillv is to race at Wanganui and has an engagement in tlie Guineas on the second dnv. A novice that caught -tlie e.ve was Welconie Guest, a sturdy colt by Royai Chief from Clarenceuse, who is trained at Awapuni bv M. H. Nicoi. Aitiiougli he finished well iiaek, Welcome Guest displayed speed in the early stages, and the outing is Iikely to benefit him considerably. On tlie strength of lris form at tne National meeting, Lord Darnley was confidentlv supported in tlie principai event, the Carnarvon Ilandicap, aiul never at any stage did he give his supportors cau.se for ainxiety. Although lie slill shovved a sligiht tendency. to hang, lie was always travelling-' cotnfortabiy in tlie van and had no difficulty in puiiing out an extra effort wlieii ehallengea by Ganges in the straight. Lord Darnley paraded looking particularly fit, anld vvitli tlie handy iinjiost of 7.1.'!, .should tako a {lower of bealing in tlie .Marangai Ha nd ica p 'at Wangajiui next .Saturday. Ganges was responsible for an lionest rae.e and was Ihe only oue to really tlirow out. a oliallenge to tlie winner. IJe should get further oppor tuuities while the tracks remain easy. Al'ter being off ihe winning Jist for over l.wo years, Sir Bradbury seored a well-deserved success in Ihe Robinson Ilandicap. The Leighon gelding has been racing consi.sl enl lv wilhout miic.li luc.k, but vvitli conditions to suit. on Saturday, lie roinpletely out.classed Ihe sprintcrs over tlie business end. Jfe was turned out in excellent order by L. A. I'ine, vvhose other eandidate, Lord Bradbury, looked ino, st unlucky to sufl'er defeat in tlie hack sprint. Tlie haltbrollier to Sir Bradbury finished with an eleetri lying run from Ihe rear in tlie Moutoa Ilandicap to participate in a blanket finish and was just nosed out of tlie litoney. Backed down to a sliort price atter tiis Riccarton form, The Grand faileci (lismally in Ihe Robinson Ilandicap and the best lie could do was to finish a moderate fourth. He was under pressure before turning for home .and his performauee suggested that he was feeling the effects of recent hard racing. Nothing finished better in the sprint than Silver Rod, ho caine from a gooct way back to fill fiftli place. He looltea in splendid order and should be kept in mind for an early middle distarree event. The Tiderace gelding showecl rare stamina in some of his raees last term and he may be well in line for one of the major distance events tins spriiigy Much interest waft attached to tne appearance of Howe in the hack sprint, and although he duly won, his performance was not that of a class three-year-old. After receiving the run of tne race, he had to be hard ridden by W. J. Broughton to get Ihe decision the

narrov\;est of margins. The Defoe coit is a fine type and may be open to further improvement before he contests the Wanganui Guineas.