MILFORD BACK TO FORM
In Favour For Riverton Cup FOXLOVE BACK TO HIS BEST Dominion Special Service INVERCARGILL. March 28. With tiie approach of the Riverton Easter carnival more than ordinary interest was revealed in tiie form shown at Saturday's Birchwood Hunt meeting and some value may be placed ou it. Most of the best handicap horses in Southland contested the President’s Handicap, and in the hack sprint several promising backs with immediate winning prospects were seen out. Foxlove, Milford and Sailing Lady stood out among the middle distance horses produced. There was rather a surprise in the President's Handicap when Milford beat his strongly fancied stablemate Sailing Lady. Before the meeting Sailing Lady had put up some brilliant track trials and it appeared that the stable would show most confidence in her, but there was also support for Milford, who, however, was permitted to return a remunerative price. With an apprentice allowance reducing his weight to 5.9, Milford was handily assessed and he put up an outstanding performance to win. At the . half-mile post he was right at the rear of the field with Galleon, but lie moved up at. tiie home turn and over the last furlong he oustayed his field decisively. Milford had not been placed since he ran third in the New Zealand Gup and now that he is back to ills best form he will come into strong favour for tiie Riverton Cup, in which lie has been risen to 9.-1. Tin's is not by any means a prohibitive weight for the Anomaly gelding, as the handicapper has kept a number of horses with nothing like tiie same credentials as Saturday’s winner well up in the weights. Milford is by far the best performed horse in the Riverton Cup field, and now at the lop of his form will be one of the favourites.
Sailing Lndj' ran tlio best, race of her career. Weighted at 7.9. she had all that she was entitled to. She made all the running and it was only over Hie last half-furlong that Milford headed her. It Was an encouraging performance mid pointed to her racing more solidly than in the past. Sailing Lady will lie an even better mare when raced at Easter and she has bright prospects of winning over middle distances. Foxlove’s Good Showing. Foxlovc’s third placing in the President’s Handicap was one of more than average merit, mid as a result of this effort lie, too, will enter discussions as a Riverton Cup prospect. He was not well placed in the early running and when Viking raced into the lead he chopped Foxlove back. From there on Foxlove covered more ground than anything else and at flic straight entrance was on the outer. He did not finish on witli his customary dasli but, considering that lie has not raced for some weeks, his third was a great effort. There are few better stayers in Southland than Foxlove.
Surprising support came for Rodcur but she was last Io finish. She was well enough placed till tiie straight entrance and then dropped out. Galleon was at tiie tail of the field most of tiie way mid did not improve his position greatly. Viking made most of tiie pace, with Sailing Lady, and he was a fair fifth at tiie linish. This was quite a useful effort, and his best yet over 10 furlongs. Amelita had a good amount of ground to make up down tiie brick straight and finished with little dash. Form of Novices.
The form displayed by some of tiie novices was rather interesting, Irish Fling justified the high opinion expressed of her, after being placed in her first, start in the spring. Though she won she had nothing to spare, but this did not detract from tiie merit of her performance. The half-sister to AVild Career stayed on gamely in a tight finish and will win in better company.
Gold Robe continues to race soundly and lias been unlucky in meeting one a little better on the day. He looks certain to win his way from these ranks before the Easter meetings conclude. Black Bard was the unlucky runner in the Birchwood Novice, He was twice checked in the running, losing several lengths at the far turn. He was then only narrowly beaten in a blanket finish for .second, and if he reproduces this form he will tal>» some beating in his next appearance. Merry Simon was responsible for an encouraging effort to finish fourth in his first slart for some months. He lias plenty of speed and the race will bo to his advantage. Heidleborg put up an encouraging showing to finish close up in the novice field and he, too. looks capable of improving, lie has been in work only a, short time. Norwood was another to show n good turn of speed. Fleet Street beat a good field of hacks over seven furlongs and he raced rigtit up to his good holiday form. He won rather comfortably at the finish and in his present form will win again. Hunting Chorus, who has been off the scene for some time, provided rather a surprise. Tie did not gQt a good run and was finishing on better than anything else. After bei.ng badly placed at the straight entrance he did well to get as close as he did to the winner.
Kippen was well enough placed at the top of the straight to have won, but he did not finish on. He is more useful than this form made him out to be. Brilliant Boa was doing bis best work at tiie finish and when the company is not too strong he should get back to the winning list. Silkwood was supported by her party, but a bad beginning cost her any chance she had. Simrkle was beaten nt tlie home turn, and Sea Lady stayed on fairly well to be fourth at the post, after making most of the running. It was her best effort for some time.
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Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 15
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1,005MILFORD BACK TO FORM Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 15
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