RACING

Evening Star, Issue 24290, 3 September 1942, Page 7

RACING

[By St. Claie.] At Wingatui This Morning. Both track and climatic conditions were perfect for the final gallops a-t Wingatui this morning, and the course proper, with the trestles about 45ft out from the rails, was available for fast work. Overnight, J. Mitchell, with Valens end Overland Red, J. Langford, with Alpine, Gold Flight, Winning Flight, and the two-year-old Royal Flight, and E. J. Ellis with Symbol, Gay Boa, and Retainer, arrived. Latest Song, who had a big advantage in the weights carried, beat Coy by two lengths over half a mile in 53 l-ssec. Overland Red appeared to be going comfortably over the same course in 54 l-ssec. Gold Nugget ran the last three furlongs in 40 l-ssec. Taxpayer was going better than Roseman at the end of a mile in Imin 57 2-ssec. after taking 59sec for the first half-mile. Gold Flight beat Alpine, who joined in at the six-furlong post, over a mile in Imin 54sec, Gold Flight running the first half in 56 l-ssec. Compeer and Strip finished on even terms over half a mile in 53sec, the former going the better.

Georgia and The Joker ran away from Kohara over half a mile in 54seo, and there was just a neck in Georgia’s favour at the finish. Gold Sequin just caught Forte in the lasi, few strides at the end of a "mile m Imin 52scc, the first half in 54 l-ssec. Safe Light and Steward were well beaten oft. Auctor, on the No. 1 grass track, sprinted home over the last three furlongs in 42sec. Valens (Forsyth) and Song Boy (Connor) jumped the sod wall and brush double in the straight well. Then Valens was sent a round at a strong pace and pulled tip well. He will be ridden on Saturday by 1. Walther. News and Views. The Railway Department announces a good service between Dunedin and Wingalui on Saturday. Trains will leave at 10.15, 10.50, 11.5, 11.15, 11.22, 11.50 a.m., 12.15, 12.45, and 1 p.m.,( ( ( There will be only one enclosure in use at Wingatui on Saturday. This will necessarily cause congestion, especially at the totalisator. Fortunately all the grand stands will be available to the public. Boloyna, who suffered from leg poisoning at the Grand National meeting, was back on the course this morning. He has put on a lot of condition during his spell, but moved soundly. • The following have dual engagements at Wingatui on Saturday Lady Don, Kohara, Phalanx, Prince Flaneur, Roseman, Bally Brit, Gnohill, True Mate, Dark Colleen, Piauiste, Mae West. Cruden Bay, Latest. Song, Nightcalm, and Dark Olga. Vault, who is on the limit in both of the light-harness races on Saturday, started first favourite in the mile npd a-half race at the Birchwood Hunt meeting last Match and finished third in 3min 31 4-sseo on a slow track. It was stated at Wingatui this morning that for the five and six furlongs hack races to be run on Saturday there is likely to be a shortage of riders, and the fields may be restricted to the number of jockeys available. The following horses will be bracketed on the totalisator on Saturday:—Brockville Trot: Trusty Scot and Sandstone. President’s Handicap; Lady Don and Princess Myosotis Wingatui Trot: Noeleen Grattan, Sylvia Direct, and Dunstan Direct. Vauxhall Handicap: True Mato. Big Top, and Tring. Last season 11 horses were started in 24 or more races. Acquest headed this list with 29 starts for two wins. Then followed Stokowski 28 for one, Full Hand 28 for four. All Bunsby 26 for one, Duality 25 for four, Erndale 25 for five, Talenta 25 for two, Boden Park 24 for one, Circular Note 24 for two, Duncannon 24 for two. and Maggioro 24 for four wins. The first race at Wingatui on Saturday has been carded to start at noon, and there will be only 35-minute intervals between the races. With such big fields throughout the afternoon it will require exceptionally good management to race up to the scheduled times unless th& committee is prepared to shut a lot of money out of the totalisator. The Salmagundi—Francolin two-year-old filly attracted attention on the tracks this morning, and in slow work- is a nice mover. She looks to be well forward in condition for her engagement in the McLean Stakes next month, and was brought up with the other members of Mr Tweedie’s team for travelling experience. Though Ballybrit beat Valens by a very wide margin in the Otago Steeplechase at a difference of 281 b, when they meet again on Saturday over the same distance there will be only 11b between them. In his last three races Valens has showed greatly improved form, and despite his Big rise in imposts is likely to start favourite in the Hunt Cup Steeplechase. Retainer, who has come into favour for Hie five furlong hack race next Saturday, is a four-year-old gelding by Solicitor General from Gold Pit, and is trained by E. J. Ellis at Washdyko. He was started once last season, and in his third start this season, over seven furlongs on the second day of the National meeting, was well up in the running most of the way and finished sixth. Auctor, with 9.10, cannot bo overlooked in the Seaview Hurdles on Saturday. At Riccarton last month he was racing over distances that did not suit him, but was always one of the pacemakers over the early and middle stages of his races. At Wingatui last October he won well from Merry Simon in the fast time of 2min 46sec on a slow track. He has since had a second and two thirds, and is well forward in condition just now. In the Otago Steeplechase Ballybrit, 11.0, was just beaten on the post by Prince Flaneur, 9.3, the former being out forcing the pace all the way with Anglo-French until the latter fell two fences from home. Since then Ballybrit has not run a good race, being. well beaten in each a long way from home. In next Saturday’s race Ballybrit will meet Prince Flaneur on 181 b and Gay Boa, who was close up third, on 51b better terms. But on recent performances it would appear that it is lack of stamina rather than weight which will be Ballybrit’s biggest handicap. Of the 14 horses engaged off the front mark in the mile and a-quarter light-har-ness race at Wingatui on Saturday a dozen of them will start off the limit in the mile and a-half race. Only two of them, Bien Sur and Popotuna, will be making their first appearance, and of the others Camnock started three times last season without filling a place, Elaine Travis five times. Glare twice, Manrico twice last season and once this season, Noeleen Grattan four times, Sandy Grey once, Sir Victor twice, Sylvia Direct once, and Victory Boy four times. Out of six starts last season Absolutely finished second once and third twice, Free Bond out of eight starts once third, and Vault out of five starts also once third.

It is now definitely known that none of our class performers like Kindergarten, Battledress, etc., will compete in Australia this spring. These horses will therefore be a great attraction at our metropolitan meetings this season (writes a correspondent to (he ‘Dominion’), if suitable races are provided. The suggestion is to provide quality invitation handicaps for these class horses, say, on the first day’s programme, and a suitable woight-for-age event on the final day. A handicap event restricted to such horses as Kindergarten, Battledress, Happy Ending, Rakanui, Bashful Lady, Gladynev, and Sally Lunn, and the season’s best three-year-olds', would provide a great attraction, and should be made of outstanding value as racing authority should encourage the best performers who in the past have been forced into going overseas.