Sporting

Lake County Mail, Issue 46, 21 April 1948, Page 3

Sporting

NEWS AND VIEWS

By Old Bill

FORBURY PARK TROTS CENTENNIAL CUP MEETING

Emulous and Highland Fling To Meet

The Forbury Park Trotting Club have prepared a fine programme for their centennial meeting, which opens on Saturday, and besides offering the richest, stakes in the history of the club, they have catered for the best class of light-harness horse in commission to-day. Owners and trainers have- made a fine response and the fields engaged should provide patrons with an excellent day’s sport. Features of the meeting should be the £5250 Centennial Cup and the Otago Pacing Free-for-All, in which Emulous and Highland Fling will measure strides, and the Century Trotting Free-for-All, in which Aerial Scott, the Dominion’s champion trotter, is engaged. The balance of the fields contain recent winners and placed horses, and possible winners look well concealed. The following horses may be in favour during the day:— 11 a.m.: John Wickliffe Handicap.— Christmas Queen, Heir Apparent, Sandy Duval. 11.50: Early Settlers’ HandicapAttack, West Point, Kimono Girl.

12:40; Port Chalmers Handicap. — Belmont Hall, Goldina, Bull’s Eye. 1,30: Dunedin Centennial Cup Handicap. Emulous, Dundee Sandy, Plunder Bar.

2.20: ; Freeman Cobb Handicap.; — Final Count, Commander Scott, imperial Grattan. 3.10:; Century Trotting Free-for-All. —Aerial Scott, Acclamation, Fantom. 4.0: Captain Cook Handicap.—lSiovelda, Eed Hussar, Prpprietor.

4.50: Kia Ora Handicap.—Grattan Drive, Checkmate, Caudray.

Champion Pacers to Meet A feature of the Forbury Park Centennial meeting on Saturday will be the meeting of Emulous and Highland Fling in the Centennial Cup. At the interdominion championships at Auckland Emulous took the honours, but at the recent Easter meeting at Christchurch Highland Fling proved himself to be the superior pacer. With honours practically even up to the present, Saturday’s contest should prove which of these brilliant pacers is the better. If the pace is on all the way on Saturday the chances of Emulous will be enhanced, but should the race resolve itself into a sprint home Highland Fling, with his characteristic burst of speed, should beat his rival. The field also includes such promising pacers as Plunder Bar, Dundee Sandy, Knave of Diamonds, Loyal Nurse, and Loyal Peter, all of which are capable of running two miles in round about 4min 17sec, so that this Centennial Cup should provide a sporting spectacle worthy of the rich prize attached to the race.

Brilliant Trotter Aerial Scott, the champion trotter of the Dominion, is engaged in the Century Free-for-All at Forbury Park on Saturday, and as trotters of his class are seldom catered for south of Christchurch he should be a big draw to the lover of the square-gaited horse. Final Count

With two wins to his credit in his last three Starts, Final Count, who is engaged in the Freeman Cobb Handicap, is sure to be one of the favourites on Saturday. This horse is on the verge of Cup class. Consistent Sort Red Hussar has been running some fine races lately, and on his two placings to Final Count should more than

pay his way at Forbury. Follow Me With four placings to his credit at the last Forbury Park meeting and a winner at his last start, Follow Me holds more than an outside chance in the Centennial Cup.

Grattan Drive in Ponn A pacer with ability above the average, Grattan Drive is likely to add interest to the Kia Ora Handicap at Forbury.

Promising Young Trotter Acclamation is one of the most promising trotters in commission at the present time, and if she keeps to a level gait she should win a race at Forbury during the Centennial meeting.

Grill Unlucky Last with only two furlongs to run, Grill finished with a determined and sustained run to get up into second place behind Great Coon in the- chief event at Southland on Saturday. This performance augurs well for his future racing, and he should play an important part in some of the efiief distance races during the remainder of the season.

Strong Team M. C. McTigue has a strong team engaged at Forbury, including Plunder Bar, West Point, and Ace of Diamonds, and he should pick up a stake during the two days’ racing, as all three pacers are at the top of their form at the present time.

Cheviot Cup Winner Goldina, the Cheviot Cup winner, is engaged at Forbury this week. It will be remembered that at his last appearance at Forbury he scored one of the easiest wins ever recorded on the course, winning by nearly the length of the straight. If the track happens to be soft on Saturday, he should be hard to beat in the Port Chalmers Handicap*

Wellington Winner Attack, a winner at Wellington recently, should add to his winning record if started at Forbury Park, This chap is one of the best in his class, and is sure to win in the best of company. Imperial Grattan P. P. Galagher has Imperial Grattan in good order at the present time. He always runs good races at Forbury.

Honest Pacer If Knave of Diamonds runs up to the form that he disclosed at. the interdominion championships, 0. E. Hooper should more than pay expenses at Dunedin this week. Likes a Wet Track

Acropolis has always shown his best form on wet tracks. He might get conditions to suit him this week. Jason’s Quest

Jason’s Quest is nearing his best again, and should show up among the trotters at Forbury.

Won a Double Kiltie was one of .the finds at the Southland Racing Club’s autumn meeting, and, judged by the way in which he won thJ two steeplechase events on the card, he should be an acquisition to the list of ’chasers. The manner in which he came from the back of the field in the last two furlongs suggests that distance will not trouble him. Desert Trek

When he finished third in the Clifden Steeplechase at Invercargill on Saturday, Desert Trek put up an excellent performance, as his rider, L. Hare, lost his irons during the running of -the race.

Left at the Post String Band was made a warm favourite for the Tua tapere Handicap on Saturday, but was left 20 lengths at the start. Despite this,, he finished close up in fourth place. He should win soon.

Small Place Dividend When Lisheen finished third in the Pukemaori Hurdles on Saturday he returned his backers one of the smallest place dividends on record —less than a third of their investment. Lisheen was bracketed with Benbeeula and Gunther. Oscillate

Appreciating the firmer going on Saturday, Oscillate recorded an easy win suggestive of more in better company in future. For Auckland Stud

Indianapolis, who has been standing at the stud .in Southland, has been sold to an Auckland buyer for SOOgns.