NOTES FROM RICCARTON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26639, 9 December 1947, Page 8

NOTES FROM RICCARTON

Special to the Daily Times CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 8. The Riccarton tracks were very quiet this morning. The visiting horses from the south have gone home and most of the North Island contingent will leave to-night. Local trainers are giving their charges an easy time for a day or two before topping them off for holiday engagements. The four-year-old mare, Lovemorn, has had a change of quarters. J. A. Wilson took her south when he returned to Wingatui, where the mare will be a stable mate of Detain and Lorna Leigh, two others formerly trained at Riccarton. Lovemorn has not won a race this season, but she is a useful mare, with winning form up to a mile. The Australian horse, Silver Link, who is expected to arrive at Wellington this week, will be trained by L. J: Ellis during his stay in New Zealand. He has an engagement in the Auckland Cup, with 8.13. but after his travelling he may not be forward enough for such a hard race so soon. Ellis will plan his programme after he sees the horse. An alternative is that he may be nominated for the James Hazlett Gold Cup, at the Dunedin meeting, and may later take part in the Wellington Cup and the Dunedin Centennial Cup. F. A. Roberts expects to race a few of his team at the Dunedin summer meeting. Among them are Detract, Primitive, and Citril, also Irish Note, who has done well lately and may be a starter in the James Hazlett Gold Cup. There was some excellent racing on the final day of the New Zealand Cup meeting, but the Canterbury Cup provided the best. Though scratchings reduced the field to four, they sufficed to provide a thrilling contest. Kartikeya took over the role of pacemaker, and he held on for nine furlongs, when he dropped out quickly. Then Soneri went on in front, but not for long. Signal Officer had nearly closed up the gap on Beau le Havre at this stage and the pair soon had Soneri’s measure. Beau le Havre had a slight advantage soon after they started the last furlong, but Signal Officer wore him down, getting in the deciding stride right on the line. The immediate effect of this race was to start discussions about the New Zealand Cup result Many admirers of Signal Officer are more than ever convinced now that he should have won the two-mile race had his rider been more patient. In the New Zealand Cup he was receiving 91b from Beau le Havre, while he was conceding the North Island four-year-old 41b in the Canterbury Cup—a difference of 131 b. It will be interesting to see how they get on in the Auckland Cup, in which Beau le Havre has 9.11 and Signal Officer 8.12.

Last year Soneri dead-heated for first place in the ' Canterbury Cup, while in the latest contest she was done with about a furlong from the winning post, finishing a poor third. Her record shows that her best journey is short of a mile and a-half, and her two races at Riccarton, following a spell since she won the Winter Cup, may help her back to winning form a little later. Revolte’s performance, when he won the Fendalton Handicap, was easily the best of his career. In the Jockey Club Handicap, a week earlier, he was near the front most of the way, but he weakened to fourth. That race improved him a lot. In his latest outing his speed enabled him to gain a good position early and he was always near the front, being second to the home turn. He dashed into the lead when the straight was reached and over two furlongs further than the previous week, he never looked like coming back to the field. It was an impressive performance, as he had some good horses behind him, while the manner in which he ran out a mile and a-quarter left the impression that he will win many more races this season, with a chance that he will stay on further.