IN SADDLE AND SULKY.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 54

IN SADDLE AND SULKY.

Headlight looks capable of showing improved form before long. The Matchlight gelding is one of G. M'Kendry’s team. Ballade takes the eye as one who is likely to develop into a very useful performer over two miles. A win in one. of the big two-mile handicaps looks like coming Milo Minto’s way at any time. , Denver City is a particularly good beginner, but even the shortest of races appear to be too Jbng for him. ' Boneta has still to she is solid in a race. Her speed will run to waste so long as she breaks her gait. Dillon Logan is very honest and never Tuns a bad race. He should win big money Hext season. Sandown is now one of C. S. Donald’s team. When the Logan Pointer gelding Was trained down south he was very er” Tatic at the barrier. , Berr y’ s representative in the Sapling Stakes will be Speed Queen, who is >by Nelson Bingen from Haydock and will carry the colours of Mr S. M’Millan. „ The Bon Patch gelding Almont Cling is now trained at Forbury Park by L. Smith. At times he has shown promise, but he has not fulfilled it yet. x Nominations for the two trotting events to be decided at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting on June 20 are due on Friday. Willie Derby is engaged in two races at the Manawatu meeting, and if he is started in the chief event he will probably dispute favouritism with Herod. Achray can step a good mile, and in the weak field that has been paid up for in the Dash Handicap at Manawatu he should be a place-getter. .. Glenrossie’s slowness out of the barrier is a decided handicap to him. If he was a quick beginner he would soon be in the tightest classes. That good mare Fifa is reported to be •doing good work in preparation for her engagements next week. Few trotters are more genuine than she is. All Peters has improved since going into R. Townley’s hands, and the South Canterbury trainer looks like getting more money with him next week. If Lindbergh makes a good beginning ’in the King George Handicap at the

Canterbury Park meeting the others will find him a hard horse to beat. He is at the top of his form. Those who lost money on Belinda at Forbury Park had luck against them, but they should not have long to wait for a return. She has speed that will place her much further back in the handicaps. Unless Bob Logan has improved a lot he can have little chance of winning either of the mile saddle races at the Canterbury Park meeting next week. He lacks the dash necesary to win such races. Todd Lonzia temporarily lost his form after the Forbury Park winter meeting, but he quickly recovered jt, and he promises to strip a very fit horse for his engagements next week. Manco, who ia on the front of the Manawatu Handicap, is an improving five-year-old gelding by Peterwah. Willie Derby should, however, be capable of giving him 12yds start and a beating. Grandlight is overdue for a win in one of the big two-mile handicaps. J. Bryce is adopting a very patient policy with him, but it is a policy that is certain to be rewarded.

Those who saw Priceless record an easy win at the Forbury Park meeting will be prepared to see him show up again in his next engagement, which will be at Canterbury Park next week. Lord Antrim will probably be raced at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting next month, and should be worth following there. At the recent meeting at Oamaru he showed that he is holding his form, but he did not get the best of runs.

Master J ack has not shown the improvement that was expected of him, and he has more than once disappointed the followers of the stable. A. MTellan will find it hard to place him for a win outside the country circuit.

A southern pacer who showed a lot of improvement during the season was Grey Girl, who is owned and trained at Gore. It will not be surprising if she wins some of the bigger handicaps down south next season.

Great Nelson will be started in the mile and a-half trotters’ races at the Canterbury Park meeting next week, and as the distance will suit him his supporters have good reason for being optimistic about his prospects. Nor’-wester looked short of work when he was harnessed up at the Oamaru meeting. and after being one of the early leaders he drifted a long way back before the judge was reached. The race should help to bring him back to his best. Lightwood is engaged at the Manawatu meeting, but the Adonis gelding does not make any particular appeal in either of his races. At times he has shown a good turn of speed, but he is not one of the solid sort. In the M’Donald Handicap at . Masterton Native Star is giving away starts up to 372yds. It is to be hoped that it will be a clear day, otherwise the starter may not be able to see whether she is properly set at the start. Proud Dillon did not put any dash into his races at the Oamaru meeting, and unless he has made remarkable improvement in the meantime ne. is not entitled to be supported at the Canterbury Park meeting next week. The Real Guy gelding Welcome Guy looks certain to be in the first flight of trotters next season. He is engaged in the mile and a-half event at Canterbury Park next week, and he carries every indication of racing prominently. Logan Chief stands up to racing wonderfully well, and is as sound as a bell and as clean-limbed as a three-year-old. The old fellow has lost very little of his speed, but he is giving away ground to some brilliant improvers. After a long spell from the race track, Real Light is due to make his reappearance at the Canterbury Park meeting next week. The Nelson Bingen gelding has always required careful handling at the barrier, but once he gets into his stride he can step a very smart clip. Now that Margaret Parrish has settled down to trot steadily in her races she should pay her way. She has built up a lot lately, and of the loose-class trotters engaged at the recent Oamaru meeting none looked more likely to improve than she did.

Molly Desborough has finished her racing for the season, and is now running out in a paddock on her owner’s farm at Seacliff. She has not come on so well as was expected, but there is little doubt that when her speed is fully developed she will win races.

The Omakau trainer, P. Gallagher, has nominated Dick Swithin for the saddle events at the Canterbury Park meeting, and in his present form the St. Swithin gelding should pay expenses. At the Oamaru meeting he finished second to Meteor, going 2.12 3-5 from a 2.18 mark. The Sungod mare Sunranes is not a consistent performer, but when she is caught in the right racing mood she pulls out a very smart gait. She has been nominated for the Canterbury Park meeting, and if she is started she will be solidly supported by southern enthusiasts. Desborough has been thrown out of work and in all probability will be definitely retired to the stud. If he had not been troubled by uneoundness, Desborough would undoubtedly have reached the tighter classes, as he had a fine turn of speed and could stay well. Modern Girl is being kept in work at Forbury Park, and there is a possibility that she will be taken to the Ashburton Club’s winter meeting. The Guy Parrish mare will win ' a loose-class trotters’ race when she learns how to begin correctly.

The Wyndham-trained pacer Meteor, who has shown fine form this season, is freely engaged at the Canterbury Park meeting next week, and if he is taken north, he will have the opportunity of proving just how good he is. The Sungod gelding is good in any kind of going, and has both speed and stamina.

Included in J. M'Lennan’s team at Oamaru is Hytemoana, a chestnut three-year-old by Nelson Bingen from Seaward Spot, a mare who was at one time prominent on southern «tracks, on which she was handled by the late T. Tilson. If looks count for anything Hytemoana should win

races for his owner, Mr J. A. Smaill, who also owns that good trotter Arctotis.