 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1959
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1959 NZ OAKS
Arania, who drew number 20 at the barrier, forcing her to start from the second line, overcame this handicap to win the New Zealand Oaks at New Brighton on Saturday comfortably from Chantilly and Mary Mavis, with Samantha, bracketed with Arania, in fourth place. Arania's win gave Roydon Lodge its first success in the fillies classic; it was also G B Noble's first training and driving success in the race.
Arania dodged trouble in the early stages and was soon in a handy position and after taking charge with less than half a mile to run she was untroubled to win by two lengths. There was a good finish for the minor placings, Chantilly just beating Mary Mavis, who was a neck in front of Samantha. Then came Mystic Star, Lillian's Star a nose in front of Heathmount, who was followed by Rain Cloud clear of the rest. Arania proved a class above her opposition and received a just reward for several sound performances in a year particularly strong in colts.
Arania raced consistently last season as a two-year-old and in 10 starts she won one race and was placed six times. At her first start as a two-year-old Arania ran Sun Chief to a head in the Golden Slipper at Waimate. She again had to be content with second place behind Sun Chief in the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes. After finishing fourth in the Invitation Stakes at Geraldine, Arania followed Sun Chief and Blue Prince home in the Timaru Nursery Stakes. Her next placing, third, was to Hautapu and Prince Tangier in the Robert Mortlock Memorial Juvenile Stakes at Hawera. She next finished third to Jonboy Star and Calumite in the Two-year-old stakes at Methven. Taken to Hutt Park, Arania held off Velvet Drive by a neck in the Wellington Juvenile Stakes, a classic race for two-year-old fillies. In the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, Sun Chief again proved her master, beating her by three-quarters of a length.
Arania started her three-year-old career on a promising note when she beat all but Sally Boy in the Canterbury Challenge Stakes in which Sally Boy created a race record by pacing the mile and a quarter in 2:38 4-5. Arania returned 2:39 2-5. At the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting in September Arania downed a field of three and four-year-olds in the Grey Lynn Handicap and followed up that effort by finishing third in the Orakei Handicap on the second day. Arania's next appearance was in the Farewell Handicap at Oamaru on Labour Day. She drew the second line but after a brilliant beginning she was soon up in second place. In the run home she was never in serious danger of defeat and won unextended by a length.
In the New Zealand Derby Stakes, run in record time, Arania finished a close third to Stormont and Sun Chief, recording 3:12 1-5 for the mile and a half journey. Throughout her racing as a two-year-old and so far this term, Arania has been most unfortunate in that she has seldom, if ever, drawn a good barrier position. Arania is a grand mover however, and her reliability has helped her in no small measure to overcome these handicaps.
Arania, who is by U Scott from Local Gold, ranks as a half sister to Local Light and others in White Caps and Seagull. Chantilly, who was always handy, gave a forward showing and more should be heard of her before long. By U Scott, she is out of Fleuret, a daughter of Grattan Loyal and Spring Lily, by Springfield Globe-La Lilly, dam also of Goldina, Joyfree and others. Chantilly was bred and is trained at Greenpark by L A Williams and driven on Saturday by F Newfield. Mary Mavis attracted attention to her immediate prospects by a useful effort into third place. She is a bay filly by Garrison Hanover from Grattanello, by My Trick-Virello Grattan, by Grattan Loyal. Samantha is a brown filly by U Scott-Aileen Hall, thus three of the first four place-getters were sired by U Scott.
Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar