FIRST IN ROLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 8, 10 July 1939, Page 13

FIRST IN ROLE

CHAT AS A HURDLER

Though failing when sent out favourite for the highweight on the middle day, Chat improved in the role of a jumper to win the Talavera Hurdles at a useful price for those lucky enough to start off the.day on the fight foot. She moved up fast after entering the back stretch to assume charge before the fence near the five furlongs, and after losing a bit of ground at the second last fence she came on again to score well by a length. . , ■ , Chat was enjoying her first'success for twelve months and her first over fences, though she had previously been placed as a jumper. Recently at Otaki she came from a long way back to be third in the hurdles. She is a wellbred black mare by Siegfried from the Mystification mare Taleteller, dam also of High Court and Lindrum, and she has done most of her racing in. the colours of Mrs. G. M. Bennett, of! Palmerston North, for whom she is j trained at New Plymouth by H. Dulieu. She has had different riders in her last half-dozen starts, but J. Mcßae- was also on her when she ran second to Disturbed over fences last March. Vantoon recorded his third minor placing at the meeting, this time just hanging on for second. bHe N was always one' of the leaders and had charge briefly between the two last fences. He has been placed in all

seven starts he.has had this winter, without winning. Tutor, who made a bad jump at the second fence, was a long way back with six furlongs to go, but he improved smartly on the turn and was almost up with the leaders at the last fence, just failing to cut Vantoon out of second.

Jewelled Girdle led early, dropped back, and then came over beaten horses for fourth. Ponty, the favourite, was a possibility till the last fence, which he bungled. Awhiowhio finished filth, but never looked like doing better. Export was running on from absolute last into sixth place. Whakao nearly lost her rider at the first fence. Mount Val was almost in line with Chat and Vantoon and being hard ridden when he crashed at the last fence.