CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 91, 19 April 1927, Page 12

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

GREAT EASTER GOES TO SHIRLEY. EULALIE BEATS AGRION IN CLASSIC. PIUTHAIR WINS SOCKBURX HANDICAP. (By Telegraph—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH. this day. The autumn meeting of the Canterbury •Tovkey Club was opened in hot weather, but with an unpleasant nor' wester in evidence. The attendance was quite up to the average, but there were not many visitors. The tote investments were £43.450. compared with £50.153 a year ago. The course was fast, and in places it was very hard and dusty a result of the recent dry spell. The racing was not specially exciting. Highweight Event. Proceedings opened with the Kildare Ilandcap, a highweight. Hat race, replacing the. obi hurdle race. The change was made because of a continued shortness of junipers, but apparently there are not many horses available for highweight events, as there were only five starters. Sayonara, a very useful performer under weight, was a hot favourite, while the other four were fairly evenly supported. The race proved rather disastrous for backers of the favourite. Sayonara was always well placed behind the pace makers. Waterlow and Kaikahu. Six furlongs from home he had gamecock as a mate, but a little further on Sayonara drew clear and went after the two leaders. Kaikahu was beaten before the straight was reached, and then Sayonara quickly took Waterlow's measure. Gamecock came on the scene with a belated challenge, but Sayonara beat him very comfortablv by a length, Waterlow being three lengths away. A meeting of the stewards followed, and, after inquiry, Sayonara was held to have interfered with Gamecock between the live and six furlongs posts. The. officials took the view that the incident affected the result, and they reversed the placings, giving the first "money t<> Gamecock, and putting Sayonara second, while G. Salt (the rider of Vavonarai was suspended for a month. Gamecock is twelve years old, and ten years asro he won The Champagne Stakes. Since then he has had a turn at hurdling. Just a Procession. The Champagne Stakes lcild was verv disappointing, Mr. G. J). Greenwood's bracket Agrion ana Eulalie beinp opposed only by two maidens Satrap and Martarma. The last named was making his first appearance in public. The quartette gave some trouble at the barrier, and Satrap eventually got off slowly, swerving away when the signal was given to start. * Eulalie (on^tlie rails) was quickly into her stride, and she opened out a gap of several lengths in the first fifty yards, .Agrion being just clear cf Martarma. The race was never more than a procession. Eulalie cams' on to the course proper with a good lead, and, through Agrion closed up the gap in the run home, he never looked like over-hauling his mate, who won easily by two lengths. The other pair had a jrood race over the last two furlonps. They were together a furlong from the post, but Martarma gradually asserted himself and beat Satrap In- a length.

Favourite's Poor Run. The seven acceptors lined tip for tlie Autumn Plate, Paper Boy being a pronounced favourite, with Sir Roy easily second choice. Paper Boy gave his backers a poor run. He jumpe<l out well but after going a furlong was steadied going along with Jarretiere a couple of lengths bo.liin<l Flaming Ray and Lucy Lockett. They ran like this for about half a mile, then Paper Boy faded out. being in hopeless trouble before t Instraight was reached. Flaming Ray also retired about the same place. Lucv Lockett was then left in front showing the way to •Tarretiere, who covered a lot of ground on the home turn. When well into the straight Sir Roy put in his claim, having sot an uninterrupted run on the rails. Sir Rov had Jarretiere beaten a furlong from home, but could not quite reach Lucy Lockett. ho \\on b\ a neck. -Tarretiere wa--three lengths away third Ma Mie finished well in fourth place.

Thirteen Youngsters. Satrap, Cupid's Dart, and Dollar Princess were withdrawn from the Russlev Plate, leaving a field of thirteen youngsters, several of whom were novices. Solgele was made favourite on the strength of Lis winning form at Ashburton, while close after him the Greenwood bracket. Shalimar and Wayward. carried a little more money than Reckless. There was some excitement before the start. Scrambler getting awav from her rider and careering down the course. She galloped past the stands find round the bend, falling over the outside rail. When approaching tlie scraping sheds she cut her legs, and was not taken back to the post, though officially regarded as a starter. Tripawav and Solgele commenced a little better than Shalimar and Reckless, and they ran like this practically all the way. Tripaway. staging on well, beat Solgele by two lengths, with Shalimar a length away third. Reckless was stopping a bit at the finish, and Scoff pot np in the last stride to beat her for fourth place, while Coupling and Monev Peer were almost on terms with this pair.

TYipaway was trained at Ricoarton in the spring, but met with ail accident necessitating a spell. Since then her owner has prepared her on his home track at Oainarii, where she won a maiden race last month. She is a smart jralloner. her dam being closely related to the dam of the Sydney crack. Windbag. Solgele also showed a lot of promise in the spring, but a cold sent him into retirement, from which he emerged recently to win a maiden race in Ashburton in very impressive style. Like the winner, he shapes as if he will make a very useful three-year-old. The Big Event. The ftreat Easter Handicap, which attracted eleven starters, proved a verv disappointing race. Most of the competitors had recent form to recommend them, but the race was a procession most of the way, with the result beyond doubt from the time the straight "was reached. Several of the competitors never got near enough to the front to flatter their supporters ever so little. Shirley was a strong favourite, with Set Sail much better backed than Centrepiece and Nincompoop, who headed the others, when bettinvr closed. Lava, startinp from the inside, showed in front for about a furlong, but Shirlev her ' while a ,ittle further oa Set Sail took wcond place, with

Booster not far away. These three turned for home without alteration in their positions. All interest in the race was over at this stage, for Shirlev was going along so comfortably that "defeat seemed out of the question, while it looked equally certain that Set Sail and Booster would maintain their positions in front of the others. Shirley has had a great record of successes this season, having won five races, three of them being six furlongs events nt Trentham. The onlv doubt about her Great Kaster prospects was as to her ability to run out the Inst furlong on a trying track on which .-lie had not previously shown her best form. Her running, however, made it clear that she has improved in stamina, as she showed no signs of stopping, though the pace was fast all the way. The Southland mare. Set Sail, ran a very solid race, and it was quite evident that she had been greatly improved by her racing last week at Invercargill. where she failed twice in heavy ground. Booster gave further evidence that he is a much improved horse, as he easily beat the remainder of the field, though he never looked like overhauling the pair in front. Receipt finished well after being prominent all the way. Haze, u ho was responsible for an exceptionally good performance, was one of the last into the straight, but he finished lip in fifth position, and enhanced his fireat Autumn prospects. I- not fall showed surprising briliiancv in the early stages, and he also lost none of his (treat Autumn admirers. Lava, after showing lip for a few furlongs, f a ,led out rapidly, and finished last. The other four — Nincompoop. Centrepiece. Young T.ochinvar. and Kapier were disappointments. n « at no stage <1 ill thev threaten the slightest danger. Two Favourites Beaten. Sir Buy and Ma Mio were withdrawn from the fiimcrack Handicap, having iaced earlier in the day. Autobiography and Lucy Locket (the latter rehandicapped nine pounds for her win but claiming a five-pound apprentice allowance) had a good tussle for favouritism. Lucy Locket finished up with a few pounds advantage. Autobiography gave a good bit of trouble at the start, but eventually got away well from the extreme outside, being in front after going a furlong, followed by Moratorium. Happy Queen (who had been quickest out of the barrier). Card Trick, and Lucy Locket were also prominent at this stage, while Wild Work was last, with Royal Tractor just in front of her. Happy Queen and Card Trick dropped out at the entrance to the straight, and a little further on Lucy Locket took second place. Autobiography was goin<j strongly in front at this stage, but Wild Work then commenced a brilliant run on the outside. She overhauled the leaders in great style, and beat Autobiography by half a length. Lucy Locket was close up, registering another good performance, while Moratorium, though tiring, was well clear of the others, who were strung out.

Wild Work has always had a reputation for speed, hut mishaps have restricted her racing. Autobiography pave further evidence that he is above the average hack class, and it is unfortunate that lie suffers from lameness, the cause of which is diflicult to account for.

A Win to Piuthair. The eight starters for the Sockl.urn Handicap included five Great Autumn candidates. Piuthair wound up a pood favourite, with Front Rank easily second choice. The field went off to a perfect start, the eipht horses running in line for about a furlong. Then Ophir went on with Fresco and The Harp in close attendance. Front Kank and Vaward being in the rear, where Piuthair joined them a little further on. Assurance and Goosestep joined the leaders when they had gone about three furlonps, and they raced like this to the turn, where Front Rank started to move up fast. Ophir was bowling alons verv freely in the lead at this stage, and lie still had a good advantage when the straight was reached. The rider of Piuthair had made no move up to this point, but when fairly in line for home he shot up on the inside, and getting through at the false rails the result was never afterwards in doubt. Piuthair went 011 to win bv two lengths from Ophir. a marpin which mipht have been increased had it been neeessarv. Assurance, who had every chance, was fairly beaten into third place. Front Kank was fourth, but for the last furlonp she never looked like getting nnv closer. Fresco and \ award both ran disappointingly. The Final Event.

Tlio day's racing concluded with the Courtpnay Handicap. In a field of eight tlie Hawke's Bav three-year-old Rascal was a warm favourite, while after a, long gap Overhaul and Thorndale were the only others serious]v supported. Rascal was first to showout. l>ut was steadied, and with Finora he followed Nine of Spades and Serotina till near the straight. Ovprhaul then moved tip fast, with Thorndale followin;; him through, and when well into the straight these two had run to the front. Overhaul had the race in safe keeping a furlong from home, and he ran home a couple of lengths in front of Ihorndale. Rascal, after losing his position just after reaching the straight, came on again and was only half a length behind Thorndale at the finish. Overhaul has had a wonderful season, having won nine races, the. last four of them in succession, including thrco at Imeicargill a. little over a week ago. Ife has developed rapidly from a useful hack into a really good performer in open company, with prospects of still further improving' his record before the end of this season. Thorndale ran another of his usual consistent races, but he seems unable to do more than earn place money at present. Finora finished close up to the placed horses, but never looked like beating them from the time thev reached the straight, while the others faded out even earlier.

A protest against the winner for alleged interference with Rascal after reaching the straight was dismissed. Following are the details of the conchiding events: — , GIMCKACK HANDICAP «.f 2r.o S ovs. Seven furlongs. S—WILD WORK. 7.(l—C. Eastwood .. J 2—AUTOBIOGRAPHY. S.!•—.!. Beale I—LUCY LOCKET. 7.8—1). Kerr .. . 3 Also started: (4) Rrightling. 5.4 : (7) Polio. 8.1: (3) Moratorium. 7.13: (G) Royal Traetor, 7.1"; (!)) Oriflamb. 7.11; (10) Ilovlake. 7..'.: (S) Card Trick. 7.0 (bracketed with Wild Work) ; (11) Ream ins. 7.0: (',) Happy Queen. 7.0. Won by a length. n similar distance separating second and third. Time, 1.20. SOCK BURN HANDICAP of jOOsovs. Nine furlongs. 1— PIUTHAIR. 9.S—R. E. Mason 1 6—OPHIR, 7.l—R. Beale - 2—ASSURANCE, 7.3—A. Messervey .. 3 Also started: (4) Fresco. S.l: (3) Vaward, S.l : (2) Front Rank, S.l ; (S) Goosestep. 7.4 : (7) The Harp. 7.0. Won by a length, a length and a-half separating second and third. Time, 1.54 1-5. COURTEXAY HANDICAP of 350sors. Seven furlongs. 2— OVERHAUL. O.2—F. Yoight 1 .1 —TIIoHNDALK. S.U--K. K. Jones .. 2 1 —RASCAL. :» J- F. Wailtiell 3 Al-o started: (til Nine of Shades. S.S-. t") Finora, s.O; (5) Gay Queen. 8.0; (SI Royal Game, 80; (4) Serotlna. S.O. Won by a length and a-h&Jf, a neck separating second and third. Jtae, 1.26,