Royal Chief

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 12

Royal Chief

QUEEN OF SONG.. WINS. DUNEDIN CUP. FA VOUHI*ES AGAIN FAIL. COUNTERBLAST H _ (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star,-') DUNEDIX, Thursday; ' The first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club's autumn meeting was heldto-day: m. fine weather. The track v,ns in good order. The totalisafor 'handled, £2i;§.08,= compared with £10,901 10/ fozjjlje oijep-. in" day last year, an-increase, of -■£JiMo 10/. - : ' Qupen of Song added tlic ..Dunedin Cup to an already splendid record .'when; she emtsped and outstayed.: the, .held Previously she had won the Wellington; 1 Hivcrlon ' iiml Invercurgill Cups,,; wh.ile,: she was also successful at weight-foi-.V age in the C. B. Fisher Pinto. mAus traliii. She is owned and trained:by P. T. Hogan, of Waslulyke';.' ahd: she' was ridden a splendid race by -..thp Wingatiit jockey. P. Spratt -A, jyc'cj? previously Queen of Song had-Vwoii the llidsummer Handicap at Ricear'tou.;'riie : : sensation of the race was the.Jaili'ire of:Royal Chief, a solid favourite, .who. was done with turning for home and : iinished last. Wild Chase \uis an eiiMV. sc< ond, two lengths behind Queen :/pT:'"jSpngf while Argentic filled third place torn lengths back. Galleon «ai ne\t, followed by Xightwmgs, with Ro.xnKClycf bringing up the rear. The racc;;was.TUii, at a muddling pace, Argentic; who.'gcncr* rally comes from the back, phiyih'g. flie unusual role of pacemaker, followed br Queen of Song, with Nightwihgs.', and'Wild Chnsc together, and Ga.lleoii, niul Royal Chief at the tail. ;:ThcreV":ciyas, little change at the half-mile post,- with, flie exception that Galloon had'moved; up to be level with Wild Chase, V.Queen of Song went to the front racing for. the straight, and was two lengths clear':: when they came into lino. •/ Queeii;'qf. Song did not give any ground in lln run home, while Wild Chasel'Ts'oon* settled Argentic to he an easy .second;; Royal Chief moved up from tli'c 'backracing for the straight, but-had;liotli'-.-big in reserve, and did not' conic : ,'-'oifV-j 'there were no excuses for him;';;*: ~:'. A Versatile Horse. >, < .' '■ t Western Song, one of the .hiost ;ver-.-satile horses racing, with fotui : />n ihefiat and over hurdle and steeplechase"' courses . this season, was never';,"' scri-: ously tested in the Warrington Hurdles*. He'was responsible for most:.-of .'the '■ pace, and stayed on well. ,f;: : ."J[cHeath wus ridden a patient race, but' though. hard ridden was beaten by two lengths. Slayer, after sec-sawing" during:.-, the. running, came fast to snatch ..third, place from Bnltruin on the -.post/* Had he been closer turning for home; Slayer would have been hard to beat. ..':■..■'.'l. ■,;"-'./■'■'■■ Our Pal, a three-year-old ; : geidiiig:bV Xightmarch from Palaiittia,;..'a. ->Vw Zealand Cup winner, has been trvinjr to win a. race fqr a Ion? time, 'and his'.' [ persistency was rewarded when Jic'folv lowed up a. second placing at:.Vincent by finishing on solidly to beat Crack: o' Dawn by a head in the. Trial Handicap; Crack o' Dawn, a three-year-old 'Tilly by Night Raid from Rawene, owned by-; Dr. Xigel Smith, of Sydney, attempted': an nll-the-way win, and stuck on well when challenged. This was, 0n1y.., her second race. Spear Thrust;', who: was ; third, was the only other * runner:.!!) make a decent showing. He'finislipd ■ well after dropping back when rncin" for the straight. Pilot's Love;.- Nep' : ■ tune, Sunny Jean and,, Bilbao all .'failed 1 to run on. ' ~ Great Flight carried the '.', Clifford'' ■ colours to victory in the Berwick'.Hack'' - Handicap, outstaying anothciyßiccnrtou' ■ horse, Toak, to win by a neck..: .Teak • had a good run in behind the leaders to the straight, where he took"'.command,' ' but had nothing in reserve-,when Great Flight ranged alongside him half a furlong from home. Combat was third