AUSTRALIAN HURDLES

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 177, 29 July 1939, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN HURDLES

SOME SENSATIONAL EVENTS. STARTED FROM WRONG POST. There have boon some sensational happenings in the Australian Hurdle (which is to be decided next Saturday) both before and since the change of name from the Caulficld Grand National Hurdle. For instance, in 192G the race was started in error from the seven-furlong barrier, and the distance covered, instead of being (as at present) 3j miles and 20 yards, was :i\ miles lo«*s 00 yards. Roisel won, minor places being filled by Mowamba and Spring Mist. Had a protest been lodged the race would have had to be rerun. Hither the owners of beaten horses were unaware of what had really occurred until too late to take action or they were satisfied that the result was unalterable so far as it concerned Roisel. A year after the second success of Roisel—he had won previously in 1021 —the Australian Hurdle had u thrilling and very remarkable ending. A read ins was leading by the proverbial "street'' as lie approached the final obstacle, situated not far from the winning post. Only a miracle could deprive him of victory. The miracle happened. Areadius "turned turtle'' and Sealit landed the stake. D. Wraight. then at the outset of his successful career its a juuipinir jockey, had the mount on Areadius. He told me (*ays the Melbourne writer "Cardigan") that the di?aster arose from a panel of the hurdle being partly flattened. Not having faced such a situation before, Areadius was fluttered and in two minds how to meet it. "I had allowed my mount to go along as he liked throughout the race," added Wraight. '•Fearing that any alteration of tactics would be ruinous. 1 left everything to Areadius. He literally 'dived' at the hurdle, got his fore feet caught in the battens and crashed."