WAR GUARD WINS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 94, 21 April 1945, Page 6

WAR GUARD WINS

AT LONG ODDS

ADAMS MEMORIAL

ANN SCOTT SURPRISES

A rank outsider, War Guard, better than a 40-to-one chance, won the £1500 Adams Memorial Cup Race at the Auckland Trotting Club's autumn meeting at Alexandra Park this afternoon, and there is no gainsaying the fact that his victory was a meritorious one, but if Volo Senwod, the ; bracket favourite, had not received a senous check commencing the last quarter-mile, different history would have been written. The trouble that affected Volo Senwod cost him seven or eight lengths at a critical stage of the running and it was not until well down the straight that he again came into the picture to rapidly overhaul War Guard, but only to fail by a narrow margin. Medical Student endeavoured to lead all the way, and although he failed, his effort was a fine one, for he was still in front once straightened up for home and was only found out in the final furlong. It was a fine contest from a spectator's point of view, Medical Student and War Guard leading early from Alcazar, Parauri and Black Label. There was not much between these horses and To Roto, Volo Senwod, Double Peter, ana Betty Boop were in close attendance, but at the completion of a mile in 2.16, Sabu had joined Medical Student in the lead with Te Roto right up, and Jack's Pal, on the rails, just ahead of War Guard and Parauri. At this stage Volo Senwod was on the rails just behind Parauri. After completing a mile and a half in 3.21 3-5, the pace was kept on. Volo Senwod making up ground on the fence, and Alcazar wider out, while Highland Scott and Double Peter were also closing up. Volo Senwod met with disaster just arter mat and Medical Student came round the bend first, only to be immediately challenged by War Guard, who was under a hard drive. The last-named was in front 60 yards from the judge, and although Volo Senwod finished with a great pace he was a short head behind going past the judge. Double Peter beat Medical Student for third place, Parauri was a poor fifth, and then came Highland Scott and Jack's Pal. Few Trotted Kindly A s a spectacle the Howick Handicap was disappointing, for more than half the horses were soon hopelessly out of the contest. Their form was in striking contrast to that displayed by the second favotirite, Hidden Note. This Waikatotrained mare commenced very smartly from 60 yards behind and, after trailing the leader, Little Hero, into the home stretch, came away to win as she liked. Last Saturday she won just as easily. Mamanuas, the favourite, broke several times in the early stages, while Suspense lost a lot of ground at the start, refusing to settle down into a trot for an appreciable time. Both of these horses showed a lot of speed towards the end of the contest, but neither had any chance of making f up, -.their«. leeway, Suspense ultimately finishing a poor third and Mamanuas fourth. Rara Avis led for a mile and a half from Little Hero, this pair being closely followed by Hidden Note, and' the nearest other horse 20 lengths behind. Suspense ran into fourth place along the back. After Little Hero had led round the turn, Hidden Note went to the front and won easing up by three lengths. Suspense. was eight lengths further back. Third Place Alteration Owing to unavoidable interference in the straight by Suspense, which finished third, the third placing was reversed in the Howick Handicap, Mamanuas, the fourth horse, being placed third, and Suspense fourth. Stylish Win A brilliant sprint from the halfmile pole took Belhall, favourite for the Manurewa Handicap, into a clear . lead and she was never afterwards ' off the bit, ultimately winning very stylishly by three lengths from the well-backed Hey Dey, which finished on well over the final stages, but without any hope of downing the winner. Belhall won a double at Hawera at Easter, and, judged by the manner in which he played with the opposition this afternoon, his ; owner,. Mr. R. H. Kennedy, has every : reason to look forward to a further ' profitable time with this four-year-old daughter of Dillon Hall and Goldflower. Te Taonganui, which also i had solid support, ran an excellent j race, as he sprinted at the same time as Belhall to run into second place and it was only in the last few strides that Hey Dey deprived him of that position. Auto .Chief lost his driver at the end of a furlong and Rose Scott was pulled up, meanwhile Red Horizon, taking up the role of pacemaker from Sunny Jewel, J Auto Bell, Te Taonganui and Hey Dey. With a round to go, Sunny ] Jewel was just leading Te Taonga- 1 nui, Red Horizon and Sir Archie, i with Dainty Jewel, Auto Bell, Hey i Dey and Belhall right up with them. 1 The last-named took command soon ( after the half-mile post was passed 1 and then went on to score as Smith i desired. The fourth horse was Auto Bell, with Noble de Oro next and then Dainty Jewel and Sypland. At Long Odds A long shot verging on 25 to one, 1 literally came from the clouds in the ] final furlong to take the Rangitoto ( Handicap from Lord Brooklyn; and , this just when his lordship appeared ] to have done the do'jeiit +hmg by his legion of Ann Scott was buried in the middle of the field most of the way, but never very far behind and it was not until the straight was entered that her driver, A. W. Broughton, seized an opening to whip her to the outside, after which the daughter of U Scott did the necessary thing to score going away. Lord Brooklyn ran a sound race throughout and if he had not had to cover extra ground two and sometimes three sulkies out he probably would have won. The favourite, Aranui Jack, did not go - away smartly and never flattered his supporters. Reidwin made the pace over the first round from Cold Steel, Desert Lad, Lord Brooklyn, Brass Buttons, Heliopolis and Ann Scott. Commencing the final lap this order was practically unchanged, it being a tight vanguard, which was followed by Floradale and Axminster. Cold Steel took charge to lead across the top from Reidwin and Lord Brooklyn, while Ann Scott and Axminster improved their position. Cold Steel led at the distance, but Lord Brooklyn then came through on the rails io take command only to lose it to Ann Scott in the last 30 •yards. Axminster finished fairly fast in third place, a neck ahead of "Desert Lad with Cold Steel close up. Diamond Trust and Rita Grattan followed.

HOWICK HANDICAP of £500. Two miles. Limit 5.1. 2—2—HIDDEN NOTE, b m, syrs, by Maxegin— Harvest Note (D. etonnont and M. Stewart). 60yds—Watts 1 6—6—LITTLE HERO, ch g. 6yr» (A. Q. Pilllnger), 12yds—Leo ■ 2 I—I—MAMANUAS, b g, syrs (H. Stafford), 36yds—Stafford 3 Also started: 7-9 Rara Avis, .5-10 Redmond's Pride, limit; 4-4 Buncrana, 24yds; 8-8 Etta Girl, 48yds; 11-12 Wee Pandora, 60yds; 3-3 Parwrack, 4-4 Suspense, 72yds; 9-5 silver Plane. 84yds; 14-14 Stirling Maid. 96yds; 13-13 Audrey's Last, 12-11 Otawa Lass. 108 yds; 10-7 Fighting Friend, 120 yds. ■'■■■■ Bracket: Buncrana and Suspense. Three lengths; eight lengths. Times: 4.37 2-5, 4.43 2-5, 4.39. Winner trained by M. Stewart, Te Rapa.

MANUREWA HANDICAP of £«©O. Two miles. Limit 4.55. 1—1 —BELHALL, b m, 4yrs, by Dillon Hall— Goldflower (R. H. Kennedy), 24yds— F. J. Smith 1 2—3—HEY DAY, b g. aged (W. Walker), 24yds—M. Paul , 2 3—2—TE TAONGANUI, b g. aged (R. R. McCrystal). 24yda—M. Stewart 3 Also started: 4-5 Auto Bell, 4-5 William, 6-7 Auto Chief, 12-12 Red Crest, 7-6 Red Horizon. 11-11 Rose Scott, limit; 5-4 Noble de Oro. 8-8 Sir Archie. 12yds: 7-6 Dainty Jewel. 9-9 Sonny Jewel. 24yds; 10-10 Sypland, 72yds. Three lengths; half length. Times: 4.32, 4.33 3-5, 4.33 3-5. Winner trained by P. J. Smith. Taianini. RANGITOTO HANDICAP of £60#. Two miles. Limit 4.48. 10-11—ANN SCOTT, b m, syrs, by U Scott— Anne Parrish (J. R. Henderson), limit— Broughton 1 2—Z—LORD BROOKLYN, blk h, 4yrs (H. B. Luxford), limit —G. Mitchell 3 6—S—AXMINSTER, oh g. aged (EL. S. Tromaine), 12yds—M. Paul 3 Also started: 1-1 Aranui Jack, 14-13 Clive Brook, 7-6 Cold Steel, 8-9 Desert Lad, 5-7 Floradale, 13-14 Fly Across, 9-8 Reidwin, limit: 7-6 Rita Grattan, 4-4 Brass Buttons. 3-3 Keliopolis, 15-15 Keewah, 12yds: 4-4 Diamond Trust, 12-12 Albert Tracey, 10-10 Whanako, 24yds. Two lengths; three-quarters length. Times: 4.31 1-5, 4.32, 4.31 2-5. Winner trained by H. L. Natzke, Kaipakl. ADAMS MEMORIAL HANDICAP of £1450 and gold cup value £50, presented by the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Adams. Two miles. Limit 4.34. B—9—WAR GUARD, b g. aged, by Jack Potts— Lily Blng-en (H. Bull), limits-Watts ... 1 I—I—VOLO SENWOD, ch g, syrs (A. G. Downes), 48yds—F. J. Smith 2 6—4—DOUBLE PETER, b g. aged (F. Smith and H. C. Douglas), 84yds —N. McKenzie 3 Also started: 11-10 Alcazar, 6-6 Highland Scott, 4-3 Jack's Pal, 1-1 Medical Student, limit; 10-11 Parauri. 9-8 Te Roto, 12yds: 12-12 Oxford Scholar. 5-5 Sabu, 24yds: 2-2 Black Label, 36yds; 7-7 Betty Boop, 48yds. Bracket: Medical Student and Volo Senwod. Short head; two lengths and a half. Times: 4.26, 4.22 1-5, 4.19 4-5. Winner trained by p. Rogers, Epsom.