Howdy’s Strong Challenge To Win Longbeach Hurdles

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 4

Howdy’s Strong Challenge To Win Longbeach Hurdles

Howdy gave C. Witika his first winning ride when he won the Longbeach Hack Hurdles for Mr A. L. H. Barsdell at Ashburton on Saturday.

Howdy, a six-year-old Hello Peter gelding from T. W. Reilly’s Orari stable, kept up a determined run on the inner in the straight and won by three-quarters of a length going away from Duel, which ran into a'*' short lead going to the last jump. Howdy was never further back than seventh, and improved steadily going along the back to follow Hunt the Slipper and Duel. Some Bounder and Reclaim past the three furlongs. Duel had Hunt the Slipper’s measure early in the run home, but lost his lead inside the last 50 yards. Reclaim, a> newcomer to hurdling, showed promise in finishing third, a neck behind Duel. Reclaim, one of the early leaders, trailed nearly all the way, but lost two lengths and a winning chance at the last jump. Hunt the Slipper, a firm favourite, was fourth, half a length behind Reclaim. He was nearly out of the race at the first jump, where he landed badly. G. D. Lee recovered cleverly, and the pace was so slow that the Treasure Hunt gelding was in front three furlongs later.

Some Bounder was a weakening fifth, dropping away after trailing to near the home turn.

Janama, which had made patchy jumps, was sixth. Roi du Bois beat only two home, but looked as if he would have been in the finish until he made a bad leap at the second last jump. He was closing on the leaders then. Archway's Success Archway, which had raced only twice earlier, finished determinedly for a decisive win in the Lagmhor Stakes. Search Warrant hsd all the otners in trouble by setting a torrid pace to the straight, but Archway kept up a solid run on the inner and won by half a length going away from Mr F. J. Hobson’s chestnut Archway is a three-year-old gelding by Defaulter from Bridgeway owned by Mr H. D. Greenwood, and trained at Riccarton by K. J. Thomson.

Search Warrant dashed past Distant Day into the lead early in the race, and went clear by three lengths going to the half mile. Archway was then fourth, just ahead of the favourite, McCool. Archway reduced Search Warrant’s lead going to the furlong, and had the race in hand near the half furlong.

Distant Day, the thirteenth favourite, was third for the last furlong, but three lengths and a half from the winner.

McCool, hard ridden from near the home turn, was a neck back fourth, two lengths ahead of Ocean Melody Uproar was the best of ■the othe.s

was not troubled to hold her lead inside the last furlong.

Iroquoi was one of the slowest beginners and had to put in a sharp run to get closer to the lead coming to the straight. She was third starting the last furlong and ran the race out determinedly for her placing.

Nugget ran the last two furlongs better than any of the others except Marcoette. Only a nose separated them for third and fourth. This was Marcoette’s first race for the season, and it was an encouraging start. Lucky Gay, a firm favourite, was a disappointing fifth. She moved into a challenging position coming to the straight, but felt the strain two furlongs out and finished in a gap behind Marcoette.

Cruising was sixth, ahead of Strauss.

Another Oamaru Win The trainer-jockey combination of J. C. Hobbs and W. D. Skelton, who had been associated with Royal Tattoo’s success, improved its record when Grey Light won the Fall-field Hack Handicap for Mr J. A. C. McKenzie.

Grey Light recorded this, her first success, after making all the running. The favourite, El Jefe, tried hard to reach the four-year-old Callander mare in the straight, but was safely held by a length and a half.

El Jefe trailed from the start. He responded gamely under a hard ride, but could not muster race-winning finishing speed. He was a neck ahead of Scarlet Pimpernel, which also had the run of the race. Iroquoi, having her second start for the day, improved a few places in the last half-mile for fourth, two lengths behind Scarlet Pimpernel. Then there was a length ana a half to Hay Time, one of the slowest beginners Lightning Boy faded to sixth after being with the leading bunch from the half-mile until they made the straight. Favourite Successful Tamarisk, which had been placed at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting, made a successful start for the season in the Chatmos Handicap, for which he was the win favourite. With Skyrider alongside, he ran past the weakening Haughty Chief outside the furlong.

Tamarisk and Skyrider had the finish to themselves when Nehru came to the end of his run at the half-furlong. The result was in doubt right to the end. Tamarisk getting a head decision in a photofinish.

Tamarisk, a four-year-old gelding by Oman from Fyxen, is trained at Riccarton by his part-owner, J. S. Shaw, and was ridden by the stable horseman. R. W. Gould. He was one of the best beginners and showed just ahead for a short time, but was trailing when Haughty Chief took over the running near the six furlongs. Skyrider was alongside Tamarisk coming to the straight. He ran the race out stropgly, Ifflfrriot quite as improved for