Hard Aport Easily Takes High-weight

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28489, 20 January 1958, Page 4

Hard Aport Easily Takes High-weight

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Jan. 19. The long - striding Hard Aport, a failure on the small track at Levin a week earlier, but a winner at the Auckland Cup meeting, was much too good for the others in the Te Marua High-weight Handicap at Trentham on Saturday. Sir Ernest Davis’s powerful four-year-old Khorassan gelding made all the running. He went clear by five lengths in the back straight, was a length ahead, of the closest of the others on the home turn, and won coasting by four lengths. Two light-weights, Warlock and Gay Wedge, had a battle for Second, Warlock winning by a neck. They were just behind the winner on the home turn, but were all out, even then, trying to keep within challenging distance. The win favourite, Contact Vic-

tory, was an undistinguished fourth, two lengths behind Gay Wedge, and two lengths ahead of the Riccarton-owned Masai. The . Washdyke - trained Every Night was a moderate seventh. Riccarton-Traineq Winner - The Christchurch-owned, Riccarton trained. Blonde Sprite led from near the furlong to win the Wellington Stakes handily by a length from Regal Dignitary. Stylish Officer was a close third, clear of Blonde Sprite’s bracketed mate. Pinnace. This was Blonde Sprite’s third win for Mr W. H. Williamson. This small but very game Resurgent filly won the Welcome Stakes on her home track last November, and the Nursery Handicap at Awapuni on December 28. She ran in the middle of a handysized field until about half-way in the Wellington Stakes. W. A, S>mith brought her three wide to challenge Bamboo and Lion near the top of the straight, and she did not have to be ridden right out to beat Regal Dignitary, which followed her Into the last furlong. . Stylish Officer made up ground under a hard ride for third, a position he was In no danger of losing. Pinnacle, running on, was fourth, two lengths behind Imitation made ground on the outer near the end. but was beaten off fifth, just shading Bamboo. Romancing, the leader for a time early in the race, drifted towards the middle of the track, leaving the chute and weakened to seventh.

Sigur was an expensive favourite. He was slow away and finished last. Compensate Beats Post The Riccarton-trained Post, tried for an all-the-way win in the Pencarrow Handicap. He stayed clear of the others until close to home, but swerved and hit the running rail and was beaten by the -Oamarutrpined Compensate. This was Compensate’s third successive win in a short* career for Mr V. A. Voyce. for whom he is trained by J C. Hobbs. He won the Rosewill Maiden Handicap at Washdyke on December 30, and five days later easily won the Novice Handicap at Ku row. Compensate, a three-year-old gelding by Balloch from Palormia. was one of the best beginners, but took a trailing position when Post and Mexico went on in the lead going to the five furlongs. Post shook off Mexico early in the run home and led into the last furlong from Compensate. Fondu, Broken Wings, and the hot favourite. Golden Bank. Though he had been running greenly. Compensate kept up a determined run and won going away by half a length. Golden Bank was a strong finisher for third a length back, just heating Fondu. Then there was half a length to Broken Wings, whose placing was one of considerable merit. He was one of the slowest beginners from wide out.

Articulator was three lengths back, sixth, just ahead of Kaseno, another slow beginner, and the Riccarton hack, Tripped. Fitzherbert Handicap Jalna made a successful first appearance from Takanini stable

of C. and B. Davis in the Fitzherbert Handicap, for which she was third favourite. She was trained earlier by her part-owner, JP. G. Hen wood, and was twice successful in six starts, a record she might have bettered but for soreness.

Jalna was ridden in the middle of the field coming to the straight, and responded well for J. T.- Anderson, winning running away by three lengths from Waterfall, which outran Caracol and the hot favourite, Cabonne.

Waterfall made her run on the inner, and beat Caracol by three parts of a length for second. Cabonne could not see the distance out under 9-1. She led for a time early, was third coming on to the course proper, and looked -as if she Would win when she ' regained the lead going to the furlong. Sky Countess was a moderate fifth after having the run of the race. Easy Win for Genre

Genre won the Camp Handicap easily after sharing the lead_ to the straight. Genre had placed form, but this was his first win this season for Mr H. P. F. Blundell, for whom he is trained at Trentham by W. J. Bromby. Genre was alongside Summer Knight in the lead for the first five furlongs. Coffee joined him when Summer Knight was eased in behind to trail coming to the turn, but he went clear by two lengths going to the furlong, and won soundly by. a length from the favourite, Parachute.

Parachute was close to the front from the start; though he improved four places in the last furlong. Royal Super, which dwelt slightly at the start; ran on well for third, a length and a quarter back. Then there was a length to Summer Knight, which might have won in the 'hands of a more experienced and stronger rider. Whiohau. the only South Islander in the field, did not get a good run He was seventh. Tarawa bled and was withdrawn from the field after the horses went to the post. Nicobar gave trouble at the barrier after breaking away from his rider. The field was sent away without him. Finished Brilliantly The win favourite, Summer Glow, successfully made the step from hack class to open company with a brilliant win in the Anniversary Handicap. She was three places back on the rails most of the way, but with other runners going forward wider out, she was not in the first seven starting the. last furlong. G. Ft Hughes waited for a run oir the inner and the Takanirii-trained Summertime mare took a gap brilliantly and won going away by a neck from Turon.

Turon, the fourth favourite,, put in a sharp run from. about the middle of the field to lead into the last furlong. but he was buried for finishing speed by the winner, and had to struggle to beat Royal Jester by a neck for second. Royal Jester was alongside Turon almost from thd start. -

There was much more merit in the performance of Savage to finish fourth. He lost at least four lengths at the start and started a big run five furlongs out. Innesfell was another fast finisher for fifth. She was badly placed on the inner, back with the tail-enders three furlongs out, but showed high finishing speed when she was taken wider out in the straight. Drum Roll was sixth in a gap. just ahead of Cornflake, which faded after trailing on the home turn.