RACING Rome Beats Open Milers At Hokitika

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29130, 16 February 1960, Page 4

RACING Rome Beats Open Milers At Hokitika

(From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, February 15. Rome, a winner over 10 furlongs in hack company on Saturday, made a successful debut in a higher grade when he beat the open milers decisively in the L. F. Hogg Memorial Handicap, the main race and first leg of the T.A.B. double, on the second day of the Westland Racing Club’s centennial meeting at Hokitika today. Rome, which was handicapped at 7-3, carried 91b overweight to an all-the-way win on the heavy track. The closest to him at the finish was the top-weight and strong favourite, Beau Revere.

Rome, a seven-year-old Pictavia gelding, is raced in partnership by Messrs F. Dudley and M. J. Doolan, and is trained by the former at Atarau. The second leg of the main double, the Lake Mahinapua Hack Handicap, resulted in a win for the Washdyke-trained Starwyn which had been runnerup to Rome in the corresponding event on the first day. Starwyn beta Offend by a neck, and Rome carried top-weight of 9.10 into third place. The double dividend for Rome and Starwyn was £lB 3s for £l. Porte (Whataroa Stakes), and Heathcliff (Woodstock Hack Handicap), were the successful combination in the on-course double Their dividend for £1 was £lOO 18s. Both were ridden by the Riccarton horseman, B. W. McDonald. The meeting opened in overcast weather but heavy rain set in before the third race and continued throughout the day. The weather caused a deterioration in the attendance and consequently in totalisator turnover. On - course investments amounted to £11.059, including £1049 on the doubles, compared with £12.241 10s on the second day last year. The total for the meeting was £25,139 against £ 24,792 10s last year. All-the-way Win Rome led the L. F. Hogg Memorial Handicap field past the stands and before the race was half over he had a lead of two lengths from Beau Revere. County Fermanagh, Ocean Melody, Uproar, Marsana and Totaranui followed in that order. Maintaining a sound pace Rome held his lead to the home turn and was not challenged in the run to the post. He beat the top-weight and solid favourite Beau Revere, by two lengths. Uproar battled into third, three lengths back but four lengths ahead of Ocean Melody. The others were beaten off. The track was very heavy and there was steady rain when the second leg of the double was run. Chief interest centred in the appearance of Rome in his last race as a hack. He was rehandicapped for his earlier success to lOst 31b, but with a 7ib allowance carried 9st 101 b. < - Harkville, Volterra and Offend were the leaders passing the stands with Rome beaten off last At the half-mile, however, Rome had moved up into fourth position behind the three leaders. Then came Starwyn, Befana, Lady Reka and Prince Morocco Rome worked into a two lengths lead with three furlongs to run. Starwyn and Offend led the chase after him to the straight and in a good finish Starwyn stayed on the best to win by a neck. Offend beat Rome by half a length for second and then came Prince Morocco, Volterra and Harkville. Porte Wins Again As on the first day, the Kumara-owned and trained Porte led from start to finish in the opening event, the Whataroa Stakes. The well-backed Safe Harbour and the favourite, Julloch, from L. H. Pratt’s Orari stable led the chase after Porte from Morocco Girl, Agnes of York, Karli and Silver Coral. Porte led by two lengths rounding the home bend and once into the straight he gave nothing else a chance. He won by two lengths from Silver Coral which beat Aleppo for second by a neck. Aleppo finished strongly from a rear position over the last two furlongs. Julloch was a length back, fourth, and then came Safe Harbour, Morocco Girl, Karli and Pixie Girl. Favourite Beaten Volterra, a hot favourite at odds of less than 5 to 1 on the double, was soundly beaten by Heathcliff in the Woodstock Hack Handicap. Volterra was the early pacemaker from Naseby, Slatey and Prince Morocco. Naseby ran past the leader just after passing the half-mile. Rounding the home bend Volterra’s rider had to check her twice and she lost ground. Heathcliff, galloping boldly on the heavy track, dashed through to the lead and won untested by three lengths from Volterra, which made a good recovery. Naseby battled on for third a length back ahead of Prince Morocco then came Salisbury, Lady Reka and Slatey. Silver Coral, which had been placed twice earlier at the meeting gained an easy win in the J Kowhitirangi Stakes. Golden Howe and Sesame were 1 slow away. Flagon made the pace 1 from Safe Harbour, Bantasta, , Silver Coral and Good Fault to i the home turn. Silver Coral i moved up fast to follow Flagon 1 into the straight. Silver Coral 1 handled the heavy going much < better than Flagon to win by a length and a half. Aleppo came . home well for third two lengths • back. Safe Harbour, the warm favourite, was fourth and Bantasta, which could not handle the going, finished fifth. Easy for Korallion The Ruatapu Hack Handicap resulted in success for the L. H.' Pratt-W. D. Skelton combination with Korallion. Skelton had the Coral Arc gelding well placed throughout and once in line for 1 home he drew away from the • others to coast home by three J lengths. i Porte was the leader tor four furlongs where he was challenged j by English Prince, Salmiranda j and Korallion. In the run home Korallion beat English Prince 1 very easily and Picright came ’ from a rear position over the i last two furlongs for third, four 1

i lengths behind English Prince, i Arjamand was fourth then came Salmiranda and the favourite Come on Boy. Results:— WHATAROA STAKES, Of £125; six furlongs. 2/3 PORTE (1) 9-6 B. W. McDonald 1 4/4 SILVER CORAL (7) 8-10 D. N. Hadfield 2 8/5 ALEPPO (2) 8-10 car. 8-12 J E. B. Skelton 3 7/9 Gold Revue, 1/1 Julloch, 12/12 Mazarine. 10/11 Neptune's Last, 11/ 10 Agnes of York. 5/6 Karli, 9/8 Morocco Girl, 3/2 Safe Harbour. 6/6 Pixie Girl also started. Two lengths; a neck. Julloch was fourth. Time, Imin 17 3-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £3 15s 6d. Places: £1 12s, £2 9s. £4 Bs. ARAHURA TROT HANDICAP, Of £148; 2min 23sec class; one mile. 3/3 YOUNG DONALD (6A) It D. G. McCormick 1 10/9 ZULU MAID (8) It T. W. Lalor 2 6/10 DRUMQUIN (2) It M. C. Flaws 3 1/1 Commonwealth. 2/2 Early De-' livery (fell), 7/8 Fredell, 12/13 Gold Pride, 3/3 Sangster. 11/12 Synthetic. 7/6 Battle Hymn, 5/5 Dryden Maid. 9/7 Regretful. 13/11 Reklaw. 4/4 Sarlita also started. Length; same. Dryden Maid was fourth. Times—2min 20 l-ssec, 2min 21sec. 2min 21 3-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £8 19s 6d.! Places: £2, £5 17s 6d, £6. ■ Bracket: Young Donald and Sang-J ster. WOODSTOCK HACK HANDICAP, i Of £155; seven furlongs. 6/7 HEATHCLIFF (3) 9-2 B. W. McDonald 11 1/1 VOLTERRA (2) 8-9 car. 8-5 i L. N. McGuire 2 4/5 NASEBY (9) 7-7 car. 7-11 W. D. Skelton 3 9/8 Stentor, 3/2 Salisbury, 5/4 Lady Reka, 10/10 Lumnus, 2/3 Prince Morocco, 8/9 Rosalei, 7/6 Slatey also started. Three lengths; half a head. Prince Morocco was fourth. Time. Imin 31 2-Ssec. Dividends.—Win: £l9 10s. Places: £4 Os 6d. £1 4s 6d, £2 18s 6d. L. F. HOGG MEMORIAL HANDICAP, Of £270; one mile. 2/2 ROME (5) 7-3 car. 7-12 L. N. McGuire 1 1/1 BEAU REVERE (1) 8-13 W. D. Skelton 2 4/4 UPROAR 7-3 N. Eastwood 3 5/5 Marsana. 3/3 Ocean Melody. > 6/6 County Fermanagh, 7/7 Totaranui | also started. Two lengths: three lengths. Ocean Melody was fourth. Time, Imin' 45sec. Dividends.—Win: £3 Bs. Places: £2 Is. £1 Ils. KOWHITIRANGI STAKES, Of £125; six furlongs. 4/6 SILVER CORAL (8) 8-10 D. N. Hadfield 1 2/1 FLAGON (4) 8-10 R. B. Taggart 2 7/7 ALEPPO (3) 8-10 C. B. Clydesdale 3 1/2 Bantasta, 4/3 Good Fault, 10/ 10 Neptune’s Last, 8/8 Sesame, 5/4 Rajah, 3/5 Safe Harbour, 9/9 Golden Howe also started. Length and a half; two lengths. Safe Harbour was fourth. Time, Imin 19 4-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £9 ss. Places: £2 12s 6d. £1 12s 6d. £3 4s 6d. KANIERE TROT HANDICAP, Of £148; 3min 37sec class; one mile and a half and 63 yards. 11/10 SYNTHETIC (8) It K. Purdon 1 1/1 SECOND LADY (7) It A. D. McCarthy 2 3/4 DRUMQUIN (1) It M. C, Flaws 3 2/3 Early Edition. 8/9 Fredell, 12/12 Gold Pride. 9/8 Lady Lightfoot, 4/2 Young Donald. 1/1 Reklaw, 6/5 Battle Hymn, 10/11 Dryden Maid, 5/6 Receptive, 7/7 Sarlita also started. Four lengths; same. Early Edition was fourth. Times—3min 55 2-ssec, 3min 56 l-ssec, 3min 56 3-ssec. Dividends.—Win: £27 5s 6d. Places: £7 9s, £1 Is 6d. £2 17s. LAKE MAHINAPUA HACK HANDICAP, Of £185; one mile. 1/1 STARWYN (4) 7-12 D. N. Hadfield 1 3/3 OFFEND (1) 7-9 car. 7-12 G. W. Mein 2 2/2 ROME (5) 10-3 car. 9-10 R. B. Taggart 3 5/5 Volterra, 4/4 Harkville, 8/8 Befana, 6/7 Lady Reka. 7/6 Prince Morocco also started. Neck; half a length. Prince Morocco was fourth. Time, Imin 49 3-5 Dividends.—Win: £3. Places: £1 0s 6d, £1 19s 6d. £1 9s. RUATAPU HACK HANDICAP, Of £150; six furlongs. 4/4 KORALLION (5) 7-8 car. 7-11 .. W. D. Skelton 1 2/2 ENGLISH PRINCE (7) 7-7 car. 7-11 W. H. Beck 2 , 6/3 PICRIGHT (9A) 7-7 N. East wood 3 I 1/1 Come On Boy, 5/5 Aloment, : 8/8 Arjamand, 3/6 Porte, 7/7 Sal- \ I miranda also started. Three lengths; four lengths. Arja- ' mand was fourth. Time, Imin 19 4-5 ' sec. , Dividends. —W'in: £6 14s. Places: ■ £2 10s 6d, £1 9s 6d, £2 10s 6d. 1