Southland Guineas Won By Hunting Horn

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29715, 8 January 1962, Page 5

Southland Guineas Won By Hunting Horn

“The Press'* Special Service

INVERCARGILL, January 7.

Hunting Horn, owned in Canterbury by Mr J. H. Grigg, of Ashburton, and trained at Gore by R. J. Cochrane, upset calculations in the Southland Guineas, the feature event on the second day of the Southland Racing Club’s summer meeting on Saturday.

Favoured by the sting out of the ground—his trainer raid that but for the heavy rain the day before the meeting Hunting Horn would not have started—he was expertly handled by G. W Wright who moved him through the inner at the top of the straight to be in front at the furlong. This proved a winning break for Hunting Horn as John O' Groats, which ran out the last furlong in brilliant style, failed by half a head to peg him back. Mr Grigg was not present to see Hunting Horn win the Guineas. Cochrane said after the race that Mr Grigg had telephoned a few days before the meeting and asked if it would be worth while coming south. “As there was no sign of rain, I told him that because of the hard tracks it would be doubtful if he would be starting and he decided not to come.” The more it rained on Friday the better Hunting Horn’s chances were and it was only because of an easing of the going that he took his place in the field. The half-brothers and stablemates, Melotone and Melodic, were at restricted odds on the T.A.B. double. The combination paid £4 19s 6d for £1 when they won the Murthiku and Birchwood Handicaps. Both are trained at Invercargill by J. Langford.

Melotone, whidh won the first leg from end to end, is raced by his breeder. Mr M. A. McKenzie, who also bred Melodic, which he races in partnership with Mr F. A. Allen, of Auckland. There were 9685 5s tickets

taken out on the winning combination in a total pool of £14.644 10s. The totalisator handled £36,574 on-course, compared with £38,119 on the second day last year, a decrease of £1545. For the two days the totalisator handled £78,171, a decrease of £5285 on the 1960 total of £83,456. Guineas Running There was an upset in the Southland Guineas in which the little fancied Hunting Horn came out on top in a tight finish with John O’ Groats, which he beat by half a head. Dress Suit led out with little pace on over the first half—run in 52 4-ssec—and at the half Baalbek and Birthright were on terms with Woodella, having moved into third place, with Hunting Horn right up next followed by Dinner Suit and John O’ Groats, at the rear. Hunting Horn moved through on the inner to be shading Baalbek and Birthright into the straight with a length to John O’ Groats clear of Dinner Suit. Over the last half-furlong John O’ Groats made a game effort to bridge the gap to Hunting Horn but he failed by a half head to get up. Birthright held on for third two lengths back, half a head in front of the hot favourite Baalbek. Dinner Suit was 12 lengths away with Woodella beaten off.

e Easy for Melodic s Melodic completed a stable i. double for the Invercargill i trainer, J. Langford, when he 3 won the Birchwood Handicap with a lot in hand. Melodic, Osman, Gay Fox s and Solus headed a bunched

field in the early running but with six to run Solus worked clear. He was shading MeJodic at the half with a length to Osman and Hunted, Gay Fox, Matlock and Antarctic Flight in close order ahead of Blue Haven with Hag>py Birthday at the rear.

Solus and Melodic were on terms rounding the home turn and they were followed into the straight by Osman. Matlock and Gay Fox in line ahead of Hunted, Blue Haven, Happy Birthday and Antarctic Flight. Melodic shot clear at the furlong and it was all over. He won by a length and a half. In a good race for the minor placing®, Happy Birthday beat Gay Fox by half a head for second with Matlock a short neck back fourth, a length and a half ahead of Solus. There was a gap of five lengths to Antarctic Flight, four to Blue Haven and 10 to Osman, with Hunted last.