Hawera family’s luck at Ellerslie holds

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33314, 27 August 1973, Page 10

Hawera family’s luck at Ellerslie holds

"The Press" Special Servict AUCKLAND. The Myers family, of Hawera, and N. C. Treweek, a rider they regularly employ, made yet another successful excursion to Ellerslie to win the Pakuranga Hunt Cup with Even Terms and a hurdles event with Belfast.

Belfast is a newcomer to Ellerslie but Even Terms had already distinguished himself on the course by winning the Hunt Cup 12 months before. In between he added the Waikato Hurdles and Riddiford Steeplechase at Trentham to his successes. Add to these Nordic Star’s victory in the last A.R.C. Easter Handicap and it can be appreciated that the Myers colours have been very prominent indeed this year. Their owner, Mr W. D. Myers, trains both Belfast and Even Terms, with the help of two sons, Messrs D. and K. Myers, but he leaves the preparing of Nordic Star to W. McEwan, a Hawera trainer of many years experience.

As when he won last year, Even Terms was brought north for the Hunt Cup by the two younger Myers, one

of whom, Mr Keven Myers, also had a couple of mounts, in the Greenmount Steeplechase and Bullock Webster Handicap, to occupy him.: Once again Mr Myers sen.: contented himself listening at home to a radio commentary iof the big race. An exciting contest it was. Celtic Song set a furious pace through the first half of the 4900 metres course pressed hard all the way by Kaufmann, while Even Terms enjoyed a beautiful run three or four lengths behind. In no time the other 10 were 20 lengths and more away.

It seemed impossible for the leaders to last. After jumping the second last fence, the wall at the foot of the hill, Celtic Song was spent but even then he went further than had seemed likely. Kaufmann took over and at the last jump looked almost certain to win. But he misjudged this one a trifle and Even Terms, charging through on the inside, gathered him in as they came into the last 200 metres. Half a dozen strides from the

post Even Terms was on his way to being a very clear winner but Kaufmann somehow pulled out a little more and came back to cut the margin to a long neck. Glenmere, battling gamely down the outside all the time, was a handy third, clear of Paddy’s Choice, which was followed in by Blueit.

For much of the race. 31-year.| old Treweek had the same prob-: lem as R. J. Fergus, on Kaufmann and Celtic Song’s rider, T. i R. Harris that of getting his I mount to settle. “It was not until he jumped the fences along the back the: last time that he did,” said Tre-‘ week speaking of Even Terms. I “And he was not travelling that’ well even then. At the stone-1 wall at the bottom of the hill, I thought we could only finish third. “He really got going though after the last fence,” Treweek said, “and once he starts a run like that there is no stopping him.” Blueit, the each-way favourite, was disappointing and his rider. R T Cleaver, had no excuse. “He jumped patchily early,” Cleaver said, “but I had the leaders in sight and was happy enough with my position into the last round. The sticky ground did not help him.”