Owners rewarded for perseverance

Press, 25 August 1986, Page 29

Owners rewarded for perseverance

Special correspondent Auckland Two owners were rewarded for their perseverance at the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday when the veteran jumper, Jean Rapier, continued his wonderful comeback to winning form with a win in the Bexley Pakuranga Hunt Cup. Jean Rapier was bought as a yearling by his trainer, Graeme Rogerson (who thought the gelding would make an early winner), and then syndicated.

As it happened Jean Rapier failed to show up

in his four races as a two-year-old. He was mid-way through his second season before he won. By that time four of his original owners had cried enough. Only Mr George Mcßae, of Tauranga, and a Waipukurau stalwart, Mr Terry Foote, have carried on with the ownership. Their perseverance, considering Jean Rapier’s breakdown a little over two years ago, is remarkable and thoroughly deserving of Saturday’s big win. Before his tendons gave him such trouble Jean Rapier included in his wins a Great Northeren Hurdles, Grand National

Hurdles, a Waikato Hunt Cup and a Maramarua Hunt Cup.

He came back, as a nine-year-old, to win a minor steeplechase at Hastings early this month and added the Bexley Pauranga Hunt Cup in great style. Ridden by Paul Hillis, with excellent judgment, Jean Rapier was kept back while Heddawin and Cusenda made the running, then took over once he had the hill behind him for the second time.

Only Seeyoulater offered any . sort of threat when they had two fences left to jump and when he gave in, after hauling

himself over the last, Jean Rapier went away on his own. • Only half the 16-horse field finished the race. The casualties were:-r Kanamint (pulled up before the hill the second time), Cusenda (pulled up before the second-last jump), Edge Hill (dropped rider sixth fence), Lucan (fell on hill second time), Manhatten Mizer (fell with a round to go). Lord Venture, the favourite, was outpaced and ran sixth, a dozen or more lengths behind the third and fourth placegetters, Therapeutic and Heddawin.