C.J.C. FIRST DAY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 270, 11 August 1938, Page 17

C.J.C. FIRST DAY

’The Watcher’s’ Description Of Running CLARION CALL’S WIN “The Watcher’s" description of races on the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting, which was not received in time for yesterday's issue of "The Dominion" because of interruptions to the telegraph .system, is given below: — Won .111 the Way. The Trial Hurdle Race was Won all the way by a big outsider in Top Rank. The jumping of the majority of the runners was very poor, including that of the winner, but he had sufficient pace to keep in front. InnictM Lad and Chaste were his nearest attendants in the running, with Padishah and Lone-Raider next. Padishah lost ground at every jump, but his pace enabled him to keep up between the fences. Inness Lad had gone after Top Rank coming to the last fence, followed by Padishah and Lone Raider. None of them

took the obstacle at all well, and Top Rank held on to score fairly comfortably from the fast-finishing Padishah, who was well clear of Inness Lad and Lone Raider, who were followed by C-or.ban. McXleath, Chaste and Contract. Padishah would have won by a street had he jumped properly. He may have a different horseman in the National. The only horses who jumped at all well were Inness Lad and Lone Raider, and neither Of them were good enough. Mount Vai fell at the first fence. Won Solidly. The topweight, Rebel Alate, scored in solid style, and at a good price, in the Paparua Handicap. fie was always -handy, the pace being cut out by Hunting Blood aud Paper Note, from Rebel Star, Rebel Mate, Top. Row, Grey Honour, Astaire, and Petersham, Alatoru being toward the rear, which was brought up by Queen of Song. Hunting Blood was clear leaving the false rail, but Rebel. Mate immediately ran past him and went on to win very decisively from Top Row, who finished on better than Petersham and Paper Note. Then came Hunting Blood, Matoru, Moneyless, Grey Honour, and Pukeko. There was no excuse for any of the beaten lot. Rebel Alate was just too good. Top Row is on the improve. Alatoru finished well, and would have been dangerous in another furlong. Hunting Blood again petered out, and they went too fast for Pukeko, who nevertheless ran much below his best form. Led .111 the Way. TT-avenna led all the way in the Jumpers’ Flat, and had most of his opponents in dire straits a long way from home. He was attended early by Court Yard, Fireguard, Jolly .Beggar, Kilberis, Curie, Pango, and Aurora’s Love, and down the back Curie. improved his position until he had taken up second .place. Delrain also became prominent after a slow beginning but. with a sound pace on, the others remained very much as they had settled down, and the rear was brought, up by Lustral and The Surgeon, who had also been slow to begin. - Jolly Beggar began to drift as they ran out of the back, and by the time they had completed .the turn he was last but one. Here Travcnna was well. clear of Curie, Fireguard, Aurora's Love, and Pango. I: ireguard came on strongly, but he could not reach Traveuna. Pango ran on for a lair third, just beating Aurora’s Love,; and then camo Curie, Silver Sight, Kings Archer, Kilberis, The Surgeon, Jolly Beggar, and Lustral. Lustral was favourite but, after a slow start, the pace was too solid for him to get anywhere near the field. Travenna s performance was very sound, aud he was never in better order. Fireguard enhanced his National prospects by staying on solidly, and others to finish on were King’s Archer, Kilberis. The Surgeon, and Jolly Beggar. The latter got n bad passage. Curie had every’ chance. Wild Talk Again. Rebellion was preferred to the Clifford bracket in the Cashmere Plate, .but the best he could do was to split them at the finish, victory again going to Wild Talk. Rebellion did not begin so well as the leaders, who comprised Rex Maitland and Gav Parade from Keen Sight, Wild Talk, and Colonel Rouge. When they were well settled down Rebellion wag in behind this bunch on the rails, but in order to get a run Ellis took bun further out and approaching the straight he was beginning to come through. He had a good deal of ground to make up, however, and from the false rail the Clifford pair were out by themselves. It was clear that Wild Talk would win, but Keen Sight weakened and Rebellion, finishing well, got up for second without having any chance of winning. Rex Maitland was fourth, followed by Gay Parade, LadyRosette, Autosweep, Remembo and Synthetic. The. winner is a smart filly and both she and- Rebellion will improve. Rebellion,

however, is not a good beginner. Lady Rosette finished on well. Clarion Call’s Triumph. Although only half the field of 10 in the Grand National completed the course it was a good race, and provided a triumph for the win favourite,'Clarion Call, who scored easily after a brilliant exhibition of jumping. Clarion Call was restrained early and was seventh over the early fences, Urination pulling away to the front with a clear lead from Royal Banquet, Valpeen, Bryce Street, Forest Glow, Santoft, and Clarion Call. Forest Glow fell at Cutts’s, the fourth fence, and Urination baulked at the seventh, the first of the Kennels double, and threw his rider. This completely altered the complexion of affairs and Clarion Call then ran through to the front from Royal Banquet, Bryce Street, Valpeen, and Santoft. From that stage on Clarion Call was always in the-lead. , Royal Banquet hooked the sod wall a mile from home, and was done with, and only Valpeen and Bryce Street were then left with a chance of catching the leader. They followed him over the last few fences until the second last, where Bryce Street made an effort and Valpeen pecked. Bryce , Street was fairly' handy to Clarion Call as they came to the last fence, and once over be put in a challenge. Jenkins, however, was aware of hie approach, and. holding in reserve a late run, shook up his mount, who responded and drew out to win very decisively. Valpeen was a fair third, and the only others to complete the course were All Irish and Santoft. High Speed fell, Royal Limond ran off, and Royal Banquet broke down badly, having injured a stifle. He was later destroyed. There could be no doubt about Clarion Call’s victory, and on top of the ground he stayed on solidly. Bryce Street ran a good race and old Valpeen jumped splendidly, giving A. E. Ellis a good race, but he is not the horse he was. Erination settled his chance by not remaining with the field for he was so far in front that his race approximated a schooling effort only and his tendency to baujk could not be checked. Royal Banquet had run an excellent race up to the time of ; his mishap. Sunward Scores. Ail Irish, favourite for the Enfield ; Stei-ideelmse, survived only one fence, pigjumping the second, which was the first ; of the stand double, and throwing his | rider. El Caballo, Bully Brit and Flashlight then made the runping, but Bally Brit soon dropped out and left the other pair together. Sunward challenged over the concluding stages, and El Caballo tired before reaching the last fence, where Flashlight and Sunward were on terms. Flashlight blundered and became unbalanced and, his rider uot giving him a chance to recover, lie was never able to reach the winner. Nightbound was a fair third, and El Caballo and Bally Brit next. Sunward won the same race .lust year

'and in the interval had not won again. He was a little lucky to beat Flashlight. Nightbound will improve. A lot ot use was made of El Caballo, and he did not run on at the end. Catalogue’s Record. Catalogue established a record in winning the Winter Cup, not only being the sole horse to score twice, but also to do it on successive years. His performance was full of merit, for he was slow away under his weight and finally cut down his opponents in great style.. • There was a long wait at the post, mainly through Monipere and Silver Slipper and when the field was let go to an excellent start, the latter whipped away and was left. Slow beginners were Ponty, Monipere, Catalogue, Wagner and Lazybones. Cocksure, Great Hope, Paper Slipper, Waitaka and Land Raid all began well and Cocksure settled down to make the running, with Land Raid joining in a little later, from Great Hope, Waitaka, Paper Slipper and then Ponty, all bunched, jjie rear being brought up by Monipere and Araboa. As they ran round the home turn the order of the leading bunch was unchanged, but Mittie, who had drawn No. 1 and dwelt at the start, became more prominent, as also did Catalogue and Alma. At the halfmile this trio was just ..handy to the leaders, and Lazybones showed up on the outer. The order did not . undergo any material change until leaving the false rail, where Waitaka and Great Hope got to the leading pair and Paper Slipper forged up on the rails. He momentarily looked dangerous, as also did Ponty, and 100 yards from the posjt any one of Waitaka. Great Hope, Paper Slipper, Ponty and Alma could have, won, but there was some crowding and finally Waitaka drew out. with Catalogue coming very fast,. Catalogue gradually drew up and beat Waitaka just short of the post, with Alma third, then Mittie, Great Hope, Paper Slipper, Roy Bun. Mtingatoon, Araboa and Cocksure, The last past the post were Ponty,. Lazybones, Wine Card, Debham and Wagner. Catalogue won too well lor much excuse. for t'he rest, but Polity, .Great Hope and Mittie might all have done better with a little luck at a critical stage. Araboa also finished remarkably well. Only One In IL There was oiijy one horse in the last race, despite the large field, and that was the favourite, Strip. He began well and, never further back than second or third, he took charge off Gay Lyric in the straight and won hands down. Outsiders came home into the minor places. Rockingham finishing very strongly to just miss second from Thermidor, who was also well back early. Second Innings and Garonne ran fair races. There was support for Sigurd but he drew 21 and ■ h;M to be ridden out early to get anywhere near the leaders and he could not come on at tho end. The winner looks extra good..