THE RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1916, Page 4

THE RACING

. Proceedings opened with, the Trentham Welter Handicap, for which the whole ten horses carded went to the post. Marsinah, who it was expected would be favourite, was one of the least fancied. Ridden by the Southern horseman, A. Wonnald, she covered a good deal of ground, and finished in fifth place, just ■ behind Rumania. ...The Hastings. representative Hinemariu (ridden by A. Oliver) and Black Ada, (R. Hatch) were best backed. . They fought out^a good'finish with, the Trent-ham-trained Rongora. Arlington showed up ( well for about; seven . furlongs, but failed to see the distance out.

THE CONSISTENT EGYPT. - The Wellington-owned Sweet Tipperary was fretful at the start of the Nursery Handicap, in which she started from the extreme outside, but began brilliantly, and just failed to stall off a strong "late run put in by Egypt (brother to Desert Gold). He carried top weight, and beat his opponents in record time- for the. course, like • a racehorse. Nystad showed up well in the first part of the contest, but Killena (a Kilbroney filly that carried the colours of her breeder, Mr. J. B. Eeid) beat the Highden colt for third place. Egypt was sent out' a good favourite, and carried nearly double the amount invested on Nystad, who was the second choice of backers.

ANNIVERSARY WELTER.

There were no withdrawals from the Anniversary Welter Handicap. The form shown by Ladogeur—a plain-looking gelding by Sir Laddo, trained at Hastings—at 'Auckland caused him^ to be made a big favourite. He carried just oil double the' &motint rung, up on,' Orleans, who was second favourite.'/;' The chances of Ladogeur, Combustion,' Ceylon, and Orleans were affected by their getting caught in the tapes, the lastnamed coming off worst. Botanist and Moulu began smartly and set a solid pace for half-way, where Ladogeur struck the front,-and, galloping well, was not afterwards headed. He appeared to win fairly comfortably in fast time. Ararat, who was running on at the finish', cut Moulu out of second place in the last fifty yards. Combustion made up some of the ground lost at the start, but Ceylon and Orleans were unable to improve their positions, Down, the Tnvercargill Cup winner, finished close up to the placed division.

TRIAL. PLATE.

Half of the horses entered for the Trial Plate were withdrawn. All the contestants were three-year-olds with the exception of the Karamu representative Shaki, who was sent out second fa.vourite and ran well for six furlongs. Dribble, who was lucky enough to get the rails at the sta,rt, led throughout, and won with something to spare from the imported filly .Week End. She drew inside position, but was chopped out at tho start. She finished gamely and got up in time to beat Pyja-ma, who was racing behind Dribble ail the way, for second placo. The favourite, Red Ribbon, shaped disappointingly, although she wa-s running on at the finish, and passing the post was in fifth place, just behind Seadown. Dribble has raced consistently this season a,nd scored her only previous win at Trentham in the spring.

GREAT CONTEST FOR THE CUP

The whole of the seventeen acceptors for the Wellington Cup were saddled up, and their condition was closely scrutinised as they paraded the bird-cage. When the bells stopped ringing, Snub carried £6 more than Blackall, Balboa and Welcome Nugget being next in request. The local representative, Taringamutu, followed Indigo in order of favouritism. Taringamutu ran a great race, and just failed to do what her admirers expected, win from end to end. She led to the distance, where she was done, and finished just behind the placegetters. Square Deal went out after the leader, and helped to put up fast time, which beat Pavlova's record of twelve months ago. The two top-weights, First Glance and Balboa, were responsible for remarkably fine pprforma.nces.. First Glance was called upon to make her run too soon, and was- unable to respond when the- light-weighted Bee threw out a challenge inside the distance. Balboa's performance was also full of merit. The favourite finished in sixth place, but Indigo, Blackall, and Welcome Nugget were never prominent. Bee is owned in Christchurch by Mr. H. G. Taylor, is trained" at Biccarton by R. Longley,. and was turned out in excellent fettle. She was ridden by the local light-weight, A. Reed, who thought he was unlucky in missing the mount on Welcome Nugget. Bee is a four-year-old Martian, the first progeny of Lady Disdain (The Officer— Oriflamme), a useful middle-distance per. former in both Islands. She is a full sister to Snub, and was bred by Mr. C. G. Dalgety, owner of the last-named. Bee had failed when tried over a distance on both days of the Southland New Year Meeting. She was, in consequence, one of the outsidei'Sj and those who stuck to her were rewarded with a substantial dividend. So far as the race was concerned, the controversy as to the respective merits of the two three-year-olds engaged, Taringamutu and Snub, ended in favour of the local horse. Mr. A. Laurenson, the club's official timekeeper, took the times for the different distances of the race as follow: — Six fm-longs, Imin 14 3-ssec ; one mile, lmin 42 3-ssec; one mils and a-quaiter. ,?<min 7 2-ssec ; one mile and a-half, 2min 31 3-ss'efr-a record for ths Domiriioiv

RUAPEHU HANDICAP - The Ruapehu Hack Handicap provided a good. contest between Hydrus and Taaigo (the half-sister to Pavlova), who is improving. The winner, who scored at Marton earlier in the season, and has been a. consistent .performer since, was the only bearer of the cerise jacket to score during the afternoon. The topweight. Martuk, was not well placed" during'tho first part•■ of ■ the race, but was drawing on the leaders at the finish. Jean Laddo would have been better suited by a longer distance. Waterloo plate. The scratching of Expect for the Waterloo Pla.te reduced the field to five. Mr. Greenwood started both Nones and Emperador, but the bracket was not as well supported as Chortle. Nones began quickly, and, galloping in great style, won from end to end in record time. She appeared to win easily, and probably would have done better had she been called upon to do so. At the end of a. furlong Chortle was giving all his opponents a start, and did well to finish second. Mr. Mason showed good judgment in starting Nones, as Emperador was beaten by Chortle. Flying Start finished in front of Wishful, who failed to run up to his Auckland form. Nones had earlier in the season won the Wanganui Guineas. In the Champion Plate at Trentham, in the spring, also the Derby and Oaks at Riccarton, she acted as runner-up to Desert Gold. Th» time equals the previous beet for the Dominion. FINE FINISH IN TELEGRAPH. Marco Bello was withdrawn from the Telegraph Handicap, Mr Lowry relying on Tete-a-tete, who ran a remarkably good race. She carried top-weight and beat everything except the English horse, in whom G. Price has made great improvement since he ra-ced at Trentham in the spring. He moved very pleasingly in his preliminary, and w the race finished with great determination. Chakwana ran as consistently as usual. The Karamu representative. Hyginas was greatly fancied, but got shut in at the start and was never in the front division. The time put np, lmin 12 2-Ssec, is a record for the course. Tlie members of F. Davjs's team are retaining their form in a surprising manner.. During the afternoon he started .three^ horses, and they ran first, second, and third.