NOTES ON THE SPORT

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 90, 13 October 1916, Page 4

NOTES ON THE SPORT

(By " Sir Lancelot.")

The Spring Meeting of the' -Masterfcon Racing Club, held at the Opaki qpiirse yesterday, was well attended. During the eaHy part of the afternoon rain fell, but it cleared when the programme was half through and remained fine for the rest of'the day.' -'A"good deal of rain had fallen in the .district the previous day, and the {rack was, in consequence, heavy. Under the circumstances, the totalisator turnover—which exceeded last year's by< £500—may be considered very satisfactory.. Mr. T. Cameron effected good despatches, and the details in connection wi,tb. the meeting were w.eU. carried put by Mr. A. Hathaway, .who had the assistance of Mr. J. Griffiths. : ' '

Probably the going was responsible for the .downfall of well-backed runners j'.only one actual favourite prevailing during the .day. This was Black ' Lake \(ij.ll Black—Blue River), ,whp score.d' in ,the Trial after' tyeing jba'dly' placed at the turn. She only got'th,e yei;dict in the last few strides' from Probation, who carried Mr. 'W. E. BidwiU's .colours. Among the other beginners se.en'.out in the i'ac.e were Endure (Advance —Endeavour), a full-brotiier to Expect, one of P. Tilley's Fordell t^am, and Probity', a two-y.ear-old from the New Zealand Cup winner Tprtulla. The other two-year-olds engaged in the race were ■withdrawn. ' Black Lake is engaged in the Octo.ber Handicap at Trentham, and will have to put up 71b penalty for the win.

All started for the Telephone Hack' Handicap '.except Splendidus. The public went for Perrier, a winner on the saints course Jn March, and Thoughtful, a stable mate of Sjr Sojo. Perrier ,d»ewN,o. 1, began best, .anjcl bad ,e.v,ery chance to win, but was no>t' good enough. Lady General ran up to' Perrier "after they had gone two furlongs. Something' jnt'erfered with hair,'and ©be went back last, pulling up in the straight. Perrier led into the straight and was joined by Thoughtful at the distance. The' latter pulling up by' three lengths from Captajn Glpssbp, with" Perrie.r' close up. Thoughtful went •well' in, the bad going. He is owned by Mr. G. Foreman, wli£> raced Full 'Hate a few seasons back. Thoughtful is engaged in the Ramutaka Handicap at Trenthirm, .and •will have to put tip a penalty. ' . The withdrawals of Botanist, Interlude; and Need from the Flying Handicap reduced the munber of runners to seven. Rowi Poto, who has recently been racing pyer long' distances, was among the runrjers. Elation, who draw a position next the rails, was seat put third favourite. He began well, but could pot ac,t in the going, and finished absolutejy last. At halfway Hushabye ranged, alongside Elation, and before the straight was reached -Master Achilles jvas in front. Gpldstream was in charge ait the distance, with La4y Black at the head of the others. , In the last hundred yards Rewi Poto piit in a strong run, and catching Lady Black fifty yards from the post won by a. length. Goldstream was a fail- third, and' Hushaibye fourth. Rewi Poto is a go.od horse in his class. C. Price, his usual pilot, had to ride Mia Cara, and A. .Oliver had the mounit yesterday. Rewi Poto is engaged in trie Wellington Handicap, but does not .carry 'extra weight .for the win, as tho race was iipt worth 10,0 soys. The scjrat.ehiiigs 'for 'the Spring Handicap were Rewi Poto, Welcome' Nugget, and Ladify. ; Mystified go£ a break "on the field, but was overhauled .by Orleans afiter they had gone five 'furlongs. Half a mile from home the leading division was Orleans, Want, "Mystified, aid Gold Soult.' Orleans'had pnoagh at'the distance, wher,e Ward; was' in charge. Maniaroa headed him in'the last hundred yards, and won nicely by two lengths. Merrie- Gain was three lengths away. Then came Mpnteiia and. .Orleans. > Multiply (who looked on ' the pretty kside) was last. The winner is engaged in the New Zealand. Cup, but does not. incur a penalty' for yesterday's will, lie will haye &6 put up slb penalty in the ■Wellington Handicap. A. M. Wright was quietly confident that Maniaroa, who was'well handled, by Goldfinch, would run well. Maniaroa had not been successful since lie won a double at Feilding last spring, so did not win put of his turn.

Sir Fisher and Red Ribbon were withdrawn frpm the Ladies' 'Burse Handicap. The latter was scratched on account of the state of the' ground. Mr'. Leslie M'Donald came across from Levin to ride her. Ho got the mount on 'Kurapai, a stable mate of Mamaroa. Ulysses and Maraetotara showed up prominently to the turn, where the unbeaten Matfock, who >vas favourite, took charge, and halfway down'the running'lppked all over a winner. In the last hundred yards Kurapai (b,y Papajmra—Molly) put in a run and won comfortably. The- Feildingtrained Confusion filled the other place. The rider of phe winner was presented with a gold-mounted whip, donated by Mrs. C. F. Yallanee, wife of thfai president of tho club. Mr. Vallance 'had"a mount on Manaia Park in the race. /

Miss Peyal, Maraetotara., Merry Dale, Altercation1, and Trickery were withdrawn'from the Mastertpn Hack Handicap. Golden Graf.ton, who was favourite, began best', but Galore was in front after they had gone a furlpiig, and half a mile from home Mascot had taken up pio running. . She , led into the straight, but half-way down the running Amity came through, and. finishing beat, won easily by «. e<M>pl« of JeOglliß. Sir FJ slier three lengths away, with the

favourite fourth.. The winner was making Ills first appearance in the colours of the Wellington sportsman who races as Mr. "Kirkdale." He was one of 'the least fancied, and returned his supporters a good price. The top-weight, Sir Agnes, appeared to be anchored, in the heavy going, and never showed up prominently. The Merriwee gelding paid his purchase money the first time of asking. He is engaged in the Rhnutfka 'Handicap at Trentham, and will have to put up a penalty for yesterdays win.

Botanist was the only scratching &>r the Stewards' Handicap, for which George was made a screaming hot ftivourite. He was first out, but wasqu/ickly headed by Amber and White. At the half-mile the latter gave way to Jean Laddo. In the straight she drew right away and won by six lengths from Bradamante, with Rinaldo a. good third. The favourite finished well back. The unplaced division included Hushabye and Master Achilles, who had competed in the Flying Handicap earlier in the da.y. Jean Laddo was successful on the same .track in similar going last March. '

Numerous withdrawals from the Dash Handicap, five furlongs, reduced the field to ten. Multaine, a winner at Napier Park, was best backed. Spectual, runner-up to Miss Deval at Qtaki, was in front when .they had gone a furlong, and drawing out from the field, scored the easiest win of the day. Second place was filled by Merrie Poto, who acted as runner-up to Merry Andi'ew on the second day at Otaki. The winner is a member of H. Hickey's Hastings team ajid carries the colours of Mr. F. J. Lysnar, the well-known Gisborne sportsman.