AUTUMN RACES

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 96, 23 April 1917, Page 4

AUTUMN RACES

CONCLUDING DAY AT TRENTHAM

KILBOY DEFEATS DESERT GOLD

SEADOWN WINS BIG HANDICAP,

(By Sir Lancelot.)

The weather conditions prevailing at Trentham on Saturday, when the Metropolitan Club's Autumn Meeting was brought to a conclusion, were an improvement on the opening day. The attendance was very satisfactory. The racing track had been well rolled, and the going improved towards the end of the day, as shown by the times registered. The Trentham Camp Band, under S.M. F. A. Fox, played selections on the lawn during the afternoon, and helped to enliven the proceedings.

Speculation on the totalisator was fairly brisk. During the afternoon the sum of £48,452 10s was passed through the machine, making a total of £76,358 10s for the meeting. This amount is £4968 more than handled at the corresponding meeting last year.

Stipendiary . Stewards J. M'Mahon and Angus Gordon were again in attendance. They met on two occasions during the afternoon. P. Johnston (rider of Trials) was fined £5 for cutting across the field from the outside to the rails at the start of the Autumn Handicap. H. Young was similarly penalised for disobedience of the clerk of the course.

The machine was shut down sharp at the advertised times, enabling the races to be started without any delay at the post. Starter O'Connor was in his best form at tho barrier, and Mr.; H. Coyle, the club's haudicapper, came in for a good deal of congratulation on-the success of his efforts.

PRINCE DELAWARE WINS AGAIN.

There were no withdrawals from the Second Jumpers' Flat Handicap, with which proceedings opened. Backers went solidly for Prince: Delaware, the first day's winner, while Plymouth, who was considered likely to make a better showing than on the previous day, was a good second favourite. The two lightweights, Maryland and Precious -Metal, were allowed to make play for about three furlongs, where Prince Delaware wentto the front, and although Sir Solo put in a claim in the straight, the favourite never looked like getting beaten. Sir Solo was again in second place, and Maryland beat Blackall out of third place by a narrow margin. Prince Delaware has now won four times out of five starts at Trentham, an excellent record. He was unplaced on both days at Tauherenikau.

A BLENHEIM WINNER. Probably on account of the successful run the Kilbroneys had on the first day backers sent Killard oufa good favourite for the Hutt Handicap. He again refused to go when the barrier rose, and soon pufcV his backers out of suspense. ' Instead of walking back to the paddock, the shortest way homo, Deeley chased the field. Good Hope, who was a good second favourite, was one of the first to begin, but gradually drifted back and finished last. Ta-Dgo jumped out smartly, and tried to win from end to end. Golden Grafton had her measure at the distance, and supporters of the Taranaki representative were proclaiming her victory, when Heeltap dashed up in the last hundred yards, and, finishing in his best style, -won by a couple of lengths. Considering that Heeltap finished fourth in the Thompson Handicap, he was allowed to pay a good price. The Southland representative. Gunrest, conceding the winner 101b, finished fourth. Botanist would have been better suited by a shorter journey. The two Trentham .representatives. Mascot and Devotion, although favourably placed among the light-weights, failed to get in the money. Mr. J. J. Corry, owner of Heeltap, was not present at the meeting, being busy with Blenheim municipal affairs.

HENDKA SCORES HIS SECOND ** .WIN. Kilkee and Nobleman, who had engagements later in the day, were taken out of this Muritai Handicap, seven furlongs. It was considered that the shorter distance would suit Multaine and Thames better than on the previous day, when they ran third and fourth respectively in. the Silverstream Handicap, one mile, won by Hendra. Cora Ora and Sardinia, were nearly as well backed as Hendra. Sardinia was the unlucky horse in the race. When the barrier went up he whipped round, and before he could be straightened up lost about twenty lengths., At the finish he was second to Hendra, who had the others beaten a furlong from home. Johnny Walker, who finished in third place, is improving with the racing he is having, and next season may be! useful. Multaine and Thames did not shape as well as on the^previous day, both being well back at the finish. Those who stuck to Hendra got a. good price. Mr. E. J. Watt was not present to see Hendra win, being in Australia, Hendva was sired in New South \yales"*by Royal Artillery,' a brilliant sprinter in the late Mr. G. G. Stead's colours, who has not been a success at the stud. Hecuba (dam of Hendra) was by Bill of Portland.

SEADOWN'S AUTUMN HANDICAP.

All but Tango, -who had raced earlier 1 in. the day, were saddled up for the Autumn Handicap. After the good showing he made in the Thompson Handicap, Fiery Cross was sent out a strong j favourite. The top-weights, Chortle and Bunting, also carried over four figures. Trials, who drew No. 13 at the start, ran across the field and was leading on the rails as they passed the stand. Menelaus, Captain Glossop, Fiery Cross, and Bee were well placed when they had gone three furlongs, the two top-weights being well back. The first to head Trials was Multicipal, who did not long have charge. Fiery Cross, who was always well placed, led into the' straight from Bewi Poto and Red Ribbon. The favourite was done with a furlong from home, and quickly drifted back. At the half-distance, Rewi Poto was going best. Here Chortle and Bunting on the inside put in a claim, and in the last fifty yards. Seadown, on the outside, resolntely ridden by Deeley, got a clear run, and finishing well under punishment secured the verdict by half a head. Heads Separated Chortle, Rewi Poto, and Bunting. Mr. Hartgill informed the writer "that ib was the greatesv-finish he had had to decide at Trentham. Had Chortle and Bunting come on the outside instead of trying to get through on the rails they might have finished first and second. Bee and Menelaus were close up. Backers of Seadown, who won on the concluding day at Ellerslie, got a double-figure dividend. Seadown is owned by a steward of the club, who races as Mr. "Loring." Although the horse was one of the least-fancied runners, the win was very popular. This was the first occasion that Deeley had ridden Seadown, and the first time that the horseman named had ridden the winner of the race. PACIFIC HANDICAP TO AMPLEAll the acceptors saddled > tip for th« Pacific Handicap. The C.J.C. Cham-

pagne Stakes winner,, Gamecock, made his first appearance at the meeting in the race. He was well supported, being second fiavour.iito to Vagabond, who, with Ample, finished just behind the place-getters in the Plunket Nursery, j run on the previous day. Vagabond I ran wide and could only get third to I Ample, who scored in good style from Bonnie Maid, who again ran second, and was unlucky to be beaten by one of the unpla-ced competitors on the previous day. Birkeuvalo and Gamecock wore next. Ample was the only member of Mr. G. L. Stead's team to score a win at the meeting. If she trains on she should develop into a classic winner next season. Bonnie Maid proved the best of the four Trentham representatives that contested the race.- She should win tha next time she sports silk. The winner of the Pacific Handicap received more than double the amount that went to the winner of the Plunket Nursery. KILBOY'S GOLD CUP. Bee, who had raced earlier-in the day, was taken out of the Trentham Gold Cup, in which Desert Gold was opposed by the well-performed three-year-olds Kilboy and Sasanof (who -were bracketed) and The Toff. Strange to say, notwithstanding her defeat on the previous day and the fact that she had never contested a two-mile race, Desert Gold was much j better backed than the bracket. Sasanof J has recently raced over short courses, and if he was sent out to make pace for Kilboy his mission -was unsuccessful,,; as he -was always trailing in the rear. Desert Gold tried to win from end to j end. Passing the stand with half a mile gone, she led Kilboy by two lengths, The Toff and Sasanof being the same distance apart. At the seven furlongs Kilboy started to reduce the_ gap, and was alongside Desert Gold six furlongs from home. From that out the race was practically all over. Kilboy led into'the straight, and won by four lengths from The Toff, who cave a much better display than on Thursday. Desert Gold was two lengths away, a head in front of Sasanof. For the different distances Mr. A. Laurenson, the club's official timekeeper, made the times as follow: Six fnrlongs, lmin 16 3-ssec; one mile, Imin 43sec; mile and a-quartor, 2min 8 2-ssec; mile and a-half, 2min 34sec; two miles, 3min 28 l-ssec. The record for the race is 3min 24sec, by Warstep two years ago. Previous winners of tha New Zealand St. Leger • and Trentham Gold Cup were Merrie Roe and Eligible. Balboa won the St. Leger, but was beaten .by Warstep' in the two miles race.

SUBURBAN HANDICAP TQ.'SHRILL. 7

Sweet Tipperary was the only scratching for the Suburban Handicap. Backers went solidly for Shrill, who carried a stona more than in the Thompson Handicap. The way the imported mare won clearly demonstrated that she would have been unlucky to have been beaten on the first day. Lady Black again ran consistently and beat all the others. Her followers got a better return than those who supported the winner. The Southland -representative Bailer did well and was only beaten out of second money in the last stride. That Croesus ha-s lost none of his dash he showed by carrying 9.8 into fourth place. Koeefati, who took charge of C.. Emerson in the preliminary gallop, finished in fifth place. Two well backed runners in Gazique and Multiplication (the latter bracketed with Sheila) shaped badly. Bimeter, who did not have the assistance of his usual pilot, finished well back. Two others that ran well on the first day that failed on Saturday were Nystad and the American Mohawk.

A SENSATIONAL DIVIDEND. '

There was some heavy speculation in, the Belmont Handicap, the concluding event,' for which all started except Quinn's Post. Over £8000 wae invested on the race, with Kilkee a strong favourite, and Nobleman, Comment;'and Ribble were also well backed. None of the fancied candidates finished in the money. The Wellington-owned Trickery was easily the biggest outsider of the twelve runners. Galore, runner-up to Kilkee on the previous day, was leading a furlong from home, but at the finish was headed by Trickery (ridden by Bagby), and the Taranaki-trained Rawakore (Penury—Madam Soult), who carries the same colours as Rewi Poto. The winner ie a stable mate of Prince Delaware in H. Kingan's Trentham stable. He is a four-year-old gelding by Charlemagne 11. —Cute. He has done some travelling this season, and ■was placed at Blenheim and Nelson. He also ,ran at New Plymouth and Egmont. On Saturday those ■who supported him got the biggest return of the meeting.

CONCLUDING EVENTS , Details of the concluding events are appended: — TRENTHAM GOLD CUP, of 1000 soys. Two miles. 2 W. G. Stead and E. S. Luttrell's b c Kilboy, by Kilbroney—Ctyre, 3yre, 8.2 (B. Deeley) ............ 1 3 G. L. Stead's The Toff, 7.13 (C. Emerson) 2 IT. H. Lowry's Desert Gold, 8.12 (J. O'Shea) 3 (Winner trained by M. Hobbs.) Also started: 2 Sasanof 7.13 (A. Reed). Sasanof and Kilboy were bracketed on the machine. Won comfortably. Time, 3min 28 l-ssec. SUBURBAN HANDICAP, of 400 soys. Six fuplongs. IW. G. Stead's b m Shrill, by Llangwyn—Valve, 4yrs, 8.10 (B. Deelejy) 1 8 A. Cameron's' Lady Black, 7.8 (F. Corlett) . ..1..... 2 14 T. B. M'lntyre's Buller, 7.12 (A. M'Kay) v 3 (Winner trained byM. Hobba.) Also started: '4 Croesus 9.8 (J. Olsen), 6 Bimeter 9.5 (S. Reid), 7 Tete-a-Tete 9.2 (J. O'Shea), 2 Gazique 8.5 (F. jE.J Jones), 5 Koesian 8.5 (C. Emerson), 3 Multiplication, 8.2 (Roy Reed), 9 Ny-

stad 8.2 (L. H. Hewitt),* 11 Brambletye 7.6 (H. Young), 12 Miss.de Val 7.5 (S. Bagby), 10 Mohawk 7.1 (R: M'Lellan), •3 Sh'iela 6.10 (J. Hocldey), 7 Beltane 6.10 (G. Williams), 13 Ayah 6.7 (Con Reed). Won by two lengths. Time, lmin 12 4-ssec. BELMONT HANDICAP, of 205 soys. Six furlongs. 12 F. R. Pierces b g Trickery by Charlemagne ll.—Cute, 4yrs,' 6.7 (S. Bagby) 1 9 Walter Raleigh's' Rawakore, 6.13 (F. Johnson) 2 5 A. Cameron's Galore, 7.2 (P. Corlett) 3. (Winner trained by H. Kingan.) Also started: 1 Kilkee 8.7 (F. E. Jones), 8 Hexton 8.7 (R. Hatch), 4 Nobleman 8.6 (O. M'Carten), 6 Matty 8.5 (J. Olsen), 3 Comment 8.2 (H. Young), 7 Perrier 7.13 (C. Emerson), 2 Ribble 7.11 (B. Deeley), 10 Idyllic 7.3 (R. Murphy), 11 Kohekohe 6.7 (G. Jenkins. Close finish. Time,' lmin 14 l-ssec

Mr. E. S. Luttrell on Saturday bought out Mr. W. G. Stead's interest in Kilboy and Kill 'Em. The horses named will continue to be trained by Murray Hobbs at Riccarton.