NOTES ON THE SPORT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 43, 19 August 1918, Page 5

NOTES ON THE SPORT

(BI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

OHRISTCHURCH, 17th August.

The Grand National Meeting was con-, eluded to-day in glorious spring weather. There was a very large attendance. The course was in capital order, and there was some fine racing. Speculation was again brisk, and things went much more smoothly in the totalisator department than was the case on Thursday. The investments on. the final event reached £12,285 10s, which beat the Grand National Steeplechase figures, the previous record for any race at Riccarton, while the day's total, £67,214, was also a record' for the course. Taken all round, the meeting must rank as a great success. OPENING- EVENTS. Brown Joe was withdrawn from tlie .Aylesbury Steeplechase, leaving a field of eight. . The betting between Ormes. by, Gaekwar, and Bore was very even, and an interesting race was witnessed. Ormesby and Paremata wore responsible for the carjy running, but a faulty jump brought the latter down a milo from home. Ormesby jumped soundly all through, but he tired, and Bore beat him comfortably for second place. Bore might have done even better but for blundering at several fences. Gaekwar gave a very smooth performance, and was a comfortable winner., Master Hamilton was sore, but shaped well under his big weight. Thirteen hacks lined up for the Redcliffs Handicap, representing only moderate form. Warform, who was a bit unlucky at the start of his race on Thursday, when, he finished second, was a solid favourite, and justified the confidence of the public. He was not prominent in the early stages, but he oime on the scene at the right end and won decisively. He is an inmate of P. B. Jones's South Canterbury stable and looks like developing into a very useful customerJingo made practically all the pace, and he finished on really well. He will pay his way this season and may yet run out a journey. Turpinite finished 1 on well after getting a- kicky opening on the raUs, where Notability came through with him. Whiro and King of the Valley showed' speed, but stopped badly in the straight. ■ ALL OVER MAKES AMENDS. The August Handicap attracted nineteen sprinters of a useful class. Cardrona. was a strong- favourite, but I never .caught sight of him, and he was not near the front in the final stages. The second favourite, Comment, made all the. early running, just as she did in the Winter Cup, but the long straight found her out nearly a furlong from home. All Over moved up at the distance and won. decisively by a length. His performance was in marked contrast to his effort in the Winter Cup, in which he started favourite andl finished second to last after being badly knocked about, while to-day he rewarded his followers with a big dividend. Form Up ran a great race under his big -weight, but just failed to catch Ibex, who must be accounted unlucky to miss winning a race at the meeting. Sardinia was prominent all the way, but was stopping at the end, where she was in line with Kiljoy and Charley, just behind the placed lot. Hydmis was showing up in the early part, but never looked like a winner. 1 COALITION SCORES. The Beaufort Steeplechase field numbered ten, the withdrawals being Waimai, who was sore, and Ormesby, who raced earlier in the day. Yellow and Black was a little better backed than Coalition. The jumping was somewhat mixed, several of the horses fencing badly. Coalition was one of the bright exceptions, as lie gave a very attractive performance. His rider was not in a hurry, keeping his niount in the middle of the field till nearing the straight.' Then he went out in front with Arlington, who ran off at the last fence. Coalition was then eased up, and as a result narrowly escaped defeat, as Yellow and Black came with a great rattle and got within two lengths of him. The performance of Yellow and Black was hard to understand. He was up near the front five furlongs from home, when he dropped back, being apparently beaten, so that his brilliant finishing effort came as a, big surprise. Sylva got into trouble at the kennol." double the first time round, losing a lot of ground, and under the circumstances he ditl well to finish third, just in front of Nita, who also got into the same mix-up which was caused by Crib falling. Collector ran a fair race, but was beaten a long way from home. Zarkoma fenced indifferently., nnd never looked dangerous. Merry Lad tried his usual, tactics, setting a solid puce from the start, but he was very tired when he bumbed bis rider off five Furlongs from home. Crib fell at the kennels after going about six furlongs. St. Elmn was going well in a good position when he came- to grief at the sod wall about a mile from home. Arlington

ran a surprisingly good race, and was still going strongly alongside Coalition when he ran off at the last fence. It looked as if he was very unlucky, but though his rider and the rider of Coalition were questioned as to the cause, no action was taken. The explanation of Yellow and Black's running was probably to be found in the fact that he met with interference when Merry Lad came to grief. THE HURDLERS. The seven horses who contested the Spreydon Hurdle Handicap represented only moderate hack form. Hylans, ridden by W. Hagerty, went off in front, followed by Tornea, and he showed great dash in the early stages. Then^he chanced a couple of hurdles, and fell heavily at the last, making little effort to rise when he came to it. He can be put down as a disappointing racer, though he is a good horse on the tracks. When Hylans fell, Tornea looked a sure winner, but he tired to nothing, and Seville, who is only a useful hurdler, beat him comfortably. Rose Blush was a poor third, followed by Master Boris, who stopped badly at the end. Wishful fell a mile from home, and he has not enhanced his reputation during his visit.

Wishful and Sir Solo were withdrawn fr.om the Sydenham Hurdle Handicap. Backers again rallied round Gang Awa', and he wound up just a little better backed than Kauri King. The result showed unmistakabLy that there was no fluke about the result of the Grand National Hurdles. Kauri King did not appear near the front till six furlongs from home, when he commenced' to move up, and at tho home turn he was just behind Jeannot and Fisher. Then Jeannot retired, and Kauri King, catching ■Fisher after jumping the last hurdle, won comfortably by a good length. It was a stylish performance, and stamped Kauri King as the best hurdler in commission at present. Fisher ran a good race, and stayed on long enough to beat 'Art, whose effort was quite satisfactory under his weight. Luff was finishing on well, and he will win before long | among the moderate lot of hurdlers available for Southern meetings. Jeannot ran a fine race, only fading out at the end. Gladful and Gluetanus never looked like winning, though Gluetanus made a move along the back_. Thrace was last in the early stages, and then put in a great 1 sprint for half a mile, •only to fade out five furlongs from home, finishing last. Gang Awa' had every chance, showing plenty of' pace, but his jumping was bad. He never took the eye as a likely winner, 'and he can be written off as a. horse who is not a success on the Riccarton course. He may win plenty of lnvrdle races, but he is a long way removed from good class. WOOLSTON HANDICAP. The Woolston. Handicap drew a field of sixteen speedy hacks. It was a great betting race, Omahu, Royal Prince, Ibex, Piano, and Jingo being backed in that order, with very little between them. The race was run in a peculiar light, there being a pronounced haze, which made it difficult to distinguish the colours in the early part. When the course proper was reached, Jingo was in charge, and he stayed on solidly, winning by a good margin from the unlucky Ibex, who just gpt up to gain second place, it being his third appearance in a place. Jingo ran very consistently at the meeting, and his win was well deserved. Bomb ran surprisingly well, finishing third. Missouri, Silver and Black, and Fleetham were all finishing well just behind the placed lot. Omahu was also there, but was stopping, after being prominent early along with Phil May and Piano, who were done with a long way from home. FINAL TO THADDEUS. The concluding event, the Islington Handicap, attratcted thirteen competitors, Bedford winding up a good favourite, with the southern pair, John Barleycorn and Thaddeus, claiming most admirers among the others. The first-named pair never looked like winning, their performances being disappointing. Thaddeus, on tho other hand, put up a good performance. He was always one of the front lot, and he ran away from his opponents over the laet furlong. His effort did not come as any surprise to those who had watched him finish so well in the Winter Cup, and he should win again at one of the southern spring fixtures. Kiltess ran a solid race, just lasting long enough to beat Adjutant, who finished very fast. Majestikoff and Hiero were close up. I caught sight of Hastie early, while Lady Louisa was going well half-way down the straight, when she faded out.