NAPIER PARK RACES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1924, Page 11

NAPIER PARK RACES

CONCLUDING DAY

NOTES ON THE SPORT.

(BI TELEOBAPB.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

NAPIER, 21st June.

The Napier Park Racing Club's Meeting was brought to a close to-day, in fine weather. The,going was heavy.

AN EASY WIN.

Sturdee was made first favourite for the Hunt Club Steeplechase, in which all of the acceptors kept their engagements with the starter. Tarakete was the second pick, the next in demand being Kovno. A good start saw Kovno well out in . front,. with Diamond Nap and Ethiopian as her closest attendants. The order was still the same up to the concluding five furlongs, when Xc .Opai beat Diamond Nap for his place. Kovno was . going so well and fencing in so dashing a fashion that she looked unbeatable, and so it proved, for the chestnut daughter of Guianforte and Miss Beckwith won. with the greatest ease, by' half a dozen lengths from Te Opai, who was twenty lengths ahead of Diamond Nap, the next to finish being Cambric. Then came Tarakete and Ethiopian. Gaze and Gay Bobbie fell, and Waireka 'lost his rider. Kovno. who was running in the interest of Ml1 O. G. Twist, a steward of the club, was turned out in great fettle, and pulled up as if she had just finished au exercise spin. Cambric, the big son of Formby and Gauge, wa3 fancied "all serene." but he had the hard luck to be somewhat interfered with by Gay Bobbie, who was making hard work of his job, screwing badly at his fences.

A VERY CLOSE FINISH.

Ma Boughal. was made a good first choice for the Meeanee Hack, over a hundred pounds more being invested on his number than on the second choice, Gardenia. The third selection was White Ensign. Gardenia was the first out of the slips. Huikai, who had been troublesome at the barrier, was left standing, but when he gob on the move ho beat Gardenia, for her place, and led her to the honie bend, but the run took the bottom out of him, and he com-, menced to go back. Gardenia was first at the distance post, where White Ensign and Sunny Roe put in their claims, but the latter was not to be denied. The judge sent up her number in the premier position, with a neck in her favour, : heads, between second and third. The next to finish was Bonlita'. The favourite was well back. The winner is a younger first, sister to Bodyguard, and is one of the pupils of S. Waddell. She was ridden by his nephew, F. Waddell, who handled the filly in an artistic manner,' never throwing a chance away.

JOVIAL SCORES.

Landbird, Jovial, and Lady Hill were the one, two, and three favourites, in that order, for the Waiohiki Hurdles, Landbird having but a slight pull over Jovial for the honours of first choice in the betting. Passing the stand, the order 'was Mosthenes, Landbird, and Jovial.. At..the. back. Jovial shot to the | fr.ont, and fenced' like an old hand at the. game. The further he went the. further did he leave the opposition. At the four lurlongs pogt Mosthenes gave in, and Empyrean made a move, but he was not able .to get further than third. Over the last fence Jovial came away at his own sweet will, scoring s>y half a dozen lengths from Molyneux, who, over the last bit, got the better of Landbird, who finished third, a length and a half to the rear of Molyneux. Gold Piece was the next to finish. The winner was making his debut as a "lepper," and his essay makes him read good for future events. He is a full brother to Joy Ride, and, like all the Merry Moment "clan, handles the soft going in good fashion. Molyneux's pace on the flat stood him in good stead, for he passed Landbird as if the latter was tied up to a post. PITCH'S VICTORY. Barrier was backed down to a short price for the Winter Oats, Merry Singj" and Koodoo being second and third selections.^ Pitch was always in'a good place, the second favourite being very slow to move from the inner position. Racing down to the "back turn Polonette showed out well, and was with the leader, while a bit further on Blksfulness became prominent. But Pitch still was holding his own in control. When right in the running Pitch was still there, with Arch Salute and Koodoo threading' their way through. The former made a desperate effort to reach. Pitch, but was not equal to the occasion, Pitch scoring by a good length from Arch Salute, who was half that distance to the good of Koodoo. Avonlea was fourth. Barrier was pulled up during the latter'part of the trip, and when he returned to the paddock it was seen that his rider had broken one of his stirrup leathers, which accounted for the horse's poor showing. . . * ■ HALF A DOZEN LENGTHS TO SPARE. . ' San Forto saw a very cramped pries m the Park Steeplechase. Malmm was second selection, and Passin1 Through X'^ rd P«*- The. early leaders were Red Cent and Gang Awa', who were &t ™r a)teniat<% during the Hm, V« d hreoT a^r S , when Ma- ,', 1 * ,B »ck«ye became prominent/ Cent City-H d + h°V h6 f^ta« Red longs tp go Buckeye fumbled the fence,' and tins gave Mahuru a further chance She was first at the last fence, and from ,here came away to win by half a d oZ en lengths from Buckeye, who was two lengths to the good of Oak Rose who came very fast over the last couple of furlongs. Red Cent was the next to finish. The win of Mahuru made the third victory during the afternoon for the gets of Merry Moment, the previous winners for the defunct stallion being. Jovial and Pitch.

SUCCESS OF ALTERATION,

Admiral Codrington was but eight pounds ahead of Alteration for the premier position in the betting on the Voraite Hurdles, Vagabond being third choice. The former, who was well handled by Kalui, won by about fonr lengths from' Vagabond, who got home thi-HO lengths ahead <>[ Admiral CodI'iuglon.

NEVYSTEAiy HACK,

Tim> Miiiinga, who had the assistance at E. Hatch in tho saddle, was elected favourite for the Newstead I luck. Treadwell, witli R. .Reed on board, was second selection, and Ptiketni, (he top weight, third selection. From a good send-off Tread well was early in the niettire, with Kilroe and Sensible handy. Reaching for the home turn Hatch got the favourite well placed, and though he had lo dodge' a lot oT obstruction, lie held on to tho -Mountain Knight filly, ■md by superb management, got her oul. of diDlculty, and riding oim of his beat

Kilfaire, who was not at all well fancied, with Treadwell, who had every chance to win, third. Hatch's performance upon the winner was just a revelation of what a past master at the game can do when put to it, for, with a less-experi-enced horseman on her back Tino Maunga would have been amongst the ' also started."

, T^o betting was none too brisk, £13,029 being put through. By comparison with the amount machuied on the second day of the Winter iTR elo ng ks v £ea£On' a deficiency of £1849 was shown, the loss over the two days meeting, when compared with "a £2070* 6 kSt year ' am°™^& to

The stewjjrds to-day continued the inquiry regarding the running of aft« rt m k; M°- t, eP ack Hurdles, Sand,

Results :~

t J* Unfc., Club Steeplechase, of 10° «ov»; two miles—Kovno, 10.2 (Bowden) Ile Opai, 9.7, 2; Diamond Nap, 10 6 3* Abo started: Sturdee 11.10, Gaze 10 9 Cambnc 10.8 Ethiopian lO^, Tarakete qq qt H° eka r,J., ack 9- 10' Gay Bobbie a 9, Strathpan 9.7, Kaurapa 9.7. Time,

Meanee Hack Handicap, of 125 soys; five furiongs.-Gardenia, 9.0 (W ad . 11 n <?' tAlso started: Ma Boughal nn. a n 9-°> Huikai 9.0, Daman 9.0, Hiwinui 9.0. Time, lmin 6 4-ssec Waiohiki Hack Hurdles, of 150 sovsone mile anoV a half—Jovial, 10.7 (J mfxK Molvneux > 10.12, 2; Landbird, 10. L 5, 3. Also started: Earthshine 911 \ lndictrve 9.9, Mosthenes 9.6, Lady Hill 96, Empyrean 9.3, Gold Piece 9 0 lime, 2min 59 3-ssec. Winter Oats Handicap, of 175 soys • seven furlongs.—Pitch, 9.0,' 1- \xrh Salute, 10.1, 2; Koodoo,' 9.11, 3 Also started: Barrier 10.6, Diamond Ring 10.0, Haurangi 9.12, Merry Singer 9.10 Valley Rose 9.5, Happy Days 9.5, Polonett 9.5, Ayonlea 9.0, Whariti 9.0, Blissfulness 9.0, March On 9.0. Time, lmin 36 2 : ssec.

Park Steeplechase ' Handicap, of 300 soys; two and a half miles.—Mahuru 10.1 (A. M'Donald), 1; Buckeye. 9.8 i\ Oak Rose, 9.8, 3. Also started: San Forte 11.8, Passm* Through 10.8, First Line 10.5, Red Cent 10.3, Kipling 10 2 To Maire 10.1, Gang Awa 9.8. Time' smin -36 2-ssec.

.Poraite Hurdle Race, of 200 sov3; one mile and three-quarters.—Alteration, 9 10 (Kaan), 1; Vagabond, 10.9, 2; Admiral Codrington, 9.12, 3. Also started: Kohu 11:2, Woden 9.0, Birka 9,0 Time, 3min 31 3-ssec.

Newstead Hack Handicap, of 150 soys ; six furlongs.—Tino Maunga, 9.10 R Hatch), 1; Kilfaire. 9.0, 2.. Treadwell' 9.2, 3. Also started': Puketoi 10.9, Sensiblo 10.4, Kilroe 9.4, Royal Heather 9.0 Ajax 9.0. Time,' lmin 21 2-sscc.