TAR ANAKI MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 156, 30 December 1925, Page 3

TAR ANAKI MEETING

NOTES ON THE RACING.

The Taranaki Jockey Club's Meetiag passed off successfully, and, from a financial point of view, was one of the best held by the club. Excepting Income, the clues of horse competing at 'the meeting can be described as poor. If the club has at heart the interests of owners and sportsmen generally, better stake money- should be offered, which would entice owners of horses, worthy of a metropolitan meeting. Royal Mint, Scat, and Duetto each same in for strong support for the Huatqki Plate, but all three: performed below par, their form being wrong! The winner p'roved'to'be Lady Anstruther, a filly.' by' Taunahai, which may -win: when the class'is moderate.- ■ ... l - .

. The stable-mates Bisox and Merle monopolised the betting on the Juvenile Handicap.. Bisox got a bad run, arid Merle was not artisticajly ridden. A pair of Bisogne's stock in Orcares and Atone had ts®fi'li6n to themselves.-; : ■ The well-bred San Fera (Feramorr— Lady Fran) won the Kajiotu Hack Hurdles in a■• decisive manner,, and on the showing looks certain to run well again/at t)ie St'ratfprd, Meeting on Fri-day-arid Saturday. Rafa was a competitor 'at ;New Plymouth, but as a hurdler appears to-be a forlorn hope.., ■ Included in the runpefs for' the Stewards'. Hack was Benzora, a gelding which' showed a Ipt: .of • speed at both the ' Ashkujst' Peilding • Meetings. Benzora was strongly ■ supported,. and although n6t:fa,vourea with a good.run won. comfortably. «t, the finish. , AltKoiisth somewha.t short of' work and heavily bandaged in front, Income had a host of admirers fop.the Chrjstmas Handicap. He duly won, but will have a much harder task in the Stratfor^'.Cup on Friday. Whetunui v/as giving away a big start over ther Hst half-mile, and, -iinwhing, fast, just failed to gain place money. The Avondaletrained Bay Dighton ran second, but<the performance was not impressive. ••'.. No Response made some amends for his Feildine defeats by winning- -the Lepper.tcin ,\Velter.. The . .Northernorg, Green Bonnet, Daddy's Girl, and Santa Fe, were starters, but failed to pay a dividend, and evidently are not as good as represented to be. The Tikorangi Stakes served.to introduce a useful ,'gelding-in the grey--Eh' Timi, which beat Quillfire and Argue for pace, and won very easily. Eh Timi was sired by Polydamon from Rewanga, and is. big enough. to win a Grand National Steeplechase. : A lot of money went on Papaponga for the Flying Handicap, and, jumping out well, he.showed a lot of pace to. win very easily from Yoma and the disappointing Shuteye» and Gail lard. Despite an indifferent display on the opening day, Scat was again heavily supported for the opening event on the second-day (Fitzroy Hack). Scat duly won, but his performance was a very moderate one.

For ths Electric Juvenile, Merle was again-made a bjg favourite, but-> again was Flying Shot, a son of Campfire. He was Fllying Shot, a son of Campftre. He won in, a manner tiiat suggests further :successes. . ■

Bigox was selected by backers for the Summer-Hack, but a-fair chance was spoilt through accidental interference by Quilliire. 1 In this event the promising Glengariff just beat the unlucky Sunny Vale. The last-named should perform well at Stratford on Friday, as should Quillfire. .. " ': San Fera was made favourite for the Tarata Hurdles, but appeared to be somewhat unlucky to siiffer a narrow defeat by Gold Peak. Peter Rosa, Some Fashion, and Lord Thurnham, from the Auckland province,, failed badly. AVhetunui and Arch Opal divided favouritism for the New Plymouth Handicap. The former .won well, but will meet a milch better lot at Stratford on Friday next., Bay IMghton was withdrawn from' the event, in- favour of hii Stratford Cup engagement, but on paper Bay Dighton does not look class enough for the Stratford field. ..

No Response was. again fuccessful in the Uruti Welter, but the class was poor, as shown by the second registered by the moderate Fire: Brigade. Daddy's Girl was expected to run well, but failed badly. . • For the Inglewood Handicap,- Papaponga was m.ade the hottest favourite of the meeting. He won after leading all the way; but had little to spare. Papaponga will have a big following at Stratford on.Friday, but his task will be much more difficult.

The meeting concluded with the vv>rea Stakes, for.which event Eh Timi was made a pronounced favourite. He daehed through the barrier before the start and dislodged his ride* (J. Roche), but after going half a mile was caught and brought back to the starting-post. Eh Timi made light of his 9.7, for he wag first (Art to lead all the way, winning "easily in the Binart time of lmin 2sec for five furlongs.