AT NAPIER PARK

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 142, 20 June 1927, Page 7

AT NAPIER PARK

CROWN COIN'S PROMISING

effort!

A.DULL DAY,

(By Telegraph, from "Vedette.")

It is possible that no pavt of New Zealand is feeling the financial depression as much as Hawkes Bay, and this was re- . fleeted again in marked fashion at the Napier-Park Winter Meeting on Saturday. The day ■■■wrap, gloriously fine, even if there was a nip in the air, and .sufficient to tempt one out of doors. sMany of the regulars were absent, however, and the attendance was poor, the totalisator figures being £9290, against £14,449 for the '- second day (Saturday) of last year's meeting, -which was a two-day one. No matter what the reason, seldom has a day been experienced so flat, stale, and unprofitable. There was a complete absence of life in the whole proceedings. The racing, considering the poor class of horses, was interesting enough. Crown Com gave a promising exhibition in the Napier Steeplechase, and he looks like ■ making good in this department. The open flat "event, the Stewards' Stakes, provided a dead-heat between two moderates, . while the Hack Steeplechase saw a good tussle between Hokioi, Handy, and Woden, with the barest possible margins separating, them. None of the falls in the jumping races was attended with serious result to horse or rider. A. M/Donald made his reappearance over fences. He finished second on Peneus, took a_ tumble off Merry Singer, and had anything but a comfortable ride . on Little Kiver. Between races ten rising two-year-olds from the stables of S. Waddell, H. Neagle, •and W. Donovan were sprinted down the straight. The district looks sure, to be very well represented in two-year-old races next season. MOTEO HACK HURDLES. Peneus wound .up a slightly better favourite than Peshwa, with Arataura at a liberal price. Arataura led out from Peneus, Sweet Heather, Rakauponga, and Mountain Top. .The last-named ran off at the first fence, which Ballyfarnon and Lombardo ran down and both scrambled over the wing. Arataura was bowling along in front well clear of Peneus passing the stands, with' Sweet Heather, Bakauponga,Peshwa, and Great Day'following at intervals. Rakauponga lost his rider two fences from home, and Peneus could not make any impression on Arataura, who won by ten lengths. Peshwa was ten .lengths away third, with Great Day and Sweet Heather the only others to finish. Lombardo ran off at -the last fence, and Ballyfarnon followed suit. Arataura, who looked particularly well, stayed out the Journey in great style and jumped better than Peneus, who was inclined to be careful at his fences. Both should be worth keeping in mind. Peshwa and Great Day were hung up in the tapes at the start, and Peshwa did well, to get into third place. Great Day shaped very well for; a newcomer, and should make good. jTlie.fences were not well protected with wings; and were not the best for green horses over-hurdles. ;; PETANEVHACk STEEPLECHASE. Hokioi was -favourite;'..with fair support for Merry Singer, Woden. Rangi Sarto, and Handy. Hokioi, and Fairfield led to the first fence, and once over Handy took charge from Woden, Merry Singer; "Fairfield, and Hokioi, s withi Kirkwood well back. There was little change over the first mile, except that dropped out of the leading bunch and Rangi Sarto moved up a little. Merry Singer showed out momentarily in front six furlongs from home, but fell at the post and rails, and Scornful, who was toiling in the rear, was pulled up. This left Woden, Hokioi, and Handy out by themselves. Hokioi just led Handy at'the last fence, with Woden near. Handy, pecked at the last fence and in a good race to the post only heads divided Hokioi, Handy, and Woden. Fairfield, Gobd Mark, Rangi Sarto, and Kirkwood finished at intervals. Hokioi was ridden a very confident race by P. M'Brearty, .and probably could have won by a greater margin/ Handy stuck on surprisingly well for a horse who is touched in the wind, but the bright day was in his favour. Woden finished very well, and should win a race oh the circuit. Not much can be said in favour of the rest, except that Merry Singer was going",wel] when he came to grief. ; j MEEANEE HACK HANDICAP, Inner Harbour was a very decided favourite, with Nastori and Essential fairly

well backed. Inner; Harbour and-Karu-tahi began best from Coot, Tom-'Byrne, and Nastori, with High Heather squeezed right back. When they'settled down Inner Harbour just led Karu'talu, Coot, ; Tom: Byrne, and Nastori, with: Watchmanheading the rest. Inner Harbour led at the turn from Coot and Tom Byrne, with Karutahr c and Nastori handy.' Inner Harbour lasted' long enough to win'by'half, a length frpm Coot, with Greeir Grocer four lengths'"away.; High : /Heather .was fourth, and ; then came Nastori : and Essential. ■ '"''.-■■ "': ■:■' ■*;:,:

Inner Harbour, who had •been; galloping well on the track, just lasted long enough to beat Coot, who would have.won in another half-furlong. Green' Grocer surprised by getting into third place. High Heather was the unlucky runner and with j a decent jump out would-have.troubled the placed horses. Waichmanwas as big as a prize bullock.;" Nastori was beaten by her weight-on the day, but she may do better than this very soon. ■ NAPIER STEEPLECHASE. Crown Coin wound up with nine tickets more than Bonny Kill in a one-dividend I field. Waioeka Jack, jumping wildly, set the pace for half a mile and then crashed. This left Kovno and Bonny Rill in front, several lengths clear of Little River, with Crown Coin, well back., So they ran for nearly two miles. Crown Coin made up his ground gradually over the last round, and was with Kovno and Bonny Rill two fences from home. Crown Coin led over the last fence, and won easily by two lengths from Bonny Rjll, who beat Kovno by a similar, margin. Xiittle River cankered in a furlong away. "... > Crown Coin finished in great style, and he^looks like being a good proposition as a 'chaser. Bonny Rill might have done better if she had not raced.Kovno all the way, for the pair set a good pace. Kovno was by no means disgraced. It was not one of Little River's good days. He had A. M'Donald well out of the saddle at the double the first time. ■" "■' LADIES' BRACELET. Brigadier Bill and Radiate carried the bulk of ■ the money. Tameterangi led down the straight from Brigadier Bill, Blissfulness, Serenade, Radiate, and Perle de Leon. Radiate and Perle de Leon improved their positions half a mile from home. Turning into the straight, Tameterangi and Perle de Leon led Brigadier Bill and Radiate. Perle de Leon could hot get to Tameterangi, who won easily by two lengths from Perle de Leon. Brigadier I Bill waß five lengths away, and then came Radiate and Serenade. ■ -.- For an amateur riders' race it was quite a good one,, but Mr. J. Morris, on the winner, outrode his rivals ,at the end. Probably he would have won on Perle da Leon, who went a really good race. Brigadier Bill had every chance. 1 Radiate was not over well' handled."' : STEWARDS' STAKES. Royal Diadem was favourite, but it was a very fair betting race, with good support for Hathor, Mint Leaf, and Road Hog. Road Hog began smartly, and led into the back straight from -' Gaze, Buoyant, Huikai,' Mint" Leaf, and 'Hathor. Hathor. rapidly improved her position, and Mint Leaf dropped back second to last. Crossing the top, Huikai and Road Hog led from Hathor,. Buoyant, and Royal Diadem, with Mint Leaf making a move forward on the outside. Huikai had gone: out by himself at the turn, with Hathor, Road Hog,' and Mint Leaf next. Huikai was overhauled by Mint Leaf in the last stride, the judge awarding a dead heat. -Royal Diadem was three lengths away, third, with Hathor and Othon next, and the remaining three in a line. ■ .-.*

Mint Leaf put up a really good performance, for with five furlongs to go his looked to be a hopeless case. He was going very strongly at the end. Huikai ran out the mile well, and .had settled Road Hog two furlongs from home.: Royal Diadem ran a fair race, but had every chance to do better than finish third. Hathor may be suited better by seven furlongs, but she should win a race before long. Road Hog and Buoyant were' both disappointing. ■ . . ' ■ . . .:.•..-■■- SETTLERS' HACK HANDICAP. Piperenzo was. a better favourite'than Merle and Kilmezzo. Heather Blend led out from Piperenzo, Kilmezzo, and Grand National, with Calluna last. Racing across the top, Piperenzo showed the way to Heather Blend, Grand National, Kilmezzo, Toka, and Merle. Calluna had run up handy at; the turn, where Merle just led Piperenzo, Toka, Calluna, and Grand National. Toka, a rank outsider, failed to reach Merle by two lengths, with Grand National three-quarters of a length away. Highway, Calluna, Piperenzo, arid Kilmezzo, all well up, were next.

Merle did not begin well, but over the last two furlongß she did not give her backers much cause for concern. She is a very much improved mare. Toka, given in the race'book as a five-year-old gelding, by Birkful from Kinsale, showed an astonishing turn of speed, and was always in the picture. One wonders where he has been heretofore. Grand National appeared to be checked at the turn, and finished a -fair third. Highway and Cnlluna both went very useful races, specially Calluna, who was not handled to the best advantage. Piperenzo, the English-bred filly, was a very strong tip, but was one of the first beaten. Kilmezzo faded out at the end. Results:— Moteo Hack Hurdles, of 150 soys; one mile and a half.—4 Arataura, 9.3 (H. Gordon), 1; 1 Peneus, 10.13, 2; 2 Peshwa, 9.9, 3. Also started: 3 Lombardo 9.12, 6 Great Bay 9.10, 8 Sweet Heather 9.8, T Mountain Top 9.2, 5 Rakaupongo 9.0, 9 Ballyfarnon 9.0. Time, 2mln 47 2-ssec. Petane Hack Steeplechase, of 150 sots; two miles.—l Hokioi,, 10,2 (P. M'Brearty), 1; 4 Handy, 9.2%, 2; 3 Woden, 10.6, 3. Also started: 2 Merry Singer 10:10, 4 Rangi Sarto 10.3, 5 Kirkwood 9.11, 6 Scornful 9.4%, 8 Good Mark 9.2%, 7 Falrfleld 9.0%. Time, 4min 21sec. Mceanee Hack .Handicap, of 125 sots; five furlongs.—l Inner Harbour, 9.8 <F. Waddell), 1; 6 Coot, 9.10, 2; 7 Greengrocer 9.0,.3. Also started: 2 Nastori 10.6, 8 Watchman, 10.2, 3 Essential 9.9, 10 Butterscotch 9.5, 9 Karutahl 9.0, 4 High Heather 9.0, 5 Tom Byrne 9.0. Time, lmin 4 3-lisec. NAPIER STEEPLECHASE, of 250 soys; about two miles and a half. 1 H. Tupaea's b e Crown Coin, by Crown Imperial—Rouble) aged, 9.8 (K. E. Thomson) 1 2 J. M'Donnell's eh m Bonny Rill, aged, 9.13 (H. Gordon) 2 5 C. E. Twist's eh m Kovno, aged, 9.0 <B. E. Ellis)' ,' , ... 3 Also started: 4 Little River 9.4, 3 Waloeka Jack 9.0. Time, smln 10 l-ssee. Ladles' Handicap, of 100 sots; trophies of 80 sots and 20 soys to first and second horses; one mile and a quarter.—3 Tameterangl, 10.7 (Mr. J. Morris). 1: 4 Perlede Leon, 12.8, 2; I Brigadier Bill, 11.12, 3. Also started: 8 Radiate 11.12, 5 Serenade 10.13, 6 Bllssfulness 10.7. Time, 2mln 15 4-ssec. STEWARDS' HANDICAP, of 175 sots; ono . mile. 3 E. George's br h Mint Leaf, by Catmint— Potona, 4yr«, 10.3 (L. George) t 5 Taranakl T<S tla's br c Hulkal.'by Tribulation—Carlatqur, 6vrs, 9.3 (B. H. Morris) t 1 L. G. Clare's eh g Royal Diadem, syrs, 9.13 (L. G. Morris) 3 tDead beat for first place. Also started: 6 Buoyant 9.9, 7 Gaze 9.9, 2 Hathor 9.«, 4 Koad Hog 9.2, 8 Othon 9.0. Time, lmln 4(i l-ssec. ' Settlers' Hack Handicap, of .125 soys; seven furlongs.—2 Merle, 10.6 (R. W. M'Tavish), 1; 7 Toka, 9.0, 2; 4 Grand National, 9.11, 3. Also started: 3 Kilmezzo 10.11, 4 Calluna 9.11 bracketed with Grand National, G Highway 9.6; 5 Heather Blend 9.2, 1 Plperengo 9.0. Time, lmln 34 4-ssec.