SOUTH ISLAND AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1931, Page 6

SOUTH ISLAND AGAIN

SUCCESS

The South IslanoT again accounted for trie Telegraph Handicap when Palermo, one of its two representatives in the race, led this year's field home. In the previous four years Booster, Paperchase, and Meadow Lark (twice) had succeeded, and it is now almost becoming a recognised thing for a Southerner to capture the honours. Palermo is one of the most improved sprinters racing in the South at present, having had a particularly successful run over the past few weeks. He is a four-year-old bay'gelding by Solferino from the Pallas mare Lady Pal, and is owned by Mr. W. L. Milne and trained at Gore by T. G. Pollock. A. Eastwood, who rode him yesterday, won the race in 1927 and 1928, on Paperchase and Meadow Lark respectively. In yesterday's race, Blue Paper and Mandy, on the extreme outside of the field, were the smartest away, closely followed by Palermo, the colours of,. Consent and Malayan being also early conspicuous.' Coming on to the course proper, Blue Paper < was showing the way to' Mandy, Malayan, Palermo, Autopay, Consent, and ' but Palermo raced to .the" front at the false' rail, and although Hunting Cry, with a brilliant fun from near the back-of the .field,: was catching him at every stride over the final stages, he held on to his' advantage and was- not seriously pressed to.pass the post a good length clear of Hunting Cry, who was only a head in front of Mandy and^ Compensation, whom the judge could not' separates After the placed horses came Malayan,^;Love Song, Tenterden, Arrow Lad, - and' Autopay.'Consent was-a £200 better favourite than Hunting Cry, with Bayacre, ■; Autopay,' and Palermo best supported of the others. Consent was up among the leading Idjyisiori to the straight, but then drifted back through the : field and was last to finish except for Blue; Paper and Bayacre..;. ;It isnot easy to understand, his-being iade?,fayourite. Hunting; Cry made a big bid from: the distance, cutting down-the opposition in rapid succession, but he left his run too late to have any chance of catching the winner. It was only in the last strides that he managed to obtain the lew profitable dividend. He was probably the unlucky runner in the race. Mandy r.an solidly throughout, and Compensation also went a good race. Bayacre was restive at the tapeß, and had just been led round to the outside when the barrier was released and he was hopelessly left, taking no actual part in the contest.