ASHBURTON MEETING NOTES ON THE RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 121, 25 May 1931, Page 6

ASHBURTON MEETING

NOTES ON THE RACING

AUTUMN TO TARAGONA

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "Tho Evening Post.") CHRISTCHURCII, 23rd May. 'Hie Ashbnrton County I'lacing Club's ' Autumn Meeting was lielcl in ideal weather : and on a good track. There was same interesting sport, but backers of favourites did not fare very well. The lotalisator ' investments were £Soll 10s for seven races, compared with £9142 10s last year, j when the programme consisted of eight events. GLENROWAN EASILY. Backers started well when they made Glcnrowiin favourite for the Ilighweiglit Handicap. Ho was not prominent till the . home turn was■ reached, when he moved - up. He had the race in hand when he took the lead at'the entrance to the straight, and lie ran home very easily. Since winning the Invercargill Cup in January, he. has failed' several times at a mile and a . quarter, which seems a trifle too far, but < at seven furlongs or a mile he is very use-: ; ful. Semper Paratus, the second favourite, was always- well placed, aud outstay- | ed livening, for second money. Etude, another well-backed candidate, collapsed in ' the straight. BELVOIR JUST FAILS. The two-year-old, Belvoir, was backed as - a certainty in the Trial Stakes. He had : every chance, as he and Weatherly were i in front practically all the way, but Wca- : thcrly stuck on to win by a head. Weatherly has done a- fair amount of racing, ' but in the past, though. showing speed, has failed through lack of stamina. In this ■ race he finished resolutely. He was one of j the outsiders of the field, but his success ' was popular, as ho gave l'\ E. Jones his first winner since .he resumed training. , Belvoir need.not be condemned. He will be good nest season. Silver Salver ran a fair "race in third-place! Mr. A.'Louisson i started his trio of two-yearolds, but AVater J Polo got off badly, while Static and ' Nightguard never looked dangerous. GUN FIRE ALL THE WAY. J Gun Fire, a Man o' War gelding, and i trained at Pleasant Point, in South., Can-, j tcrbury, led all the way in the Sclma Trob '■■ Handicap. He is a solid customer, liable to improve. Symmetry, who finished sec- 1 ond, after being one of tho leaders all the' ! way, is a two-year-old by GreatAudubou from Sympathy, and she ia going to be \ good. Golden Harvest came with a run , over the last half-mile to finish third. War- : bird, the favourite, also Plain : Silk and Ruin, failed to begin right. Mr. J. R. ] M'Kenize's two-year-old, May Chcnault, ' went well for a mile and then stopped. ( The field included two other two-year-olds, - Speed Queen (Nelson Bingen—Haydock) . and Avernus (Nelson Derby—Logan : Pointer mare), but neither was ever pro- ' minent. BROTHER TO PAQUITO. The Bailiff and Punehestown monopolised the betting in the Autumn Hack Handicap. Punehestown looked unlucky to be bea Iten. He was nearly last at the end of two furlongs, but three furlongs further on he was in front, and still going away. He entered the straight with a lead of several lengths from Giggleswick and The Bailiff, but tired' in the run home, Taragona coming with a late challenge to beat him by a length. .'. Taragona finished on so well that his future prospects look bright. Giggles.wick was; close up, staying the going put solidly, and just beating The Bailiff, for whom no excuses can be offered. Mistress Quickly showed, up for six furlongs, and then faded out. Taragona is a_ four-year-old brother to Paquito, and he is certain to make great improvement next sea» son. ■■■■'■■ LIMITED'S COMEBACK, iianelagh, the "favourilo for the; Flying Handicap, was a trinhj''slow-■ ib get going, and though he putin his claim -vyhett he straight was reached, he soon faded* wit1 again. Limited- and Wise Choice headed Great Star at the end of two furlongs:; Limited led to the straight, where Rascal was also well up. Rascal aud Wise Choice soon retired, and Limited beat Great Star decisively hy a length. Juniper, finishing well, "was half a length away, just in front of First Raid, who came with a late run. Limited has always had speed, but this was his best effort in a raco in these parts. Rauelagh's running was the subject of an inquiry, but the explanation offered ■was accepted. Night Effort suffered from interference early in the race. A. Mcsservcy, on Juniper, was considered the cause, but his explanation was accepted. CRASH AGAIN SECOND. Whatnot was favourite for tho Long-' beach Hack Handicap, in a good bettingl race. She showed a lot of speed, being, in front with Crash from the start, but; whea the straight was reached she was j well beaten. Crash looked a winner at this \ stage, as he was well clear- from Night \ Recital and Arrowmaid, but Arrowmaid j finished with a strong run, beating Crash ; by half a length. Night Recital failed at' the end, but hung on to stall off Coun-i termarch's late challenge, while Jock o\ Hazcldean was close up. Arrowmaid regis-; tered an attractive performance, but Crash i was unlucky to be beaten. Bonrose fin-, ished a long way back. Her rider com-|: • plained that his mount was interfered;with by Countermarch, ridden by A. Mes-; seryey, who again was able to tender a.' satisfactory explanation. FAVOURITE'S WIND UP. The jHiblic picked the Rakaia Trot well, the favourite, Gold Country, leading all the wall and winning easily from tho second fancy, Actor, who was in a handy position early and beat the others without much trouble. Gold Country won on the same course last June, and had been spelling since then. He is a four-year-old by Rey de Oro'from the Trotting Cup winner, Country Belle, and if he trains on ho will reach good class. RESULTS IN DETAIL. Results were:— Hlghwclght Handicap, of 100 sors; one mile. —1 Glenrowim, 10.0 (Kerwin), 1; 2 Semper Paratiis, 10.2, 2; 4 Kvenlnt', 9.0, 3. Also started: 8 Shortly 10.2, 6 Topero 10.1, 7 flnsrange 9.0, 8 Oriflamb 0.0, 3 Elude 0.0, 5 Ifclony 9.0, 10 Galllranter 9.0. Won by two Icnxths, a length and a half between second and third. Time, lmln 42 l-ssec. Trial Stakes, or SO soys; flee furlongs.—lo WeathorJy, 5.4 (Cotton), 1; 1 Belvoir, 7.7 2; 2 Silver Salver, 5.4, 3. Also started: 7 Golden Nolo 8.7, 6 Coroner 8.4, 11 Marflsh Mluce 5.4, 8 Manotho 7.7, 0 Metal Bird 7.7, 3 Ma Belle Polly 7.7, 4 Good Catch 7.7, 5 Water Polo 7.7 (coupled with Static), Won by a head, three lengths between second and third. Time, 60acc. Selma Trot Handicap, of 00 soys; 3.45 class ; one mile and a half.—s Gunfire, scr (Tcahcii) 1; 12 Symmetry, acr, 2; 2 Golden Harvest, scr, 3. Also started: 1 Warblrd, 10 Speed Queen, 4 Kuin, 16 Avernus, 11 Irish Author, ij Plain Silk, 15 Claranda, 12 May Chenault, S Tatsy de Oro, 7 Shawingan, 0 Logan Eraser, S Native Cole, scr; 14 Tempo, 12yds behind. AVon by' Uvo lengths, four lengths between second anil third. ' Time, 3mln 25 4-ssec. AUTUMN HACK .HANDICAP, or 115 sors: one mile' and a quarter., ■t Taragona, 7.0 (Messcrvey) 1 2 Punclieslown, 8.2 •„, . 2 3 Glgglcawick,. 3:0 , , 3 ; Also,started: 1 Tho BnililT 8.15,;9 Trains 7.3, 8 Mistress Quickly 7.0, S Alladln 7.0. C. Felony' 7.0, 7 Palmary 7.0. Tanißona was not sighted till tho straight ing up till then. Tho winner camo up lastand won by a length, half a length between second- and third. Time, 2min Osec. l?lylng Handicap, of 100 soys; six furlongs.— 0 Limited, 7.S (Coveny), 1; 2 Great Star, 9.0, ■ 2; 3 Juniper, 7.7, 3.' Also started: 1 Itanelaah 8.0, 4 Wise Choice 7.11, 7 First Knit! 7.8, 6 Night Effort 7.7, 5 liascal 7.0, 8 Miss Mercla.' 7.3. Great Star, Itnscal. and Wise Choice led from tho start, but liimited took charge coming round to tho straight, winning comfortably by a longth, with half a length he-; twecn second and third. Time, lmiii 12 l-Ssec.: Longbeach Hack Handicap, of !IO soys; six. furlongs.—2 Arrowmaid, 8.11 (Kcrwiii), 1:0 Crash, 7.7, 2; S Night Bccltat, 7.!). 3, Also started: 6 Semper .Faratus 8.10, il Honrose S.!l, 4 Jock 0' Hazeldoan 8.8, 5 Countermarch 7.9. 1 Whatnot 7.7, 9 Gasrango 7.0, 10 Golden Nuto 7.0. Won. liy half a length, two lengths between second and third. Time, iniln 12 3-Dseo. Kaliala Trot Handicap, of 9Fi soys; :(.4O class: one mile and a half.—l Gold Country, scr (M. Holmes), 1; 2 Actor, 12yds behind, 2; 4 White Stranger, 48jds behind, 3. Also started: 5 Jean Drusus,. 6 Warblrd, 10 Master Don, il Tatsy de Oro, scr; 8 Accras, 7 Tea Alice, 11 Belie Somerton. 12yds behind; 13 Silverwiiod, 30yds behind; 12 Torchlight, 3 Glehville, 4Syds behind. Won by three lengths, live lengths betwecu second and third. Time, Smln illiacf.