SOME FINE FINISHES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1931, Page 6

SOME FINE FINISHES

OTAKI'S MINOR EVENTS

Good racing Avas provided in the minor events at Otaki yesterday, and some interesting finishes were witnessed, the margins generally being small. Favourites had quite a fair day, scoring in three out of the seven events. Two successes came to Trentham stables, the winners being Tqbaccoland and Ephialtes. The former is now out of hack class, but the latter is still within the border. TUNBRIDGE'S GOOD PRICE. In spite of an easy win at his most recent start Tunbridge was allowed to go out fifth favourite in a field of six in the Tararua Hack Hurdles, and his supporters were rewarded with a good price for such a -field. The hurdles were not difficult, and that suited him. He was vp with Modestrian in front after crossing the fence before the stands, and lie put a break on the field along the back. Stajjhunter and Full Mark made efforts to close on him rounding the turn, but he always held them safe and came on from the last fence to win easily by three lengths and a half from Staghuntcr, who outlasted Full Mark by two lengths. Free' hold was a poor fourth, and Tcnacre was a bad last, but being pulled up. Full Mark, the favourite, did not move up till a mile had been traversed., but he never really looked like getting to the winner. Had Klaghuutcr not compelled him to-race wide on-t!ic turn, however, he might possibly have, been second. StagJiunter, who arrived at tlie course only just in time to be weighed out, made a better/showing than at Maslcrlon and should- .win -a hurdles before long. Tenacre, 'the■.'second.favourile, obviously needed the race, .Freehold did not jump well. AT FIRST START. i'iji, tlie ■ two-year-old half-brother by 2?igger. Minstrel to Otairi and defunct Cashier; started his career promisingly by winning the . Kuku . Maiden Flat. Race at his 'first' appearance. . Carrying;2t6lb" overweight to obtain the service's of R. Reed, he was'first to-show out from.'the start and.thereafter was never headed, hanging on well' •' in,: the straight" when challenged by Shbotisi;-and Tavora_ to score narrowly by a peck from itheformer, who was finishing strongly wide out, and beat Tavora by half a lieck for the minor dividend. Parkland was a poor fourth, followed by Little '.Chrush,.. ■•Prime Moutoa, Hinewehi, Foghorn,, and Lady Noel. The winner, was made a very firm favourite, and his price wass not much better than ■ evens.; He had had nearly enough at tlie'■finish, but for a two-year-old in heavy: going "it was a very attractive performance. The ■ stable has had a lot of success.in the. race, haying in recruit years alorie provided-the winner, with .Avru and Oadlaiid'., Tavora, tW. sncoml favourite,, was always well 'i/laced. and was still go.ing'nieely at the did., .Sluiotisl, who pnid jieiu'ly three,times as jmicli for .second ;is flienvirjnnr/.didnotbecome-prominent till. vn Ihc turn,■-bi.it ■]j.e.idi(l>.bc.Ucr.:.-Cliait:aiiy.-.!

thing else from ■that point. Had ,he not ruu -wide he would have won, for the additional effort left" him without just the necessary reserve to top off his claim. Parkland, who ...drew the rail and was carrying Sib overweight, was squeezed out at the start, but afterwards made up much of the leeway. Little Thrush succumbed under the weight. ■Prime Moutoa and l'oghom were finishing strongly.

■ OUT OF HACK RANKS. Tobaeeoland reached, the- boundary of hack class when' ho' won a double at .Lreiithani in the spring, but ho.-httdiconsislcnt-]y failed to leave the ranks till ho scored a narrow but well-earned success in the Waitohu Hack Handicap yesterday. Imminent. Navaho;"Leisure, and Irojan Melody led him. to: the straight, and approaching the distance Navaho had a good lead and, was going strongly, but the Trcntham representative responded gamely under punishment and forged up m the _ mial strides to cut down Ins rival and win uy a head. Trojan Melody, two lengths further away, was hard pressed to hold Tobaccoland's stablemate, Master of Arts, out of third place. Leisure was faith, ana Kasouli, Eminent,;1 and ;Henry of; -Navarre followed. ••.■•■'■■" ' •'-•> . ' , The winner was a strong iirst fancy, and he gave lUiKeed his second success in succession. "He was forefed to do his;best practically all.the way, but ho showed his partiality foy/heavy going whencal led on for his challenge m Hio straight. Navaho went an excellent race, and will be unlucky not to win before long. J.rojan Melody, the second favourite, will be proved with the race. He Covered some extra ground and was visibly tiring at tin: finish. Master of Arts was easily bust oi the beaten horses- Eminent failed p come on^inVtlic 'straight after.* having' every chance. ■ ■■- - ■■•'■..'■ ' .

ANOTHER FAVOURITE WINS. Merry Melody made the third favourite .suctes'-ia-fiveii-aces: when he scored narrowly in ■.tlic-Otaki-lifick-Haudicai). He tried-, to get: toi the .front early, but when he failed 'W. (Broughton.MoJian settle down behind" Kephsrßfr;~&peariLad, "™ Spcarful. "The Sun-,and bpcarform also ran.past him along the .back, but.he was taken to the oiitsideon the turn -and had moved up.to third.place behind, Zephyrus and/Speai-'Lad by 'the-time. the..iield was swinging into 1 the -straight, bpear lvad soon settled Zephyrus;.'b'.ut. Mwi'rM4ofy, ehallenge'd 6trenuous!y,;andK.got uijan^the, fhial strides to win .by:vavshortiiead"from Spear Lad, with '/ephynis' it' goodJcngfcli, : back" 'The !Sun: was. fourth, ■aud^-lvissiess, ■SpearM, Spearform, and' Lady llenc were iiext. ' ' ; • ■■•■ ■.•■■"". '• Merry Melody, showed improving torm at/the recent (Egmoiit" Meeting,, and he is'now near his best.--However, he Jiaa not''the physique of his half-brother, Merry. D.amon, and may not do well under -weight.:; Tho Sun, another well backed candidate, -looked likely at the turn into the straight/but did not unfurl the finishing run he did at Masterton. fepear Lad -went one. of his best races, and it was only;in-the last strides that ho lost _\V. H. Jones liis Second success in succession. Zepjiyrus again weakened at the end ot a race*after having every chance.

T 'SENESCHAL IN FORM. ■ ■ Tne>: Master"ton-winner, Seneschal, was sent out 'theJb'est; backed horse of the day •sn;'.the-;-Te'-'-'Hoijo. Hack Handicap, and he justifie(Titne-: confidence placed in him by winning from' end" to end. Arrowzone and '•Martian-, Chief.-.attended him to the, Sftaighi^^on'froiesde -Yal. was-also right up;6n''ihq^utside'and' Wallaruh was handIly>= placed-;,on'flic' rail. : The 'last-named •pair::bothic)Mllenge^;the. pacemaker, and half-way; down the running it looked that ho -mighfc-go-undei.'- to-Wallaruh, but he -re--sponded to .a,touch, and-.-came. on. stoutly to beat Wallaruh," by.: a: length, with Joio de A ral only ' another," half T length away. Nightmare was 'two.' lengths' further back fourth, and next came;,.Marjaan,:,Chief and/ Arrowzone. I'm Alone'.^as.'a'.b^d; last The winner is in particularly''.goiod lorm at present, and on his twoi most-recent; perfpinnanccsihe is ]jkely:..to^continue the run.'". yIIe waS'j'the third favourite to score, during the day.! Anotheriiattfoctj-yp- effort- ■ was that of Wallaruh, who was.'conceding Itlie winner 161b,. and then ran him ,'to a length/ Keed'did not;'cover, on inch of extra ground with- him,I'waiting; Tor the opening that came in the straight, and had the track not been badly cut up he might have succeeded in bridging the gap to victory. Wallaruh is the makings of a first-class performer. Joie do Val ran well without ever being more than a place prospect, but Arrowzone and, Martian.. Chief both;failed to see the .distance through. As it was Arrowzonc's-first race for some time improvement can be anticipated. Nightmare was finishing on, but her showing was somewhat.disappointing. ".