THE MINOR EVENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 140, 10 December 1931, Page 6

THE MINOR EVENTS

1^ PROVIDE FINE RACING

FAVOURITES'- GOOD DAY

Racing was good in the minor events at Woodville yesterday, arid most of the finishes were well ■.contested. Favourites had more than their customary- share of success, and several of the first dividends during the day were under even money. Xo dividend, first or Second, reached the £i mark. For the day the first and second dividends totalled only £32 18s 6d, so that it Tvill be seen how difficult it was for investors to show anything but a small profit. ■'■ ' .-, i PROMISING RECRUIT. '. Royal Songster's superior pate enabledhim to score a comfortable win in -the MaDga-Atua Huvdlea. He was never fur--1 thar- away than third, and,- although he . lost ground by going through several of his fences, be regularly recovered what ho lost between the hurdles, Arrowhead, /'.who had seen to the pace.most of the ■ tv'ay,'led'him to the last fence,-but from % there ; lie drew out and. won by a good length. It was only his third race over hurdles, and he promises to make p. more than- useful recruit to the ranks of jumpore, as ho has the speed,: and with! experience . can .he. expected, tq iraproTC considerably iii his fencing. ' ! '.'■' '. Arrowhead, who was aho haviiij; his' third essay over hurdles, again was out in front most of the way. He jumped better thnri previously, and is well %<M'tb remembering. Timbriclge,- x length

and a halt away third, was near the rear over the early stages, but moved up eteajily from five furlongs out. He looked big, and will benefit from the race. Wliispgue, close up fourth, appeared to be a prospect on the .turn, but lacked the necessary finishing ability. The favourite, Manuiri, did not go with his customary freedom, and was a poor fifth at the end, tlm closest he ever was to the front. Princess Elizabeth, also well supported, was disappointing. Coon Song cried quits after going with the leaders to the turn. The only horse to fall was Royal Black, whose mishap at the second fence, which appeared to bo unusually vertical, was caused chiefly through Coon Song and Royal Songster lying over on him. FAVOURITE'S CLOSE CALL. Bcacpn l(lire, a tliree-yeai'told chestnut gelding by Laqkham, and racing in the same colours as Golden Winga and Lack, wag sent out at arj odds-on price in the Trial Plate, and, although he duly arrived, it was not till- he had given his supporters several moments of suspense. He was among the first bunch to move, and settled clown in second place behind Imperial Fame. The latter hung on boldly in the straight when challenged, and the favourite had to be ridden right out to cut him down and beat him home by a short neck. However, he had not had a race since his Riccarton trip, and will benefit with the race. Imperial Fame, who,is trained at Hastings, went better than most of the public expected, and succumbed only in the last hundred yards. He is an aged gelding by Crown Imperial 11., so that, although lie has* not done much racing, very little improvement can be expected in him. His price for second was roucji bigger thau the winner's. ■ , The others were several lengths away. FlakewUite and Capetown, the third and fourth horses respectively, were best ot them. Flakewhito was handy throughout, but Capetown, after a good start, drifted in the middle stages, then was coming on again at the finish. Chief Clerk, H. Gray's mount, war never dangerous, and his sixth at the end was as near the front as ever ho got. Pukepapa had every chance, but was not too well ridden over the final part. Journet'and King Thomond suffered at the dispatch. PILLOW FIGHT AGAIN. Pillow Fight scored his second success in succession when he won- the Nursery Handicap from end to end. The field was restless when first lined up, and the starter broke them up and brought them in again. Reed, oh Pillow Fight, appeared to anticipate the tapes, and immediately gained an initial advantage ot several lengths. Nothing ever reached him, but Princess Bell, his victor at Hastings last month, ■ challenged determinedly in the straight, and closed to within a length of him at the post. . , The winner is probably the best looking youngster that has been stepped out ;his Season. He has a great reaching stride, and although he may not yet be the equal of some of the year 8 earlier developing youngsters, he U a, gelding who should go on constantly improving, and is likely to take high rank as a late two-year-old and then as an older horse, It is stated that ha will not be taken to Ellerslie for the Summer Meeting, as his owner (Mr. W. G-. Stead) wishes to allow him every chance of developing. ■ Pillow Fight was eclipsed on the machine battle by Tout le Mpnd.who carries the same colours as Gay Crest, Dur, his price whs under evens, as the pair Were the only ones wanted by the public. Tout le Mond was last awa/ in the uncertain start, and although he came from the rear into sixth place in the straight, never had the remotest chance of getting balf-^ter by Chief KuW to the South Australian Derby wuine*, Hot Spring, is evidently going to be p. good . sort. She quickly' obtained posfr ,ion, and finished very strongly. Copper Kin"; the third horse,.,but some distance back, also came pn well at the end, but Marais, who was fourth, weakened shglity after being second to the straight. Mister Quex did best or the others,; Sir Pombal finished last after being prominent early. . BACK TO BEST FORM. The Trentham-traiued Gay Court gave distinct evidence at his last (start at >Puccarton and at Levin that he wag* recover, in" the form he displayed earlier in.: the season, and he proved that it was no false alarm by the convincing manner hi which he disposed of his opponents inthe Mangarawa, Handicap. A feature ot he race'was that the first four horses Gay Court, Arajean, Chief Savage, and. kady Court) finished in., the order in which they were supported. ■ H. Gray, on the winner, rode a waiting race behind the leaders to the straight, hen Tan through to the front ueav the distance. Arajea'n challenged strongly, and Chief Savage hmg on determinedly, but wheu the position looked, uncomtoi'table Gray let Gay Court have bis head, and be drew out again to win by halt a length from Arajean, Chief Savage being only a neck away third, and Lady Court close up next. The winner's success was irobably more easily obtained than the verdict might indicate. It was his first ih' tfie colours of hia now owner, Mr. Hj. J. Harmrtn, who purchased him just pnot to the recent Levin Meeting. I Arajean and Chief Savage both went good'races. The former came from some way back, being behind the winner all the way '• but the ■ latter was always one ot he leaders, being ' preceded only by lunting Boy to the straight, and then taking command till the winner headed him off near the distance. Best of the beaten horses-were Lady Court; White Sauall, and Golden Shadow. Lady Court was very 'unlucky, being caught in the barrier at the start, and, with Alpinist, carrying the tapes, for over half a.furlong. She was then last.-and had to go right round' her field, so that there wus considerable merit in hey fourth. Rotation and Adelphi were noticed finishing on nicely. ■ ANOTHER FOR STABLE, jayson, who carries the same -colours aa the maiden winner, Beacou Fjre, scored the second success ot the : day lor H. It. Rurtsell's Woodville stable when he won the Wuariti Handicap with a Stirling effort from the top of the straight. At that -point 'galipot, Blacksmith, Flower, Fairway, Golden Area, and Foghorn were 'in front of him, but K. Voitre had kept his run in reserve, and, once an opening presented' itself, ...camo through very fast, and beat galipot going away by nearly a length.' Jayson left the bavne* better than usual, and was always within range of the leaders. -,"/." Saltpot, the favourite., ran another fine race for second money. He drew wide out, but was rushed along through the . straight, and was able to 'take the lead before the field entered the back stretch. There he looked like staying till Jaysou took him on halfway down the home stretch. S. Anderson probably erred in bustling him over the early stages, for when such tactics succeeded at Feuding he was amon r< the bottom markers instead of being at the top of thd weights. - Flower, the third horse, looked a big possibility three, furlongs . out, where she was cutting down her opponents in great style, but she was unable to raise the required additional effort in the straight. More patience might have made her more dangerous,. Fairway, the second favourite, went well tp the turn, but then lost his position. He had a chance to retrieve the situation in the home run, but was unable to take advantage pf.it, and finished fifth, vat behind the fourth boree,; Blacksmith, who hnd followed Saltpot most of the way. Easily beet of the others were Fog-, horn, Rapallo, and Easterly.;