THE MINOR EVENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 4

THE MINOR EVENTS

FAVOURITES' GOOD DAY

ELLIS IN FINE FORM

Many of the fields in the minor events at the Wairarapa Meeting yesterday were miich reduced by s;cra~tchhigs, "but they were' large enough ;for the most part to provide quite interesting racing. Favourites had a particularly good innings and few of the prices were' of any .dimensions. The -aggregate first and 'second dividends for the-day was only £30 5s 6d. Two of the .riders, *A. E. Ellis and'S. Anderson, were -in' great form, the former bringing Home f6uf winners in Zeebrugge, Prince Pojnbal, Joie ,de Val, and '.Cottesmore, and" the latter scoring on Aston, Arrow Lad, and' Royal Routine. GIFT FOR ASTON. With Royal Routine out of the way, the Electric Handicap, run. at the unusual opec distance o£ five furlongs, looked a gift for the topweight, Aston, and so it proved. "It was' r;rther • astonishing that he' should" lie allowed' to pay so good a price as he did. Naturally, .he wits the favourite, but there were solid backings for nil the others.

After some delay at" tin: start; the field

was dispatched apparently unexpectedly, and Kozan was hopelessly left, taking no serious part in the race. Aston immediately assumed charge from Portray and Gesture, and nothing ever looked like catching him. Portray did not come on in the straight when in favourable range, and Gesture, on the outer, finished much better to take second money from him. The verdicts-were three parts and half a length respectively, but Aston had something in hand. Gesture's was her first race since her .return from Sydney, and her trainer was very satisfied afterwards with the showing she had made. RICCARTON SUCCESS. Zcebrugge, with A. E. Ellis substituted for his usual pilot, K. B. Coveny, who was not well enough to ride yesterday, was sent out a very hot-order favourite for the Featherston Hack Handicap, and he scored decisively after being forced to cover more ground than anything else iv the race. He is an aptly-named three-year-old chestnut gelding by Winning Hit from the Antagonist mare Brave Deed, and he carries the Clifford well-known blue and gold jacket, His form as a two-year-old was attractive, and he indicated at Awapuni that he was returning to his best by running three very satisfactory races, twice finishing in the money. Yesterday he settled down behind Chief ■Clerk, Alpinist, and Zephyrus early, but Ellis brought him round the last pair on the turn to have him on Chief Clerk's quarters at the straight entrance. Asked for an extra effort at the distance he came away, pursued by Alpinist (on rail), but was doingit very, easily at the post to beat the latter by half a length. Chief Clerk was a length and a half away third, with Zephyrus two lengths further back fourth. Revision was nearest of the others. Zeebmgge was as g-ood a thing as the betting indicated, and he looks like going on winning. Alpinist, ridden a nice race ,on the rail, was the only horse capable of making any show with him at the finish. Chief Clerk, and Zephyrus both had every, chance. Rotation dwelt at the start, and was a bad last practically all the way. VEILMOND'S HALF-BROTHER. Prince Porabal, Veilmond's half-brother by Pombal, opened his winniag account with, a very • impressive victory in the Nursery Handicap. A. E. Ellis moved him away smartly from the middle of the line-out, had the rail when they came over on to the course proper, and was able to let him do it on his own the rest of the way to beat Sir Pombal by the best part of three lengths. It was the second win in succession for Ellis. Prince Pombal has not -yet done. much racing, but he came under notice by run-■ning-a close second to Pesy-at-.S&'enthara in October. He had an easy time for the next, few weeks, but has been speeded up in the last fortnight,'and his success yesiterdny was well anticipated,- for he was a firm favourite at little better than evens. He was one of the Koatanui yearlings ;sent up to the last Trentham sales, and was purchased for 200 guineas by the Wellington sportsman, Mr. J. Taylor, for whom J. M'Laughlin now trains him at Trentham. Sir Pombal had to be content with another minor placing. He was always second, and beat the third horse, Michael Angelo, by nearly as much as the winner beat him. Michael Angelo, who was third most of the way, is improving very slowly with his racing. Fleeting Glance finished well on the outside for fourth placing, but Clangor, Mister Quex, and Gtaysong, in the running throughout, wore all close up. The rest of the field went away slowly, and the only ouc to get near the leading bunch before the finish was Sage. The three placed horses are all trained at Trentham. EXERCISE GALLOP ONLY. The Wardell Handicap was merely an exorcise gallop for the topweight, Royal Koutine, who quite outclassed everything else in the iield. When the race was fairly under way ho. had established a break of three or -four lengths on his opponents, and they' were never any nearer to him. He was in a common canter at the finish four lengths in front of Winsome Hind, who beat Oratorian home from the top of the straight by a couple of lengths. King Midas was a poor fourth. The winner was the hottest favourite of the- day, and gave S. Anderson an even easier-ride than Aston did. Oratorian pursued him- to the straight, then momentarily drew closer in challenge at the distance, but was expended a little further on, and Winsome Hind, who had raced on the outside of him part of the way, finished on more strongly than lie dill. However, he is likely to do better next time the colours are up. FAVOURITE'S STABLEMATE. Favourite for the . Wharekaka Handicap was Waratah,' but the "stable had another horse in St. Koger also, representing it in the race, and this horse duly won at the best price. of the day. St. Koger raced well but unlucki;y at Awapimj, and the public apparently overlooked these performances, or was misled to believe that Waratah'was the better of the stable's pair. r St, Koger won very decisively. Projection, Acis, and Solitaire 11. led him out, but before the field had gone far St. Roger was up alongside Acis in the lead. Once in the straight Acis put up'a very short fight, and St* Roger drew out to win easily by a couple of lengths from Acis, who held off Projection by a length and a half. Solitaire 11. -and Waratah were together next. Waratah made a very poor showing indeed. He was never near the leaders, and did not attempt to improve his position at-any point in the race, Near the end he was doing better than he did earlier, arid" lie should' not be ' allowed to slip from memory because of this performance. Acis displayed his customary pace, and probably hung on better than usual. Solitaire 11. -was disappointing. Projection stuck to the rail throughout, but did not respond when a call was made on him in the straight. FAVOURITE FOR FINISH. ' In a bare two-dividend field for the Novice Stakes, the. -public backed the Cottesmore—Araios bracket as though the racer wits over, and the result proved that the estimation was thoroughly justified, for Cottesmore .immediately!'went to the front and stayed there. A. E. Ellis, whom he was giving bis fourth; success, sat on him till within .a hundred yards from the post, then, as Capetown was making desperate efforts to get up, gave him a touch, and he sprung away to win by nearly two lengths. Granada was a very poor third, with Kalmuk easily best of the rest.

Cottesmore's price was almost ridiculously cramped. for a maiden, but there was little in-the field appearing to hold a chance against him. He is a brown gelding by Hunting Song from Crubeen, one of the first Limond marcs to «o to the stud, and he looks to have a big mi-ing career ahead of him. Capetown was as