THE MARTON MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 65, 14 September 1933, Page 8

THE MARTON MEETING

DEAD HEAT IN MAIN RACE

-CURIE GETS UP IN TIME

,I,'n iA fine finish, between two horses, -..Speedmint and Curie, was staged in the t.Marton Handicap, the principal event at ■the Marton Jockey Club's Spring Meeting yesterday, and a final desperate effort

( j;ot' the unlucky Curie up to make a dead"iieat of it with Speedmint, who had been ;jjn- front all the way. Speedmint,was able iv make the running to suit herself, but Curie had to surmount more than one •^obstacle before finally sharing the hon-,-ours, and without reasonable doubt he .was a really good thing beaten out of the k»le honour.

,'', A trophy was attached to the race, *nd on a toss-tip Mr. A. Courtney, the 'owner of Speedmint, earned the right to "HV The trophy was presented in the ■■birdcage immediately after the race. —Following a quick dispatch, Speedmiut "Was soon in front, and passing the stands Count Palatine was on her outside quarcters, with Curie inside Count Palatine ,-fifa, the fence. Retract, Little Doubt, and Joie de Val were in line behind the leaders, and Chopin brought up the rear. This flrder, with the exception that Joie de "Val moved up in the back stretch to .'fpurtb, did not change materially the rest 1 *>i the way. Curie's first setback came just as the !iield was entering the back, when either ■he slipped into the fence, or was knocked ..in by Count Palatine, the real cause not ~being clear. He lost nearly a length in dipping, but he was soon going up again .along the inside quarters of Count Palatine. Count Palatine was obviously a nuisance "io Curie, who waa kept hemmed in on "the rail till into the straight. Nearing • the distance Count Palatine tired, and ,Curie at last got free to challenge. He -then flew up to Speedmiut's girth, was halted a moment or two in his bid for ...yijetory by the leaders also making a vigorous effort, but then, still not to bo defiled, issued a final plunge that got him ''*'u'ri to terms with Speedmint as they reached the post. ""'"lt was a notable performance by both "(lead-heaters. Speedmiut had a great 'chance to win outright, and might have . tlohe so too if Tinker had moved ou her Jl'om the top of the straight and then • sent her clear away, but such sole success .would have been lucky rather than on '.the merits. Curie was making his first appearance beyond a mile,- and the extra 'iitiarter did riot trouble him. It is quite 'possible on this performance that he will ■win a good middle-distance handicap be'"fore the new season advances far.

;<•-Joie de Val, nearly three lengths away itlrlrd, did beet of the others, but she was well beaten by the dead-heater^. She jtame home with still plenty of running aii'her, and a longer distance may suit her '^better than a mile and a'quarter. Count Palatine went a good race till into the straight, but he then tired iuto 'ifourth place. It looks as if there is hope of his winning another handicap or two 'vet. Little Doubt and Chopin infused .""little enthusiasm into their job, and Retract ran as though he was iv need of a lace.

The dividends returned were interesting. Curie was at a" reasonable win dividend lor his dead heat, but Speedmint's win supporters lost part of their investment. Curie's place price was bettor than his win price, and Speedmint'a place price 'was exactly double her win price. ' '