FIELD SPREADEAGLED

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 96, 20 October 1933, Page 6

FIELD SPREADEAGLED

WHENUAKURA'S WELLESLEY

Breaking tlie minute for the first time in the twelve years since the race was extended to five furlongs in 1922, unbeaten Whenuakura spreadeagled his field in the Wellesley Stakes, the classic piece of the day's racing. Beginning brilliantly he was very quickly out clear of the others, and he allowed nothing ever to get within eoo-ee of him, finally winning in little more than a canter by three lengths and a half from Pin Money, the next beat youngster in the field.

There can be no doubt at all left now 1 hat this two-year-old is a present champion, and lie has only to continue, to train on to prove best colt seen out in the Dominion for many years. He gallops in Ihc most effortless style, and he has such pace that he leaves the speediest of his ■opponents literally standing. Tli»- "first nice at Marton resulted in a narrow victory over Body-line, hi* second ot 'Foxton

gained him another narrow but eaOy enough win over .Superior, his third in the Avondales Stakes was a real runaway victory, and now his fourth' has yielded Win; a more sensational success than ever. No two-year-old that has been out this season to date, except possibly ,Coronilla, has reached anywhere near his class. His winnings in stakes "f of hjs four wins already amounts to £590.;

As has been several times mentioned already he ie a chestnut colt : by Chief Ruler from the brilliant Achilles sprinter Silver Link,'.and'"he i 3 thus a full-brother t° Silver-. Rule ; and Chief Link and a ■ halfbrother to the Stewards' winner Silvermine. : Unlike hia relatives, however, he does not carry the colours of his breeder (Mr. A.. Alexander), but sports the livery of Mr..W. Kirkland, of FoSton,.the owner previously of Tenacre, Balloon., etc., who purchased-him as; a yearling. He is being trained at Hawera by Mr. Alexander's trainer, J. Brown, who quite openly declared on: the tracks oii Wednesday morning that he had-never known a youngster to: show such brilliance in a race afl tlie colt had displayed at Avondale. One can only wonder what his trainer thinks now. As was only to be expected his prices were very.short, but they compared more than favourably with what he returned at Avondale,,his win dividend being similar and his place .dividend very much better. ,His win , dividend yesterday was actually pnly Is 6d more 'than his place dividend, place-betters apparently being conversant with wlfat happened in the north. / '*' Second best in yesterday's race was Pin Money, the brother to Gold' Tinge, who was third over on to the course proper, behind: the winner and Sporting Blood, and who, ridden out, beat the fast-finishing Marcus Cicero by a short'length. In one previous race'this Paper Money colt was a good- second to Superior at Wanganui, and through him . Whermakura ,is definitely better than Superior. Marcus Cicero, the first of Oratrix's offspring and a very close relative to Oratorian and Oratorious. began well enough, but did not hold his position. After being fifth on to' the course proper, he finished solidly into third place, so he is one who. later on may become a true classic proposition.- ■ ' | Sporting Blood, the handicap winner on the- second day at Avondale, had every chance but weakened out of the money. Morbury went anj improved race to finish a good fifth, after being fairly well up .all the way. The final order of the others was Wdnderful, Tutor, Golden • Chance, Synagogue, Custodian, and Flaxen. ; ,