SOUCHONG AT HIS BEST

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1934, Page 4

SOUCHONG AT HIS BEST

FINE RACE BY SPEED

The two main flat races were interesting. Souchong displayed a return to his very best form when he won the Winter Oats in handsome fashion and gave a return :of nearly double figures. It. was a great start, in . which Koyal Hunting, Souchong, and View Halloo J-aced in the van in line for half a furlong, when Royal Hunting drew out, soon to be passed by Souchong, the pair bcin" well clear of Princess Doreen, Good Hunfng, Playground, Pomp, View Halloo, and Wl Jtl' ifr Eoyal B™S*\ last, bouchong had drawn a couple of lengths away from R oya l Huntingat. the ltalf! ut *? d tl hV VaS stilr this aclvan- £,:" the"home turn, followed by Hoval iw"f?> /V^Boreen, Good Hunting, ontRM \ U vho,a^ Vl«n UP fast on the AoUiing had a chance with Souchon" in a~d'5 Oh.lf C Wl* »f >f*°n*y a .« aim. a. hair. .Koyal : Hunting was dvimr he has had for some time, he was able to make merry at the expense of tl c other runners. Royal Hunting went well and Porot.ti was not well served in the running and is a likely improver. View Halloo finished strongly after having only one horse behind him at the turn. Pomp nitl not appear' suited by the ground I rrncess Doreen went as well as expected Il.lt Royal Bengal was a failure. Good Jtunting was the big disappointment, his torm being too bad to be taken serious notice of

[hero was a close finish in the principal fliit event, the Empire Handicap the consistent Speed edjiins Spiral and '" Ida MerJinp out of the first prize. Lack ivns a- hot favourite, being at a comparatively short price, but he ivent fast for five furlongs only and then faded out.

Lack and Kaihoro led out of the straight

and they turned into the back stretch clear of Ida ilerling and Stitch, with Arvada, Spiral, Speed, Senegal, and TakaJcua next. Passing' the half-mile Lack and Kaihoro had retired. Ida Merling drew away clear and led into the straight from Arvada, Speed, Lack, Senegal, Spiral, Stitch, and Kaihoro. Over the last little bit Ida Merling began to weaken and Speed and then Spiral caught her: Speed beat Spiral by a head/with Ida Merlin" a neck away third. Takakua was -fourth" with Stitch, Ai-vnda, Lack, Chopin, Senegal, and Copper King following' in .that order. It was a stirring finish, with the honours going to Speed, for with Chopin he was slow to move at the: barrier rise, but despite this overcame all 'difficulties! Spiral was not so well placed as the winner over the last half-mile, so he- did well.

Ida Merling ran right lip to form and nearly stole the race when her apprentice/pilot shot to the front at the haltmile. Stitch was right up at the finish while Arvada ran her best race for come time. Lack will have to do much, better than this if he is to have a chance in the Auckland Cornwall Handicap, although of course, this was his first' attempt over a distance. Copper King ran badly and Ivaihoro failed to stay as well as she did at Pahiatua.