CONSISTENT RUNNER

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 114, 16 May 1934, Page 6

CONSISTENT RUNNER

COPPER KING'S RECORD

FORM AT WANGANUI

Gay Seton is going to be hard to beat in open sprint company, for he stood right out among the hack sprinters at Wangamii. He only just won the first day, but with 9.6 he easily collared the leader half-way up the running and appeared to win with something in hand. He is by Gay Shieldfrom I'ersis, the dam of good winners in Lady Lois, Tuahine, The .fc'ox, and Koyai Duke, and he was taken to Australia by A. D. Webster Jast year after winning on Uio Auckland provincial circuit. Gay Seton races in the colours of the Waikato sportsman, Mr. Clive Ma thews, who also owned the sire, Gay Shield, until he died last year. While in Wanganui last week Mr. Mathews took the opportunity of going out to Mr. J. Donald's Westmere Stud to see the new sire Beau Pere, a halfbrother, by Son-in-Law, to Gay Shield Beau Pere is a very fine type, and it will be surprising if'he does not make good. Moneygran and Cawbeen are sheer speed merchants, and round the turning Wanganui course they certainly made things interesting for the opposition. Cawbeen hung ooi Jonger over thesis furlongs the iirst day than the southerner, but Moneygran came into .his.own over five furlongs on. Saturday. Even then Cawbeen might have won, and should have done so, for his rider was outgeneralled by L. J. Ellis and Moneygran literally took it off the Hastings hack. Moneygran does not go further than five furlongs at present, although in weaker company than he met at Wanganui—and that was certainly as weak as possible on the second day—he ■will probably carry on a bit longer. Cawbeen should show up at the Rangitikei Meeting.

In the five furlongs hack event aC Wanganui on Saturday Wharaurangi would probably have won had he been a bit more lucky in the running. He got away well, but crossing the top bend he was wide out, and he was'allowed to drop in behind. At the finish he was going very fast, to be beaten a head and a neck. Wharaurangi, if produced next Saturday at Bulls, will take some shaking off there. He is in two races there.

In hiß last dozen starts, Copper. King has won six times, been second on' three occasions,, and third twice, being out of the money once, the first day at - Wanganui. This is consistency itself, and now that the sting is out of the ground he may go on his winning way, although, of course, he is soaring right up in the weightß.; His successful effort at Wanganui on Saturday was a' really good performance, -for he -was last' right round till -within.; two -furlongs -from home, then he made a run fhat gave tfie others no chance. If he is started at Bulls on Saturday the Nigger Minstrel gelding will be very hard to beat with all his.weightl which, by the way, is 131b more than he won with at Wanganui, but the opposition is far from strong. . TAKAKUA DISAPPOINTED. ' • Takakua 'had'every chance to win the' Connolly ' Handicap,; at Wanganui on baturday, andie was/well beaten by Copi per King at the finish. He was not too lucky in,the running of the handicap on the opening day, finishing on in fourth place, while on Saturday he received a much better passage/to be unlucky enough to catch the winner in galloping mood. Prince Colossus, reserved for-the'second day-at Wanganui, was somewhat disapi pointing, although there' were contributing causes to his defeat. He was always handy once his rider moved up into the position sought, and then when he was making iiis- run near the post he got chopped right out by the two on either hand squeezing him. in Taranaki Prince Colossus is regarded as something above the ordinary, and while he has so far not shown it in public-he still has time to do so, for he: is a ■fdur-year-oldvand he has only been, racing for a year. Hisnext engagement is in the' President's 'Handicap at Te Kapa on' Saturday, after which he contests the Cornwall Handicap. ' Headmistress is, a horse of contradictions. In fairly,good ground the first day; at Hawera she" led into the straight in the seven furlongs hack race, tljen petering out. On tlie following day, with a furlong and a .half further to go, and the mud at that, -shfi led ;all the way to pay a:huge dividend. At Wanganui eacE day she was a long way back at;the home: turn, then to unwind a remarkable run!. Seeing--this, many" supported her on 'the! second day, arid she repeatedI:'the per? formance finishing fourth. Horses that' are doing then- best and galloping over everything when the race is over, are not good prepositions on bracks like Wanganui. . ■ ' -.-" ;

There .were some ■fine midaie-distanee hack performers seen out at TVaugauui, many of' ■wbom.TOll be found next season playing their part "will an handicap company. Among <them could be Jioted Weroi liia, West Tor, Oriel, Diagano,.lres ,Sec,' Mutorni, Taitoru (who was not seen at1 his best, thanks to an interrupted preparation), Ked Kufus, and periaps Headmisitress could-be included as well. Nightguard niay be another, but he was not well served in/ the running in ibis two;outiugs; a better line' may be'obtained on his prospects at Te Rapa. . The- Hawera hack Diagano should never Tuive been beaten in the first .Champion Hack Plate contest at Wanganui. He was on ithe rails throughout, and in a iandy position, but crossing the top it was obvious that, unless ne -was "very lucky he -would meet ■with a lot of trouble. So it proved, for many horses swarmed' round on ; the outside of him, and L. JV Ellis could not get a ran. He was still in trouble as the .field straightened up, and it was only a hundred yards from the* post that the horses in front left the rails Tinder pressure and Diagano got through. He flew from this point, but the three lengths' break he had to concede to Matorni in the last half-furlong could jiot be bridged, although Diagano got as close as a neck at the post. Ihat effort on his part will not be forgotten easily; RAN BELOW FORM.' ■}' Xack was the big disappointment of the flat performers at Wanganui, and on his showing there it does not-seem-possible for him to win the Cornwall Handicap and so follow 3n' the looisteps of his stableihate Beacon Fire. Lack forced the pace in the Empire Handicap on.Thursday' but passing the half-mile post.Tie Tjegaii to fade, which was surprising, for 'at that point he iad only gone a little over five furlongs Back to sprinting on the second day he -failed, to improve on "the position he obtained early, being in about the middle of the field ■ ;^ Good Hunting ran one <good -and one tad Tace at Wanganui, His worst •'effort ■was in the sprint on the opening day; -when ie iailedlo ;reveal any dash in -his task, and finally finished seventh. He was in the fniadle of the feld on the second day till a little over two furlongs from home, When Jiis rider drove him along to be handy at. the tome turn. He came home strongly from this point ', liut he was aIK out to capture second place, without" haying a 'Chance of overhauling The; Tiger, who Jed practically all •the way. '~ ' .

• .■After going a -mile in flic Waogahui Steeplechase,' Copty Plundered at a brusli ifence and 6lung; Mb rider:.'heavily, so-thati it was too early -3n -the contest to .'oHea an opinion as to whether he "ever .held ff winning chance. ; One ■thing Us certain] however, and that -is' that /Copey Jodked- a 1 veiy'fit'horse, -bo' his interrupted preparai tion might not have such a serious "effecti as his 'connections supposed.- He. is ien^ gaged jn the Bteeplechase events botH at Bulls and Te Eapa this r.weekendi' so: it will he advisable to wait and see ibw he shapes before worrying over his prospects' in the 'Great -Northern Steeplechase. "■■ A hurdler that may pay to keep in view for future engagements is Constant Sun Like Consent amd High Falutin', he ia trained at Marton by .L.. G. - Moms, and at Wangattui he went two good races under difficulties, coming from a long way back on Saturday to fill fifth position at the finish. He is not an easy horse to ride, being something of a sluggard, but when he strikes a field not quite so strong as that at Wanganui he will be difficult to beat-.