HOT FAVOURITE LEFT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 145, 17 December 1934, Page 8

HOT FAVOURITE LEFT

REBEL CHIEF'S SEQUENCE

The failure of the' big favourite Golden Wings to leave the barrier in the Bledisloe Stakes, the opeu-eeve'n event, robbed the contest of. much of its interest, but the result then turned out as-well as possibte for investors,,as the second favourite Rebsl Chief was the winner arid the third favourite Granfdrd filled a: place. In his success Rebel Chief was recording bis fifj,h victory in succession, {he last two in open company. He has now won seven rac6s in all out of seventeen starta, and his stake-earnings already,amount to- £527 10s, all this season.. . , . ' '■'.■

The field gave the staiter considerable trouble in dispatching, several hoises beinp; concerned, and when it was finally let away Golden Wings was out of line turned sideways, and lliladi was also unprepared. These two horses took no serious part in the contest.

Rebel Chief was always within easy range of the front. Cottesmore settled down to make the running, and after a eonple of furlongs mi followed by Diatomous, Slippery, Hunting Lodge, Rebel Chief, Cranford, and Pomp. There was not, much change to the straight, except that Princess Doreen was moving up on the inner, but at the false rail Cottesraore ' began to weaken, and JDiatomous took charge. Rebel Chief, however,.,was issuing a strong claim, and in a battling finish he wore down the leader to score nicely by v neck, with Cranford a length further away, clear of /Princess 'Doreen.Rebel Chief is a four-year-old- chestnut gelding by Robespierre from the Solferirio mare Verintia, a half-sister to Rapier, andhe is proving a great galloper. So far he has confined his racing to shorter distances, but on his breeding he should be able to go much, further than he nas yet tackled. He is owned -and trained.by Mr. F.Hallj.of Christchurch. Recently ha waa ■ twice n\ winner among the minor class at the New Zealand Cup Meeting,] and. between, then and his Saturday's success he dead-heated for first with Gre-I cian Prince at Adiburton. Last season he was four ' times unplaced in his four starts, but his owner was taking his time with him, and the result is now proving most profitable. He is to do his holiday racing at Dunedin and Oamarii,' not having been entered at Ellerslie. Diatomous, a failure on his recent Sydney trip, gave a touch of his best in narrow defeat. He appears to have recovered something like his old form again and another win is likely1, to come his way bafore long. As a result of this performance he is likely to come into favour for the Railway, a race in which he finished third.' last year. Cranford was with or near Rebel Chief in most of the running, but he made his final effort .later. He finished on, .well along the outer but never looked like doing better than he did. Usually a quick beginner, he was not among the first to start on this occasion, probably, like many others,' not being ready for the word ! when it came, but he. was soon racing up to a fairly handy position. Hia performance stillleaves him a ; promising Railway prospect, though he will be meeting Diatomous for one at slightly worse, terms. Princess Doreen came through brilliantly on the fence in the straight, and although she could not get near enough to endanger the placed division she was a creditable fourth well-clear of the rest of the field. Copyist headed a< bunch, with. Gaysome (not conspicuous early), Slippery, Cottesmore, Movie Star, and Autopay handiest o£ the remainder. Cottesmore, having his first race since his, unsuccessful Sydn'-y trip over a year ago, showed all his old speed out in front to the straight, and had it been possible to have galloped him before the meeting he must have gone very near winning. He felt the ground very carefully when paraded, but it was pleasing to note no signs of lame-

ness about him when he returned to the enclosure, though probably he would: be sore again on cooling down. The class beat Slippery and Hunting Lodge (both prominent early), and Autopay, slow to get going, was never within striking range of the leaders. Pomp showed up only for a short space on the turn. Cadiand, one of the first out but unable to go the pace set, does not seem to improve in his racing, despite liis healthy appearance, but his connections have kept him in the Railway,, in which lie ia weight-, ed :only 7.13, and ,half the Cadland of old would romp home with such an impost.