TAURAMAI LIKES MUD

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 23

TAURAMAI LIKES MUD

EASY GREAT AUTUMN WIN

The heavy rain that began while the horses were parading and continued during the race made, the track quite soft for the Great Autumn Handicap last Tuesday (writes "Sundridge"), and it was surprising to learn beforehand of the number of runners who would have their chances enhanced thereby. There is one horse to whom all conditions are alike, however, and Taurainai won after a sound race with something in hand. It was a fino performance for a three-year-old to carry 8.5 and win against such a seasoned lot of older horses, and this, more than his Dunedin Cup success, stamps the son ot Paladin as a stayer of the front rank. Again Tauramai began slowly and at the end of half a mile he was eighth. At the end of the second half-mile, he was closer to the leaders, but had gained only two places. He cut through the field— there was not a great deal of room—and at the half-distance he looked all over a winner, though he stilllhad half a. dozen horses around him. He was being kept up to his work, but he will never do more than he is asked to do and he pulled up fresh. Minerval was never further back than fourth, and he was third nearly all the way round the course, coming with something like his old vim to get the second place dividend. It was a track that suited him too. . . Korero, the rank outsider, came from the clouds to gain third- berth. Had he been decently placed sooner, he might have created a grand sensation. As it was his place dividend was very large, and to win he was showing nearly £150. Might was a good favourite, on the strength of his Sockburn effort, and he ran fairly, but a deal below expectations. He was ninth after half a mile. He had not improved when the straight was reached, except in the matter of ground, and he finished fifth. He more .than held his own in the run-in, but at no stage was he in a position to flatter his backers, much as they flattered themselves; that is, the more sightless among them. Cuddle's effort entitled her to a good deal of praise. She began fairly well and was fifth or sixth at the straight bottom; finishing fourth. Fracas was left, but at the home turn she was fifth or sixth, though wide out.