ALCIDES IN GOOD FORM

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 127, 25 November 1935, Page 8

ALCIDES IN GOOD FORM

Following his two good seconds at Waverley and Bulls at his only previous starts this season, •Ucides was the natural favourite for the Weraroa Hack Handicap, ,and he duly scored a decisive win over Confiscation and Mid Acre. He had to be raced up to ' position early from the awkward seven-furlong barrier, taking second place to Mid Acre, with Whetuma and Confiscation next, but despite this effort he still had ample reserve for the closing section and he went on to score by a length and a half. Alcides, who is owned and trained by his breeder, Mr. L. G. Paul, of Wanganui, has not been much raced, but he had previously revealed that he is a useful sort of hack. He is a six-year-old brown gelding by Pombal from the Solferino —Temba mare Admyra, whom Mr. Paul also raced and ■who previously was the dam of the unfortunate Alloway. Admyra may be remembered by Trentham patrons of some fifteen years ago for a big coup she brought off in a sprint at the 1919 Wellington Spring Meeting. Alcides's comparatively little racing is indicated by the fact that he had only one start last season, iv which lie ran one of his fairly regular seconds. Confiscation, with B. H. Morris in her saddle, went a solid race under her 9.9, and she merited her second placing, though she just caught the pacemaking Mid Acre, on.whom R. J Mackie had the mount. Mid Acre made the most of having drawn the rail position. Umpire, who had to be hard ridden to hold position, was running on at Lhe close in fourth place with Terry (finishing fasti and \Vl><> tiimn almost in line. Colenso ;hk| Vinco ran jugt fairly, but Trimden

showed~a.idfcrent of speed for a furlong or^sq on. the'home turn.

GAY-BOY WELL :v HANDLED

.Gay Boy, with B. H. Morris back, in his saddle, made atonement for his two. recent elapses -by scoring a comlortable lengui':win in the J-.evin Handicap. ■ Witn. all nve. runners under a nara hold, tie lollowed IVxercian Prince all half a. mile out, when he ran up to the 'leader, toos charge more than two from home, and. was never in' any ; serious danger thereafter, though Slippery was closing on rum fast at the post. -.-.-; it was Uay Boys;: second success in open,..company,, but he was- still a maiden periormer till last June, so nis rise has beerir-rapid. He is a lour-year-oid entire sori of Colossus from the brilliant Limdnd mare Lady lAmond, and though he is not very oig, in contrast»to most of this sire's stock, he is very, thickly put together, wnat there is of him.' He is owned o> his breeder, Mr. K. K. Heppner, of i'oxton; for whom he should vyin many more open- handicaps among the smaller meetings, as he sticks well and can show good speed in ' getting, to •position and in capping off his errorts. Slippery was ridden ■ behind the field, and'on .the'way he finisned after the others had stolen a temporary march on nim along tne bacK n.. might have been.a snade unlucky. The field just ambledr along for hall a mile, and then they-suddenly stepped on the pace in front, which soon found Slippery struggling siv or eight lengths from', the leader. Atkins then began to push him along, but he was still four lengths from Gay Boy at the straight, and, with Gay Boy's still sprinting, the gap was too wide to bridge. - The favourite Hunting Lodge, riddes by K. Reed, was a disappointment, but she may not have been suited by the way the race was run, being in trouble on the fence in the first halfmile. She. pursued Gay Boy into the straight, but was unable to sustain the pressure and was beaten home easily also by Slippery; Eminent was right up fourth, with Mercian Prince down the course. '

As the race was contested it was little-, more than a> six-furlong sprint. This was of course what Slippery would have \sfanted, but the others speeded. ;up before he anticipated it, and he w.as unable.-to stand Gay. Boy up the break he had established1 on himjat the five furlongs. Gay Boy's rider. (B. H. Morris) took full, advantage. of r : the pace, starting his- effort,1 as the result proved, at a. most opport tune;, moment., . ■ "