MANAWATU CUP SURPRISE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 4

MANAWATU CUP SURPRISE

The Manawatu Cup, a fine betting race, provided a grand surprise, the victor being the rank outsider Hunting Cat, a recruit from hack class. Naturally he.was ; at a good price, but his return was not a great deal over double figures. The reason for this was that, whereas Werohia, Sunee, and Might were evenly supported, the rest ol the field was : similarly supported at a considerably, lower level. Hunting Cat won decisively at the right end, though it is probable that Werohia was somewhat unlucky to lose. Hunting Cat and Gay Boy were settled down at the rear of the field, Hunting Cat being second last for six furlongs. ;■ Then his rider began to move him.up, and three furlongs from home he was already, sixth, with Werohia, Grand Jury, Davistock, Might, and Tout le Mon.de still ahead. the straight entrance only, V/erohia, Grand h"i y * and. Da^stpck were in front of him, and he continued his effort along the outer olthe leaders to wear down Parts'of 14 SC°re by thr?e fnJL WaSl °i- couJ se> easily the best perS?SI Ce TTHli ntJ ng v Cat has yet Produced. He had, however, been running consistently in his class all the spring, and had been .at least three times a winner, including the final hack mile.event at. Tfcaitfaam in October. He is a four-year-old bay eeldmpr by Hunting Song fcom the SCat-mint-Symbolism mare Catalani, the dam also of jPaleta, Vandyke, and Catalogue, and he is owned by Mr O Nelson of Hastings, who acquired him §?"&% %* barfing from the late MT..W. g. Stead. .It is a strikine coincidence 4hat Mr. Nelson had g S hopes AOfjywinning this race last year rank outsider this year! - t werohia, v .the • favourite, • was the c»?- gi? f".^ was clear entering the straight, ibuthis sustained effort found him just weakening at the close and he succumbed to his lightly-weighted rival, who, even with ljlb overweight in the saddle, was in receipt of over a stone ..from him. More patiently handled he would probably have won comfortably. Hound Score came home best of the others to capture third share of the stake, bat he was two lengths away. He had been well back till nearing the straight, when he began his effort, and was following the winner as they,turned for home. He sustained his run, but had no chance of reaching a dividend. Grand Jury, in finishing fourth, ran a fine race all the way, and as he looked still big he should improve from now on. He slowed up the field during the time he was in the lead, which accounted for the figures, registered for the journey being a shade slower than the average. He was two lengths behind Round Score at the post.

Tout le Monde, last year's winner, was always fifth or thereabouts, and he finished fifth. Davistock.who was sixth, moved too soon and he was unable to continue at the end with the

effort he had begun at the five furlongs. Kust and Gay Boy ran just fair races. Sunee dropped out of a good position in third place along the back, being last except for Gay Boy at the three furlongs, and though he was running up again at the straight entrance he finally weakened to be last home except for Might. Might finished down the course. He was up alongside Sunee' for, six furlongs, but he was pulling double with his mouth wide open, and no horse can go a distance doing that. He was falling back just past the mile and that was the end of him. It was a cleanly contested race, without any sign of trouble at any stage.