CONSISTENTLY GOOD

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1936, Page 15

CONSISTENTLY GOOD

STARTING AT TARANAKI

(Special from "Early Bird.")

HAWERA, February 11. A feature of last week's meeting at New Plymouth was the consistently good starting. In only one race was there actually,a bad start, and there were extenuating circumstances. This was in the middle-distance hack event on Saturday, when several horses displayed temper and temperament. It was in this event that the horses that eventually finished first and second. One Whetu and Solaria, were the last to leave the barrier. The former lost two or three lengths, but Solaria, who was sideways on, gave the field from six to eight lengths' start, his fine turn of speed quickly taking him up to the field. As One Whetu defeated Solaria only by a head, it was a sterling performance on the part ot the latter, who carried 9.0 and was conceding the winner 71b plus the full apprentices' allowance. ■ Passion Fruit earned his win in the handicap event on the second day at New Plymouth, in which he ran tne same sort of- race as in the Wanganui Cup but on this occasion he improved from third placing to first. He is in very fine form at present and he may again take some-beating when he is produced on the second day of the Egmont Meeting this week In this fellow and Hunting Cat, Mr. O. Nelson has a good pair for handicap events and they may yet reach high class. 'Grateful is a very smart threeyeai- :- old There was no fluke about his defeat of Oratory last Thursday,.for he had to catch the filly and he did it in.no uncertain manner. On the second day, with 9.0 and meeting interference on the home turn, he finished courageously to nose Clessamor out of the first prize. It is possible that Grateful will be produced again on Thursday at Hawera. After winning at New Plymouth the first day, Red Sand was relieved ot his engagement on the operhng day of the Egmont fixture. On Saturday he was a well-fancied candidate for the Mokau Hack Handicap, and while he was prominent for most of tie journey he weakened badly in the final stages and finished a moderate fifth. His collapse was very disappointng, especially in view of the fact that the horses who finished first and second got away poorly. However, the lapse may be only temporary and. if Red Sand is produced on the second day at Hawera he should make amends. , ~-, , It is probable that Debut will be produced on Thursday at Hawera. His engagement for the first day of the Egmont Meeting was not continued on acceptance day. He is in both the hack sprint and the hurdles on Thursday, and if he is produced in the latter event he'should make it very interesting with his speed. His condition is reported to have been improved as a'result of his racing at the recent Wanganui Meeting. After winning so nicely at Wanganui, Ned Cuttle proved disappointing when he failed to do better than a moderate third behind Grateful and Clessamor last Saturday. It is probable that the soft track did not assist him, for he was not handling it at all well over the final three furlongs. He may go better if produced on Thursday at his home- track at Hawera, for the bigger course there should see him to greater advantage. A maiden race figures on the second day's card of the Egmont Meeting. There is a very fair entry for this, but as the. class is anything except promising Le Grand would only have to.gallop generously to take a lot of beating. Count Willonyx, who was very unlucky in the maiden event on the second day at Wanganui, mixed his racing at. New Plymouth, being in the hurdles the first day and a hack flat event on the second day. He was paid up for the hurdle race on the first day- at Hawera, but on the second day his only engagement is' in the Inaha Hack Handicap, an event that may prove easy to win. He stays on and has only to meet with a bit of luck in his races to score a long-overdue win.