BILLY BOY'S DAY

Evening Post, Issue 11, 13 July 1936, Page 13

BILLY BOY'S DAY

POPULAR STEEPLES WIN

Though it was a considerable improvement on his effort in the "WelJington Steeplechase, when he finished a bad last of the five horses who rompleted. the course. Billy Boy's .victory' in the July Steeplechase was very popular with racegoers, with whoiir

the now veteran has always been a great' favourite. Billy Boy has never liked the going heavy, and it was undoubtedly, the better track conditions that enabled him to demonstrate on Saturday that-he is still no backnumber, despite his near, twelve years. INSPIRED VIGOUR. Billy Boy, as for the first two rounds of the Wellington Steeples, was always well forward in' ' the : running,' but whereas he then tired last Tuesday he came on with inspired vigour on Satl urday. He passed Manawatu in pursuit of the tiring Dunmure along the back the last time, joined Dunmure for the third-last fence, and then took charge. Manawatu and Eahu were the only dangers now left among tho others, but although they both kept on reducing the leader's gap Billy Boy kept them at bay in the run for the goal and he Scored by three-quarters of a length from Manawatu, with Pahu the same distance back third. - Billy Boy's record is too recent to require any full recapitulation: Though he failed to win a race last season, he has now scored three times this winter', including the Great Northern Steeplechase, and his latest success has been on »the scene of notable past triumphs, for he has twice won the Wellington Steeplechase.; Trentham has also been his preparatory ground, for the last two years, so that Trentham stables Won the ,two big steeplechases at last week's meeting. Still going strong, Billy Boy has started now in 63 races, practically all over; fences, and he has won twelve times and been placed fifteen other times,'earning. the tidy sum of £5240 in stakes. For nearly two years he has been owned, outright by R. W. A. Lewis,1 who has trained him throughout his career, A NATIONAI) TYPE. Manawatu, though he finally could not get there, was going like a possible winner all through Saturday's race. Along the back the last time he was allowed a brief breather, or perhaps he took it, but he was moving along well again from the half-mile. At the last fence he was not far behind Billy Boy, with a great chance of turning his effort into victory; but he made only slight impression on the topweight and it was obvious at the.beginning of the last furlbng'that he would not succeed in achieving the: desired object. His fencing agjsn.: was excellent, and he-isLtKe:r ; "igVit-.t)tpe;.o>f- jumper /for -the Riccarton country."': '■•''.'■•■■.... . ■ .Pahu made up a lot of ground- over the last round,: at-the commencement of which he was sixth, though a long way from the leader (Dunmui-e); and also several lengths behind the next three, horses (Manawatu,' Battleground, and Billy Boy). He began his seal effort from'the third-last fence, T3yt .though he was staying on a. shade better than the; pair who beat him he -was; just as;, incapable of catching Manawatu as Manawatu was powerless to,overcome the resistance of Billy ""Boy;-'-He was also third in this event Jast'year. " Duhmure was disappointing, for he failed to stick;.on anything like he did in; the Wellington Steeples. He took charge from Windsor Lad at the end of the first round, and iri the next furlong or two he opened a break of several lengths on the rest of the field, but he. was palpably tiring a mile from home, and, with hjs jumping also deteriorating, he lost the lead at the big brush near the half-mile and was steadily stopping over the rest of the way. He finished fourth, but was nearly ■ half, a. furlong from the three place-fillers. He is a, light-fleshed horse who does not seem to stand up well to much racing without a spell for recovery. •■■ . ■ .."-.*•■■■ The others to finish were ,\yell beaten. Kaola. was going on best of them, but some distance behind Dunmure. • Umtali and Parasang both made mistakes with their jumping; but they did not make, the- repeated blunders that the rather overboomed Windsor Lad did,'for there was'hardly a fence at which Windsor Lad did not dip badly after landing. Windsor Lad did finish, but Dbzie did not complete, after a showing as- .execrable as she gave in the Wellington Steeples last year. ". '. '•■ .-■■--■ .■ •■ ,■ ■'.- .' Forest Glow went'out at the first fence, ajj'd Battleground crashed at the sod wall on the last round when .going as well as\anything and just moving into second place. I£ Battleground had stood up he would have.been hard to beat. Forest Glow's rider, C. Thomson,, suffered slight inJury and was sent into hospital to have a facial cut stitched,

NO RACE AT CLOSE

EPRIS SHOWS HIS CLASS

In the Winter Oats Handicap, which was the principal flat event of the final day, Ep'ris completely^ overshadowed his opposition. It was a race till in the straight, but Epris had. complete mastery when the whips were out. He was confidently ridden, always one or two horses out on the track; and after slipping up to be • second following Adalene into the straight he easily collared the mare below the false rail and went on to win by the best part of three lengths.

' Epris's performance ' justified the opinion previously expressed- that though he was beaten out of the money in the first day's Whyte Handicap his effort was probably the, best in ,that race. He drew number four marble on Saturday instead of number twentyone, and in mile races at Trentham that makes a vast difference. Better treated in the draw last Tuesday he would probably have been the Whyte winner.

On his latest form Epris, if reasonably weighted, will be one of the hardest horses to beat in next month's Winter Cup, a race he won last year. Bred by Miss T. L. Jackson,, he is held on lease, with over a year to run, by Mr! A. L. Pratt, of Arundel, near Geraldine, for whom he is trained by C. F. Pratt, a: brother of Mr. A. L. Pratt, at Orari. He is a six-year-old bay gelding by Shambles from the Kilbroney mare Jeanerette, a daughter of the Australian-bred Grafton mare Ibera. and dam previously of the speedy Rawerie. The family goes back to those of Denmark, who had considerable influence on Australian breeding, and a very successful branch came early to New Zealand with the importation of Fleurette, graddam of such horses as Sermgapatam, Rose Shield, Martello and Field Rose (dam of Royal Artillery and True Blue).

Epris is a typical Shambles in deed, for this sire's stock do not usually come early to hand, but the few good representatives have been very solid once they struck form. He did not actually start racing till two years ago, when he

was a late four-year-old. His first win came at his tenth start, and now his record comprises eleven wins and eleven minor places in 45 starts, with stake-earnings amounting to £1522 10s, of which £920 has been gained this season.

Adalene, .who was in the ■ running every day last week at a furlong longer distance e^ch time, was one of the unluckiest* horses not to win a race at the meeting. On Saturday she showed her customary early brilliance, assuming charge from Alchemic after the field had gone a furlong, and she hung on stoutly in the straight to retain second place. This mare is very well at present and her turn should come shortly.

Horowhenua, improved with his earlier race at the meeting, showed some of his old dash over the closing stages. Never very far from the front, he dashed through a gap near the rail in the final furlong and he was only a head behind Adalene at the post.

Alchemic and Royal Gallant just missed the money. Both horses were always among the leading division. Alchemic appeared beaten at the straight entrance, but he came on again and until Horowhenua burst through he promised to fill a minor place. Royal Gallant was fifth into the straight, and he kept going without doing more than to be closer than hitherto at the post. There was a gap after these horses back to Korero and Arctic King. Korero came from the ruck, but Arctic King's colours were always fairly prominent on the l'ail. At the top of the straight he drove into an opening along the fence, but under his weight he was unable to sustain the effort. Compared with several of the field he was by no means one of the best-handicapped horses at the meeting. Carfex was always well up in Ihe running, covering extra ground most of the way, and he finished eighth. Double Shot came home fast into ninth place. Slipoery was the only one of the early leaders to peak at the finish. Pladie, in the middle of the field to the turn, was not having too good a passage and disappeared in the straight. Pukeko and First Chapter showed up for a furlong and then dropped out. Maine was always one of the rear brigade. Big Dook and Lapel were never sighted.