RARE BRILLIANCE

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

RARE BRILLIANCE

PONTY'S STRIKING WIN

Pohty, who was entrusted with over £2500 of the public's money, concluded the meeting by winning the Kia Ora Hack Handicap with one of the most brilliant victories witnessed in recent months. He was still on the idle entering the straight and seemed to be making no impression on the leaders at the false rail, but once he was touched he sprang to life, and over the last furlong he completely buried the opposition. Seldom has such -a. fine burst of speed been seen at the end of a race at Trentham.

Ponty's improvement on his first day's performance was very pronounced, but the distance was two furlongs further, and he was finishing powerfully in fourth place at the end of Tuesday's six furlongs. Prior to coming to Trenth'am he had won three races on end and was already hailed as the best hack in the South Island. His Saturday's success now .places him in open class. ■

Ponty' is a four-year-old bay gelding by Rpsehor, a very fast horse whose stock have not so far made much renown for him, but his latest representative is doing him better service. His dam is the Kilrain—Sporting Lady mare Sporting Girl, the damalso of Joppa, and it is interesting to note that his maternal grandsire, Kilrain, a son of Kilcheran, was a winner of the Wellington Cup. Ponty is owned by his breeders, Messrs: E. and N. Rutherford, for whom he 'is being trained by M. B. Edwards, better known as a trotting mentor, at Yaldhurst.

Corowa ran right up to his first day's form in finishing second, even though in between he failed in the secontf day's highweight.- He was just ahead of the winner most of the way and he ran on solidly like a horse who will later on do well as a stayer. Calshbt, who finished third on three occasions at the meeting, was also very consistent, but he had every chance on Saturday, > being' third in most of the running and following Helios into the straight. ■ Helios went better than in some of his recent races, taking the lead early and only just failing to hold a portion of the stake. He was clear of the next porse,. Queen Nona, who was showing up on the turn but did not improve afterwards. Hunting Queen and Le Grand, though running on, were again disappointing. Terry ran a fair race, but The Sandwich Man, Lady Kate, and Lionheart all died from forward early positions.