ORAC JUSTIFIES SUPPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 155, 29 December 1936, Page 12

ORAC JUSTIFIES SUPPORT

First day's form, with Arctic King out of the way, assured Orac of firm favouritism in the Himatangi Handicap, and the book" worked out as it was

expected, though not till after investors had some uncomfortable moments. Orac gained several yards at the start, and he stayed in front. Boomerang and Geitel threatened his supremacy down the home stretch, but he kept the Trentham pair at bay by a neck after having to fight hard to do so after the last furlong. Orac has been a useful middle-dis-tance horse this season, for this was his fifth success in just over three months, and he will be remembered by many as the rival who shared .honours with the subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Wotan on the two days at Wanganui in the spring. He is a five-year-old chestnut gelding by Hunting Song from the Day Comet—Wenona mare Wenday, who won a few races some years back, and he is owned by his breeder, Mr. H. D. Caro, for whom he is trained by M. J. Carroll at Te ■Rapa. . i Boomerang ran on in better style after being second into the straight, and not only did he nearly pull the leader back, but he held Geitel safely in check. After these two recent races he is likely to improve into an early winner.

Geitel went another sound race, coming round from several positions back, but for the second time she just missed a dividend place. Hunting Mars, who was hanging out along the back, was finishing on again fourth and will be hard to beat now in this class with a stronger rider aboard. Siegmund, who does not like wet tracks, was a handy fifth doing better at the end than at any previous stage. The others failed to run on, but Supreme Court was troubled by Hunting Mars's hanging in the middle stages.