EXERCISE GALLOP

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 6

EXERCISE GALLOP

* EMISSARY'S EASY WIN " The Featherston Handicap was only in exercise gallop for the favourite, Emissary, who ran to the front at the end of a furlong and was untroubled .in winning by over a length. Soft ■going and a turning course have not in the past suited him, but his class overcame these disadvantages. He failed in such going at Awapuni on Boxing Day, but he was not altogether .too lucky at the start of that race ■ and moveover it was very different quality. . . Dollar Bill, another Riccarton visitor, was as easily second. He fell back to last in the early running, but had passed Lone Raider before reaching "the straight. He then threw out a challenge against the topweight, but never threatened to close the gap. Deficit ran a fair race. a horse's width out on the track for third, and he usually benefits with a race in him. It was his, first start from H. Telford's stable. Lone Raider, who claimed a 51b. apprentice allowance, was as complete a failure as he was sensational at Levin, his only other appearance since his return from Sydney, and it is very difficult to reconcile the two performances. Scratchings reduced the field to these lour runners.

FAVOURITE DISAPPOINTS

Diamond Cutter, a short-priced favjurite for the Novice Stalces, could do no better than fourth. He admittedly did not begin well, but he had a good run through afterwards. He was second to Trimden into the straight, but his finishing effort then was very weak, and either he is going off or the dead track did not suit him, though he belongs to a breed that is usually at its best on easy going. The winner was Lady Siegfried, who gave A. E. Ellis, riding 31b overweight, his second successive win in the first two events of the day. Lady Siegfried began well, and after being allowed to settle down back in fifth place she came along the outer in the straight and wore Trimden down by half a length. Lady Siegfried is a four-year-old Thrown daughter of Siegfried and the Lord Quex—Soot mare Gay Salute, who won a number of small races in .Australia and is a member of the same family as Te Kara, Limarch, and other good horses. She was purchased cheaply for 35 guineas by Mr. P. Cooper, of Masterton, as a yearling, ..and she is now being raced on lease by the Opaki trainer B. Burgess. This ..was easily her best effort yet, but she has not had a great deal of racing and was not first produced till about three months ago. Trimden, the only member of T. R. ' George's team left in the race after the scratchings were announced, was first away, but after beating off the favourite she was outstayed by the .winner. Good Sun finished fast for third only half a length back, just ■ heading off Diamond Cutter and Lustra!. Lustral, a big, good-looking three-year-old by Tidal, showed decided promise after none of the luck at the start and he will be an early winner. -The Pawnbroker was the only one among the others finishing on, his stablemate Lufra again fading after producing early pace out in front with 1 rimden.