ESSEX IN DERBY

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

ESSEX IN DERBY

, FINAL DAY AT AUCKLAND FLOOD TIDE'S HANDICAP (By Telfgraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, January 1. Rain fell during the greater part of today when the Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting was continued at Ellerslie, although it cleared towards the end. The track was very heavy. Rollicker was the only favourite to win, and there were several good dividends, the best being returned by Dragon Moth, who won at her first start in the Midsummer Handicap.. The attendance swelled during .the afternoon to 15,500, and the totalisator investments were £56,159 10s, compared with £55,921 last year. The total for the three days was £205,191, against £ 166,525,. representing an increase of £38,666. GISBORNE PREVAILS. Gisborne horses finished first and second in the Ellerslie Handicap, for apprentices. The race was run in a blinding rainstorm. Pennycomequick was in the middle of the field most of the way. Small Boy was last in the early part, and he was nearly three lengths behind the leaders, Fleetwind and Fox Moth, two furlongs from home. The trio were on terms at the distance, when Pennycomequick, fifth at the turn, came on the outside and just outstayed the others to win narrowly from Small Boy, Fox Moth, and Fleetwind. There was a pronounced gap back to Aymon, Spearcourt, and Singara, who were at long intervals. The heavy ground suited all four placed horses. Spearcourt was officially placed third, but that place was certainly filled by Fox Moth. SAME STABLE AGAIN. Compensation quickly came the way of the owners of Fox Moth, for they scored in the Midsummer Handicap with their two-year-old Dragon Moth, a half-sister to Puss Moth and Fox Moth. This filly was not prominent until the distance post was reached, when she came through on the rails to win very comfortably. Money Raid, Miss Appellant, and Trilliarch were in line coming into the straight, ahead of Huntingmore, Relative, Highborn, and Feldberg, and of these Relative was the only one to run on well. The winner's effort was first-class, although the form may be upset under more favourable ground conditions. NEVER HEADED. Modern Maid led all the way in the Hurdles, being at a fine price. Val Watch and Irish Comet were almost up with her at the approach to the final fence, the latter then falling, and the leader was not afterwards troubled. Val Watch had to be kept going to keep Lap Up out of second money, and Valpai was an indifferent fourth. The winner is back again to her best form. High Quality jumped badly, and the favourite, Roxy, fell at the first hurdle. FLOOD TffiE ATONES. Never further back than third, Flood Tide moved up into second place at the three furlongs in the A.R.C. Handicap, and he hit the front just before the home turn was reached to run right away. There was no pace on in the first quarter, and Con Fuoco was rushed to the front to be joined by Knight of Australia, with Flood Tide handy- The latter looked as if he could have gone on further, for he scored with ridiculous ease. Scotland went one of his very best races, and

he was not assisted by being the las to leave the barrier. At the end o three furlongs he was still in th( ruck, having only Sunee, Horowhenua and the tailed-off Kelly behind him Knight of Australia weakened at the end of half a mile, and Con Fuoco who had been ridden hard all the way, soon followed suit. This lef' Flood Tide in charge, and nothing was good enough to offer any opposition Loombination ran a good race to beal Ponty for third. Horowhenua was i bad last. . Flood Tide's brilliant effort indicatec that he might have been a bit unlucky in the Auckland Cup, a tendency tc pull probably being responsible. ESSEX STAYS SOLIDLY. The Derby was an excellent contes*:, with Trench Fight and Essex fighting out a great finish. The former was a pronounced favourite. Trench Fight tried to win all the way, the colt pulling himself to the front early, while Essex dropped in just behind to be always third or fourth on the rails. He consequently had the run of the race. Trench Fight was three lengths clear at the six furlongs, but turning for home Martara, Custos, and Essex were right on his heels, clear of Quadroon, Mandamus, Golden Sheila, and Cerne Abbas. Inside the distance Essex challenged Trench Fight, and they were having a battle royal on the rails

■ when Quadroon, Cerne Abbas, and • Martara (right over on the outside • rails) challenged. Finally Essex de- • feated Trench Fight by three parts of 1 a length, with Quadroon a similar distance away, a neck in front of Cerne Abbas. Martara must have been almost in line with Cerne Abbas. It was noticeable that both Quadroon and Cerne Abbas were going every bit as good as the winner at the post. Cerne - Abbas lost a little ground at the start, so her effort was better than it appeared on the surface. Martara would have been closer at the post had he come home straight. SURPRISE FAVOURITE. Rollicker was a surprise favourite in the County Handicap. After being handy throughout, he got to the front at the bottom of the straight, and, shaking off the pacemaker, Johnny Walls, the fastfinishing Roaming, and Jack Tar, he scored nicely. It was an improvement on Tuesday's form, but like most of Hunting Song's progeny, he revelled in the conditions. Roaming came with a very late run, and Johnny Walls was made a lot of use of. Jack Tar went another solid race. PAKANUI ALL THE WAV. Pakanui was first out and first home in the Newmarket Handicap, and he did well, for he was taken on first by Tonnerre and finally by Solaria, and he shook them both off. Solaria and Tonnerre were just on the outside of Pakanui making the home turn, and Tonnerre failed to go on with it. Tybalt got away well and then drifted to the middle of the field, and while he finished only a moderate third, he passed a lot of beaten horses. Mungakaha and Greek Gold finished right up, and. Legatee was running on after covering a lot of ground. Adalene and Royal Dance had every chance, and they failed badly. The winner revelled in the conditions. ARMACOURT DECISIVELY. Armacourt scored most decisively in the Glasgow Handicap. She was second to last five furlongs from home, and then she ran round the field to be up with the leaders at the home turn, where she left the opposition to it. Chief Ranger, always handy, hung on for second, and De Friend finished a fair third over Crooning, Sinking Fund, and Sergia. Dark Shadow ran disappointingly, but he did not get a good run. RESULTS IN DETAIL. Ellerslie Handicap, £300; 1 mile.—s Pennycomequick 7.13 car 7.8 (S. A. Taylor), 1; 2 Small Boy, 8.2., car 7.11 (C. L. Kerr), 2; 3 Spearcourt, 8.3, car. 7.12 (W. Stone), 3. Also started: 4 Fleetwind, 8.5, car. 8.6, 6 Aymon 7.7, car. 8.3, 7 Singara 7.7, car. 7.4, 1 Fox Moth 7.7, car. 7.12 J. Time, lmin 43 3-ssec. Midsummer Handicap, £300; 5 furlongs.—B Dragon Moth, 7.7, car. 7.9 (R. E. Home), 1; 1 Relative, 8.2 (P. Atkins), 2; 6 Trilliarch, 7.8 (G. Humphries), 3. Also started: 3 Money Raid 8.8, 4 Highborn 7.10, 9 Beverley 7.8, 2 Huntingmore 7.7, car. 7.10, 7 Royal Bachelor 7.7, car 7.9, 11 Miss Appellant 7.7, 12 Manatere 7.7, 5 Feldberg 7.7, car 7.13J 10 Min Lu 7.7. Time, lmin 2 3-ssec. New Year's Hurdle Race, £350; 2 miles.—6 Modern Maid, 10.1 (R. E. Thomson), 1; 5 Val Watch, 11.11 (F. Baker), 2; 4 Lap Up, 10.11 (J. Muir), 3. Also started: 3 Valpai 10.8, 2 High Quality 10.7, 1 Roxy 9.7, 9 United 9.0, 7 Irish Comet 9.0, 8 Mio Lume 9.0, car. 9.1. Time, 3min 53sec. Auckland Racing Club Handicap, £750; 1£ miles.—2 Flood Tide, 9.1 (L. J. Ellis), 1; 1 Scotland, 8.5 (P. Fearn), 2; 7 Loombination, 7.7 (R. E. Home), 3. Also started: 3 Ponty 7.7, car. 7.9, 5 Kelly 7.7, car. 7.8, 10 Sunee 7.7, car. 7.8J, 4 Mungatoon 7.7, 9 Horowhenua 7.7, 8 Con Fuoco 7.7, 6 Knight of Australia 7.7, car. 7.8. Time, 2min 39sec. SIXTY-THIRD GREAT NORTHERN

DERBY, £1250; for three-year-olds; 1| miles. 3 Essex, 8.10 (C. G. Goulsbro') .... 1 1 Trench Fight, 8.10 (G. Humphries) 2 7 Quadroon, 8.10 (H. N. Wiggins) .. 3 Also started:- 2 Custos 8.10 and Cerne Abbas 8.7 (coupled), 8 Gay Streak

8 10, 6 Mandamus 8.10, 4 Martara 8.10, 5 Golden Sheila 8.7. Time, 2min 42sec. The judge's decision met with a hostile demonstration, many persons being under the impression that. Martara, who finished on the extreme outside, had won. County Handicap, £300; 7 furlongs.— I Rollicker, 8.0, car. 8.1 (L. J. Ellis), 1; 4 Johnny Walls, 8.5, car. 8,7 (R. Glading), 2; 7 Roaming, 8.7 (W. J. Broughton), 3. Also started: 2 Rulette 8.7, 6 Gay Egypt 8.2, car. 8.3, 3 Jack Tar 7.13, and Tidewaiter 7.7, car. 7.8 (coupled), 5 Great Hope 7.9, 14 Aces Up 7.7, 9. Gold Pocket 7.7, car. 7.11, II High Star 7.7, car. 7.8, 10 Huntsman's Chorus 7.7, car. 7.12, 12 Outspan 7.7, 13 Rabbiform 7.7, 8 Solo Song 7.7: Time, lmin" 31sec. Newmarket Handicap, £500; 6 furlongs.—2 Pakanui, 8.5 (C. G. Goulsbro'), 1; 10 Solaria, 7.7, car. 7.8 (W. J. Broughton), 2; 1 Tybalt, 8.1 <L. J. Ellis), 3. Also started: 8 Triune 9.4, 4 Galilee 8.12, 6 Adalene 8.8, 5 Royal Dance 8.4, 3 Greek Gold 8.2, 7 Tonnerre 8.0, 9 Mangukaha 7.0, 11 Legatee 7.0, car. 7.8. Time, lmin 16 3-ssec. Glasgow Handicap, £350; 7 furlongs. —5 Armacourt, 7.7, car. 7,84 (P. Fearn), 1: 3 Chief Ranger, 7.10 (P. Atkins), 2; 7 De Friend, 7.7 (C. G. Goulsbro'), 3. Also started: 1 Dark Shadow 8.10, 4 Sinking Fund 8.0, 6 Crooning 7.12, 2

Sergia 7.7, 9 Keith Lu 7.7, 8 Bun Fight, 7.7, car. 7.10, 10 Lady's Boy 7.7. Time, lmin 30sec.