NO RAGE AT ALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1937, Page 13

NO RAGE AT ALL

GOLD BOA'S OPEN SPRINT

Though the favoured division was generally disappointing in the Cup, the public made only minor mistakes with the Telegraph Handicap. Their main error was in selecting Laughing Lass before Gold Boa, who was thus permitted to go out at a really wonderful price for the Vare certainty she proved herself to be* It was hardly a race at all, except for second honours, as Gold Boa buried her opposition for speed. Gold Boa drew the outside marble in the weighing-out room, but by the time they had moved in a few times into line at the barrier she had gone in five places from the outside, which was of course very helpful in theory, though,' as it turned out, she could have won the race from anywhere. Her big white blaze was immediately conspicuous in the van after the dispatch, and she simply went further and further away from her rivals, winning by five lengths without her rider requiring to do more than simply keep her going with his hands. An easier sprint victory could hardly be imagined. • , Gold Boa is something well out of the ordinary as a sprinter. She is a four-year-old- chestaut daughter of Balboa and the Markhope—Officious mare March Off, the dam previously of Last March, Grand Finale, and Dismiss, and she is owned by her breeder, Mr. J. P. Herlihy, of Central Otago, who bought the dam at the dispersal o£ the late Mr. A. G. Hill's stud. Mr. Herlihy has been m the game as an owner only a few years, but he has already had such horses as Ventrac and Travenna, and now he has also secured the stallion Paladin. Gold Boa began racing just three months ago, and her record to date comprises seven wins and two seconds in nine starts for £1155 in Royal Dance ran right up to his good track work prior to the meeting, coming up from just behind Laughing Lass to cut her out of second by half a head. He recently was third in the A.R.C. Railway, failing later at that meeting, so perhaps he is best when fresh, though, against this, he won second up at Trentham last July. Laughing Lass, despite her fine recent form at smaller meetings, was falsely made the favourite. From No. 2 position she was second nearly all the way, but after vain pursuit of Gold Boa she could not quite hold on to second place. Fulojoy went one of her best races for some time to be finishing on fourth. Her bracketed mate Deficit was prominent on the outer early, but dropped out of it over the closing Std£6S. Lady Kyra, JVlata Hari, and Peter Beckford ran usefully, but are hardly up to the class of the place-getters. Concertpitch did not begin too well and was nearer in eighth place at the post than at any previous stage. Karl, another who failed to start with his usual brilliance, was always lost in the ruck. Namakia was fairly prominent for a couple of furlongs, but drtfted to be last before the end. The others were never within possible range.