A STABLE DOUBLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 22

A STABLE DOUBLE

TAUMAU TAKES HIS TURN Taumau, stablemate of the first day's winner Lady Ina, made it a double for the Awapuni trainer E. W. Watson by winning the second event for the hurdle horsemen, the Mungaroa Highweight Handicap. Taumau, who did not start against Lady Ina on the opening day, was likewise ridden by the Awapuni horseman C. Thomson, who had also been Lady Ina's pilot. The

first two highweights at the meeting were therefore well monopolised by trainer and rider. . Tatimau would probably have won from end to end if he had not hung out making the turn into the straight. That let Convivial up on his inner, and he was headed oft' a couple of furlongs from home; but once settled down again he responded to his rider's urge and went past Convivial in the last furlong to score by a length. Taumau was the obvious favourite, for he had also won at Manawatu at Christmas at his previous start and he had raced well at Trentham before. He is a six-year-old son of Royal Divorce and the Hymettus mare Khassia, and he has always been raced in partnership by his breeder, Mr. C. Watkins, of Rongotea, and his trainer. Le Grand came home like a stayer to cut Convivial out of second money in the last strides. Most of the way he was about seven places back and never far from the front, and he then finished through the field from the top of the straight. Like the winner, he was fresh blood in the field. Convivial, improving on her first day's race, dashed through along the fence to take charge below the false rail after having been second or third from the start, but the opening had come just a little too soon and she died in the last half furlong, though she was an easy enough third, half a neck behind Le Grand. The best of the others was Lady Wessex, who went up past Convivial and Windward to second at the five furlongs, but then was unable in the straight to hold on to a money place. Windward also failed over the closing stages. Trevelyn Hold ran a useful race, in the middle portion particularly Master Limond and Soho (last most of the way) were disappointing, though Soho finally was finishing on. Otaki went very wide entering the straight.