OTAKI MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 111, 12 May 1937, Page 11

OTAKI MEETING

FINE WEATHER, HEAVY GOING

STRONGT FIELDS

■..-,.. (By "Rangatira.") Perfect weather with bright sunshine* and an almost complete absence of wind was experienced for the opening day of the Otaki Maori Racing Club's Winter Meeting at Otaki today. It was obvious that there had been a lot of recent rail, but the ground and the tracks were-, fairly dry and the going was soft without being particularly heavy. It was an ideal day' for winter racing and an auspicious commemoration of Coronation Day. Despite the counter-attractions there was an.excellent attendance, including strong patronage from Wellington. The fields retained their acceptance strength and it was a pleasing feature to find all Horses parading in the steeplechase, including the TaranalEi representative Sporting Song. , Results and notes on the racing to the time of going to press are:— TARARUA HACK STEEPLECHASE, : ■ £100; 2J miles. 1 Mrs. G. M. Bennett's br g Sporting Song, by Hunting Song— iionskin, syrs, 10.11 (H. Dulieu) 1 3 il. G. Bridge's Given, aged, 9.3 (C. Burgess) 2 2 J. O. Houlihan's eh g Padnos, syrs, 9.3 (car. 9.5) (G. Lamb) 3 Also started: 2 Battleground 9.13 (W. Blanche), coupled with Padnos, 4 Rioghail 9.0 (I. Rohlofl), 6 Ythan 9.0, car. 9.4J (E. Burgess), 5 Paddy's Mate .9.0, car. 9.4£ (M. Reardon). Length-.and a half; over a furlong. Time, 4min 45sec. ■ f (Winner trained by H. Dulieu, New . . .Plymouth).! The process of elimination ' found Sporting Song and Given the only pair left for the final battle in the Tararua Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase, over easy but tricky country of fifteen fences. Given had charge passing the stand the second time, but Sporting Song took control between the final two fences and then had to be hard ridden to retain his advantage by a good length. Padnos, who ran off when-in the lead after a round, went back to the fence and beat Ythan for third over a furlong away. Paddy's Mate had lost her rider early, and Rioghail and Battleground fell, the lastnamed having fenced poorly. KUKU MAIDEN FLAT RACE, £85; 6 furlongs., . 1. C. W. Boyd's b g Tide waiter, by Tidal—Ballymory 11, 3yrs, 8.10 :(G.R.. Tattersall) 1 3 J. O'Brien's b c Galteemore, 3yrs, 8.10 (W. Doyle) 2 2 Gordon Bennett's b g Royal Portrait;; 4yrs, 8.10 (S. Wilson). ... 3 Also started: 4 Bit o'Blue 8.10 (R. E Coveny)',- 5 Colin 8.10 (J. McCauley); 6 Ruling Spi 8.0 car.. 8.1 (P. Williams). V ' ! Neck; four lengths. Time, lmin 18 ■■ l-ssec.. , .(Winner trained by G. W. New, Awapuni.) Having his second start since purchase by Martara's former owner, Tidewaiter, was confidently backed down" to / a price just over evens in the Kuku Maiden Race,..and the result justified the,;•;support -that was accorded, him. Royal Portrait>was early in front from' Galteemore, Ruling Spi, and Tidewaiter, but nearing the straight Galteemore. assumed charge with the favourite moving up out.'on the track. There was a, hard'battle home, but Tidewaiter finished- best and won by a neck. Royal Portrait weakened into third place four lengths away, with Ruling Spi handy, and the others well back. I:;; WAITOHU HACK HANDICAP, £100; 6 furlongs. 4 M.' Williams's b g Dorado, by Grahamscourt—D'Oro, 6yrs,'B.B, car. 8.3 (P. Williams) 1 3 C. Renata's eh m Golden Chest, syrs, 8.4 (Jess Wilson) ...... 2 5 B. Burgess's b g Patagonia, syrs, 7.9,. car. 7.8 (G. Lamb) 3 Also started: 1 'Alunga 9.0, car. 8.9 (W. Doyle), 7 Terry 8.6, car. 8.1 (R. Sargent), 6 The Sandwich Man 8.1, car. 82 (R. Coveny), 8 St. Roger 7.9, car. 81i (R. Flower), 2 Marjory Daw, 7.8 (G. R. Tattersall). Half a length; half a length. Time, lmin 18 3-ssec. - (Winner trained by M. Williams, Otaki.) Dorado, who looks greatly improved, won the Waitohu Hack Handicap with an attractive "effort at a useful price. On the outside of The Sandwich Man and Golden Chest, he followed Marjory Daw and Terry into the straight. Then, as the leaders began to tire, Golden Chest went through to take charge, but Dorado came strongly out on the track to wear the mare down and score by half a length. Another halflength back and finishing with a rattle was Patagonia, and Marjory Daw was next. The favourite, Alunga, went off in a canter, soon being well at the rear, and it was not till the straight that he made up any leeway, to finish fifth over on the fence. CORONATION HANDICAP, £250; 1J • . . miles. • 1 W. Higgins's b g Korero, by Surveyor—Consultation, aged, 8.9, carried 8.4 (L. Faulkiner) 1 2 H. W. Moss's b g Boomerang, 4yrs, ■7.13 (S. Wilson) 2 6 O. Disley's b m Rona Bay, syrs, 8.2 (W.Doyle) ~ 3 Also started: 3 Hazoor, 9.0 (car. 8.11) (P. Williams), 5 Lapel 8.2 (R. J. Flower), 4 Hunting Lodge 7.7 (G. R. Tattersall). Length and a half; three lengths. Time, 2min 18 l-ssec. (Winner trained by H. Telford, Trentham.) Trentham horses monopolised the places in the Coronation Handicap, which was contested at a muddling pace. With everything under a hold, Hazoor made the going for Korero, Boomerang, and Rona Bay. Near the half-mile Korero pulled his way to the front, and after leading into the straight from Boomerang and Rona Bay he beat off a strong challenge from Boomerang and was going away again a length and a half in front at the post. Rona Bay was a fair third, just ahead of Hazoor and Hunting Lodge, with Lapel last. .