SMOKE SCREEN WINS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 88, 11 October 1937, Page 13

SMOKE SCREEN WINS

AUCKLAND OPENING

SMALL BOY'S SURPRISE

(Special from "Early Bird.") AUCKLAND, October 9.

i The narrow defeat of the odds-on ) favourite Royal Chief by Smoke Screen in the Great Northern Guineas, and the victory of an outsider in Small Boy in the Mitchclson Cup were the outstand--1 ing features of the racing on the open- . ing day of the Auckland Racing Club s ! Spring Meeting today. The totalizator • investments showed a substantial ini crease of nearly 25 per cent. FROM WELL BACK. Lady Ruler came from well back to ' win the Trial Hurdles, but a mishap at the list hurdle assisted her, otherwise she might not have been closer , than third. Sporting Song was up on . the heels of the leaders when he fell ■ two .fences, from home, and Kilbens and Celtic Lad came down at the last, leaving Lady Ruler to beat Count • Roussulon narrowly, with ..Lady England, Stanstead, "and Sir Russell at long intervals.. SMOKE SCREEN'S GUINEAS. Royal Chief lost three or four lengths at the start of the Guineas, and he was in the ruck for the first three furlongs, being six lengths behind the ultimate winner. Smoke Screen, at this point. He . moved up smartly making the home turn, where there was not much separating Royal Bachelor, Smoke Screen, Trilliarch, Royal Chief, and Airam (outside). Here Smoke Screen hung out, and Royal Chief went further out still. At the distance Smoke Screen and Royal Chief -had singled themselves out. Smoke Screen's rider had' got to work at the bottom of the straight, and ftoyal Chief set after him. In a thrilling finish Smoke Screen won by a head, the winner actually holding his own right on the post. Trilliarch was a fair third, clear of Airam. Ballinavar, and Royal Bachelor, who were bunched, with Wildflower two lengths further away. Royal Chief ran .his final half-mile in ~47 +45. His'bacKers lost more than half their investments 1 . Smoke Screen cerrie*Jißßß.and Royal Chief £1904. . \ '; GALLIO FAILS. A very close finish was staged. in the - Short* Handicap. Golden Sheila just'winning'from r Anion; Galilee, and Gallio. At'the hdm'e turn "Galilee was Just clear of Anion, Prince Acre; Tosh, Gallio, and Golden-Sheila, and of this bunch Gallio, a wapnv favourite, was the!furthest out. Anion appeared to have the. measure 'of Galilee, but just .failed to hold off Golden Sheila. Gallio was a- head away less than a length-separating-this quartet. Prince Acre, Kelly, and Whirling headed the others.'.".- '■£~** '< ;, "Golden Sheila won nicely/ if narrowly, and is back to her best.- Anion ran up to form, and-Galilee gave one of her good displays, The run of the race was all against Gallio, who had to ijpver. .extra ground. Whirling received iskbad' run. and he will be improved. 'fi-i A FAST PACE. Mitchelson Cup was'a fine race, with Knight of Australia setting a fast pace, and the little-fancied Small Bov won in record time for the race. He paid nearly a score Knight of Australia, was rushed past the field, and he was well-- clear entering the back stretch, with Taitoru and King Rey together next, also clear of Cerne Abbas and Small Boy, the field being well strung out." There was no change to the home turn, although they had closed up, and the order just prior to straightening VP was Knight of Australia, Taitoru, King Rey, Cerne Abbas, Small Boy, and Mungatoon. Scotland (rails) and Boomerang (outside) , were moving up. At the distance' Small Boy and Cerne Abbas began to forge ahead, and later they were challenged by Scotland on the rails; but there was no room, and he had to be eased. Small Boy finally defeated Cerne Abbas and Scotland, and. Mungatoon was fourth, a couple of lengths back. Then.came a bunch comprising Loombiriation,' Knight of Australia, Boomerang, and Gay Rebel. The showed improvement onsthis Paeroa form, and stayed right on. --.Cerne Abbas ran a fine race, tgd/but she did not finish on quite as well as expected.'. Scotland was the unlucky horse of the contest, for had he managed to get through on the rails,at the distance he might have won. As it was he was' almost put over ."the rails; The others were never likely. "-■ Taitoru had the run of the race, and failed to stay, and Loombination and Boomerang ran well after getting awayso badly. The favourites were Taitoru, (£1028), Cerne Abbas (£953), and Scotland (£786), with £265 on the winner. ALL THE WAY. All Irish led all the. way in the Hunters' Steeplechase. The evenmoney favourite Lochiel Lad chased him down the hill the last time, a spirited duel from the last fence seeing All Irish win by a neck. Lochiel Lad's jockey did not display his usual vigour at the finish. Domo was the only other to complete the course. . BEST OF GOOD THINGS. The Welcome Stakes proved the best of good things for Protector, who was hard held all the way, Namara ran up to the favourite at the home turn, and kept up with him for a bit. but he could not foot it in the end. Eastern Heir ran a good race, but the others were well beaten. The favourites were Protector (£2064) and Namara ; (£984). CERTAINTY BEATEN.. Marie's Acre was'a certainty beaten in the Gordon Handicap, Palustre hopping out from the rail position and leading all the way. She was attended to the straight by Dragon Moth, Rollicker, Inver, and Student Prince, with Marie's Acre about eighth. At the distance- Marie's Acre made his run on the outside, but Rollicker suddenly bored out and took him too. It took Marie's Acre some time to get clear of;Rollicker, and then he fairly flew, but his effort was too late to overhaul Palustre, Besiege, and Inver. The next best were Rollicker, Dragon Moth, Student Prince, and Land Girl. The draw won for the favourite. Likely improvers are Black Musk, Rollicker, Dragon Moth ,and Student Prince. The last-named ran a fine race after starting from No. 22. A MILD SURPRISE. Round Up sprang a mild surprise to win the Flying Handicap in convincing fashion from- Lornacre, who v/as alwayv handy, as was also The winner. Stretto and Dark Shadow carried the field along smartly to the home tunv end the latter was the

first to fade, but it was only m the last lew strides that Stretto was shaded into fourth place. Mazir finished nicely into third position. Jonathan failed because he had to cover a lot of ground and was not brilliant enough. Debham was not well served at the dispatch. He was up in about sixth place at the turn. Round Up finished very strongly, and it looks as if he will win good handicaps this season. Mazir's fine showing indicated that he will soon be ready tor betters over longer journeys. Stretto and Dark Sheiow also showed that their turn may not be far off.