FALSELY-RUN RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1938, Page 13

FALSELY-RUN RACE

KELLY DEALS THE CARDS

. Very- differently run from the.Wellington Cup, the Wellington Racing Club Handicap saw a very different result. Kelly was allowed his own rules- out in front, with plenty of time for a breather between the five furlongs and half-mile, and then when he , went off again the others found that .they could not catch him. It was a complete reversal of form 'as shown in the first day's handicap, ■ but the sectional times reveal how this happened. The. last half-mile was the only portion of the race run truly, for ■ it-was done in 48f sec, whereas the same "section in'the Cup took 50Jsec. The 'first-three furlongs occupied no less than 40Jsec, and the middle half-mile 51isec. The full, time of 2min 20isec was very slow for the state of track. . ■ -Kelly, who had-failed badly in the ' Clip, had. a; change 'of riders; . his trainer's .diminutive son, G. Gilchrist, ,being given the mount. Gilchrist took. '"him to the front at the outset, had him - four lengths clear at the mile, allowed him to drop back to a two lengths' lead at the half-mile, sent him off again to be nearly four lengths ahead on reaching-the straight, and then kept him- going .., to .score well by half a . length- jfronv Loweiiberg. Gilchrist is one of the smallest lads Tiding in the Dominion. He first came into; fame by bringing Tooley Street home in." the last A.R.C.' Easter Handicap." At the,recent Auckland Meeting he also rode Kelly into fourth1 place, in the Auckland Cup'and into' third place in the A.R.C. Handicap. .Kellyappears to be a boy's horse, or pervhaps it; is that Gilchrist knows him so well.

Kelly is a six-year-old bay gelding by Kilbroney. from the Romeo—Thurnley mare Joy, Queen,; a ; daughter of Lira, who Was half-sister. to Anita, winner of the Auckland; Cup: in. 1895. Joy Queetfs fourth dam ,was Florin, .who was: half-sister to' Spade Guinea, winner<6f -the-New Zealand-Cup of-1886. A branch of the family that became well ;knowii in';•'■these.; ;parts was that of Maltegar&e,'several of whose offspring, including Mandy, Gardant, and .Kilmoyler, were.raced by Mr. J. Deely, of Wellington; In late years the family ;has not: played a very prominent part on the Dominion Turf, but Kelly has been at timesan excellent performer, his . successes' including the Great i Northern- St; ■■Leger," -' A'R.'G; * "'Qaeen's Plate, and Ayphdale Autumn Han,di--cap.'Tas^a"three-year-old.r?' ■'"*'-"'' ■' .Thpugtflfe has not always lived up to" his" early .promise, Kelly has built ,UP a.:-goo.d -stake-winning record.: for Mr. J. McGregor, of Devonport, Auck'•land, in'whose colours he has done all j,his,racing.,. He began his career.as a and he' has now secured

eleven wins-andrrbeen- in -the .minor '"places the1 same number of times-in 55 .starts for £333Q.in stakes:;.'His,present ;-trip :is "his -first- out ■ «fltlje :; Auckland Province. " 0.. '

ir- Lowenberg;*- yesterday's " runner-up, iimed'his challenge' top late./ Always .bowling along in . fifth-, place,' outside 1 Suriee"for, half the journey, he might vat.any- stage.- have improved his' position, judged on.what.he .did/at:Awapuhi recently, when he went with King ~Key all the way and then beat: that horse home. In the straight he -icarne strongly along the outer-of the leaders, but'Kelly was going just too well to be caught, though he closed the gap to •less than a length. It looked asdf 'he .Av'as the unlucky runner. r • Round Up was second in practically all the running, and as he. did not attempt to 'push Kelly at any point he "had: only, his own tactics to blame that he did not go nearer victory. Considering that he won/his two races at Auckland in fast time, it is surprising that more use.-y^as riot made of him.

Padishah, running his customary rage, could ,hardly, have won from last at the half-mile, for he would have had to go-.near 47Jsec over the final portion to: have succeeded; and they rarely do that in distance races.'■■ He. finished on, strongly again, and just failed to get iip^for ; "third,." . - .. ■-.•-.. Cerne,;-Abbas .'was - well' -placed , throughout and was' moving up round the'field -on-entering the straight, but she lacked the dash she was able to produce in the spring; Hunting Cat was- never- dangerous. Linguist was third Jo'the straight, but then dropped oyt. Sunee, with the stable apprentice aboard, found the slower pace more do his: liking: and stayed in the middle of the field, but he did not relish the whip when the way lay open before him. on the inner below the false rail..••••■■•■..■■•■■ .■■••:■

.. The' race 'was- ah interesting spectacle but it was'hardly a true measure of ability. . With the pace set more.^ta-the. Gup standard the result would probably have been different Low.eriperg and Padishah would then haye .been, much harder to hold out and perhaps would have collected- at double, as he has previously done when in winning' form