BRILLIANT EFFORT

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

BRILLIANT EFFORT

ORATORY'S MILE RECORD

A brilliant all-the-way effort * by Oratory in the January Handicap saw the mare edual the New: Zealand .record of lmin 36sec for a mile set up by Courtcraft in the King's.Plate less than a month ago. It was an exceptional performance, clipping a second and a half off the, previous track record jointly held by Reremoana and Autopay. . The Australian record -is .limn 35sec, which has been done by four hourses, Peter Pan, Sarcherie, Ajax, and Ramdin. . , „' /, - Oratory was first out and first home. Roaming was in hard pursuit from the end of the first furlong, and in... the straight Valamito and Wildfiower threw out claims, but the mare held hard on to the helm and she reached the post a length in front of Roaming, who had moved out on to the track under pressure. . Oratory has: always been an ex-. ceptionally brilliant mare, and her best efforts!.usually come: when she is. fresh, a characteristic of the Gams-: court breed. •.. She has run several: fine racfes this season though shehad: !not':pteviously,Jfcefeti '.Cwinner, during the "term." At the recent Auckland: Meeting she failed in : the. Railway Handicap, but at her only, other outing \ at the fixture she was third in the King's Plate, in Which' the record time ; she equalled yesterday was register-; ed It "is fitting that such a fine per-: formance should come, from ter of the New Zealand Cup winner <■ Oratress, the dam of another New, Zealand' Cup mare Ora:trix,' and : also; of the Auckland and Wellington Cup' Winner-Concentrate.■■.■■• The time indicated how excellent, was the second of Rpaming, who has just worked his-way put of hack class. Roaming pressed the' winner for the last seven furlongs,"so he was in a measure responsible for the figures. Though he bored out in the straight he never flinched from his job. Recent form suggests that this Nightmarch gelding has at last come really solid. Wildfiower finished resolutely from seventh at the straight to. deprive Valamito of the other dividend.., This three-year-old daughter of Chief Ruler appears to have .a. good handicap future in front of her. "v ' . - .'

Valamitd,- the favourite, had .every chance, as he' was handily placed on the rail next behind the leaders on reaching the straight. At the distance his challenge was threatening, but the extra bit that was needed was not coming; .; ■ Alunga was another to come home fast, but he had to make up too much leeway at the pace the race had been run. Boomerang and Alby were best of the others. Pukeko dashed up on the turn, but Jhe was four horses out and could not maintain the effort. Old Surrey arid Helen Ford both tired after early prominence; Alma, pulling her way forward in the middle; stages to be one of the four' behind, the leading pair on reaching the straight, again stopped badly arid finished, down. the track. Lady. Kyra lost all chance when she was not up in line at'the start.