IMPROVED EFFORT

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

IMPROVED EFFORT

JOURNET IN HIGHWEIGHT

Improved with his first day's race and appreciating the longer distance, the hurdler Journet saved the Mungaroa Highweight Handicap from being a big reverse for the public. At the distance Nightlass sailed away to the front, but she broke down over the last fifty yards and could not quite withstand Journet's final claim. _ Journet was one of those finishing on' well on Tuesday, in seventh place, so the improvement; in the support accorded him was,not. out of order. •Yesterday he was always running up much closer to the front, never further back than about ninth in the field ot fifteen, and his final effort was characteristic of his late bursts in hurdle As a young horse Journet, who is now nine years old,'was almost a hopeless case because of his fiery temperament, but he has now become a most docile animal without sign of vice, a somewhat unusual change in a thoroughbred. He is a high-class hurdler, as witness his record time for two miles over battens at the last Grand National Meeting, but this was only his second success on the, flat.. The oldest of the Boniform mare Conchita's progeny he is a full-brother to two other useful performers, Golden Chant and Bazaine. .He carries;the. same colours as Tiger Gain, those of Mr;:W. Henderson, of Waipukurau, for whom he has been trained for the past three seasons by W. G. Griffith at ..Hastings. Nightlass, one of the. early leaders and always handy to the front, went facilely to the lead at the distance, and it was a pity for her patient connections that she should have broken down. She was very lame, on returning to the birdcage. . . -~-• Lustral was lost in the.early jostling for position and was back: near the rear on the.home turn, but he finished resolutely to secure the other dividend. It was the first time since his change of stables that he has had a strong rider in the saddle, and this may be what he requires. ■' <' ■ Huskie, the favourite, was at the rear with half a mile to go. but he came through in the straight to be a close fourth, a position he seems unable to get past at Trentham. The Surgeon was also running on well almost in line; but Convivial, .there too, weakened after, having gone; up to Charade and Bonny Glow in the lead at the five furlongs. Charade and Bonny Glow also tired, and Impersonater did not improve in the straight. ; Two horses who were ousted from early forward places.-, were Round Scorei,and Lord Quick. Round Score looked likely again with a dash through at the false rail, but he was unable to sustain, the effort. , Lord Quick never emerged after his \ setback from the ruck. Tupai, Parry, and Southern Blood all moved up in the ' middled stages; 'p«t:.' disappeared .in' the straight. •■ ■ ■ '■' ~ ■. . It was a rough race at stages,., and several of'the beaten horses might do 'better before long in similar class.