RUA KING TO NOTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 110, 12 May 1938, Page 13

RUA KING TO NOTE

GREEN ON STEEPLECHASER

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, May 10.

Gay Rebel had his first race for some time when he was produced at Pukekohe last Saturday, and he stood up to it all right. He is a promising handicap performer, and he will get the conditions to his liking from now on. Rua King, who revealed good form as a hurdler eighteen months ago, showed up for a while in the hurdle race last Saturday and it should not be long before he is ready to give of his best. His best efforts over the sticks have been given on left-handed tracks, but he can •go the other way just as well. _ _ The well-known horsema.n T. Green, who made his hurdles riding debut at Tauranga six weeks ago, went one further last week, when he took the mount on My Money in the steeplechase at the Franklin Meeting. Both horse and rider were making their first attempt over the big fences, but they parted company at the second obstacle, a post-and-rails. Green was not injured, but the horse careered round the inside of the track for some time, and may have to be spelled. double, missed. It looked as if owner-trainer Mr.. A. Rowan had an excellent chance of pulling off the flat double at Pukekohe, with Cheval de Volee winning the main handicap and Tonnerre the favourite, on Avondale form, for. the sprint. The latter did not go quite so well as expected, for, after being right up at the home turn, he was beaten into third place. Cheval ,de Volee put up an impressive performance, leading throughout, and then going away when asked the question in the straight. On the other hand Tonnerre failed when it was expected he would run on. A horse who revealed some brilliancy in the early part of her races was Mundane, but she petered right out in the final quarter. Nevertheless she got into some trouble when racing on the rails, when the outside horses ran past, and so it was not surprising that she was disinclined to go on with it. Avondale form pointed to Cintrace's having a second-to-none chance in the maiden event at Pukekohe. and so when he led into the straight his backers began to work out their winnings. Unfortunately he then started to run wide, and he was soon a beaten horse, his final effort being very disappointing. Perhaps the soft going hampered him, but even if he does not win this winter he ought to be in line for. success as soon as the new season opens. I The Pukekohe course has been veryi expensive for some jockeys this season. Last March both R. E. Home and L. H. Clifford,were stood down for_a couple of months for interference in races, the latter, winning his appeal. Last Saturday there was some trouble in the straight when V&also came over on to Gay Streak, the judicial committee holding that there was interference and suspending J. Mclnally for two months and reversing the places of these two horses, who followed the winner, Barrister, to the post. CHANGE OF LUCK. As he had raced with exasperating luck for many weeks, it was pleasing to see Barrister at last winning a race, and his effort suggested that if he can, only overcome his slowness in the early part he will be winning open handicaps next season. Last Saturday he tailed the field, and it was not until a'little over -half a mile from home that he began to pass a horse or two, and his final rush was irresistible. With the big winter race meetings almost at hand, it was good to see the fields at Pukekohe fill up so well, even if the class was not quite so good as it might have been. Bearing in mind that the Cornwall Handicap is only four weeks away, special interest was taken in the showing of Valmint in the President's Handicap, and that he should finish fairly close up in fifth position was indicative of an early return to form. Valmint looked really well, alth6ugh in need of a race, and with last week's run into him he should be at his peak when produced in the Cornwall Handicap. He comes from a noted family of mudlarks, several of whom have already won this race, and Valmint may follow in the family footsteps.