A SPLENDID FINISH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 74, 29 March 1939, Page 15

A SPLENDID FINISH

NIGHT DRESS AT OAMARU

The finish in the Gardiner Memorial Handicap at Oamaru last Saturday was the best seen on a South Island course for a long time, says the "StarSun," as, besides the half-heads separating Night Dress, Kilrobe, and Golden Chest for the three places, a blanket would have covered five of the other six runners less than a length further away.

Night Dress had been shaping as though he might win a race in recent starts, and, with a track to his liking, the sting being out of the ground, he finished very resolutely and got up in the last stride to win by half a head. This was his fifth win this season, and some of his "patchy" form may be attributed to hard tracks. A four-year-old brown gelding by Nightmarch from Ball Dress, he was bred at Stony hurst by the late Sir Charles Clifford,, and he is now raced in partnership by Mr. A. S. Elworthy, chairman' of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and Mr. D. Gould, who bought him about 15 months ago.

Kilrobe, after playing up at the start, got out well and she made a game attempt to lead all the way. She had to stall off Sword-Stick and then Golden Chest, but was tiring at the end, and she finally went under to Night Dress. If she were more tractable at the barrier she would be a prospect for the Great Easter, but the chances are that she will begin badly.

Golden Chest ran surprisingly well over the distance. She was in fifth place to the straight and half a furlong from home made a strong challenge on the rails. She looked to be beaten but was again overhauling Kilrobe at the finish.

Thermidor ran her best race since Dunedin, coming from well back to shade Sword-Stick, Argentic, Queen Dorothy, and Petersham. Sword-Stick failed to repeat his first day's form under his increased weight, but this was probably because he could not get the lead off Kilrobe. Parquet, after being chopped back at the start, was fourth to the straight, only to fade from that stage and finish at the rear.