SHADES OF ERIE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 63, 12 September 1939, Page 13

SHADES OF ERIE

OHANGA'S WILD CAREER

Many will recall that fine jumping mare of a decade and a half ago Erie. Her son Ohanga has been disappointing in the role since he scored an early hurdling success at Opunake last March, but the spirit of his dam entered his blood at Wanganui last Thursday.

Those who backed Ohanga down to second favourite in the Hunters' Steeplechase did not profit from the transmogrification. Ohanga crashed ut the second fence and was out of the race. It was then that the ghost* of the past took charge of him.

When Ohanga scrambled to his feet he went after the field, but no one took any particular notice of him. After a round another horse, Longfellow, also came to grief, falling on the flat between the doubles in front of the stand, and a bit further on these two horses associated themselves for a bit of fun on their own account.

When they came round towards the straight, where there is a gap in the outside fence, they both raced off the course and through a gateway into the "outside" enclosure. There they caused immediate commotion, but Longfellow had had enough and suffered himself to be caught. Not so Ohanga, possessed by the spirit of his dam. This horse raced past the outside grandstand towards the fence dividing that enclosure from the "lawn," and in his mad career he skittled a spectator, who suffered facial injuries. Deflecting his course he turned away from the crowd and with a magnificent leap he landed back on to the course proper. Nothing could now stay Ohanga. He momentarily took hi? bearings, tossed his head, and, with mane and tail flying, set off again down the course, past the judge's box, and on to anywhere. Instead of missing the next fence, going out of the straight, he deliberately turned in towards it and flew over the centre of it. Off again he careered, but suddenly he sensed a way out of the course, swung sharply to the right into the arm of the track where the seven furlongs barrier is situated, and dashed through an open gate out on to the road.

That was the last that racegoers saw of the horse during the day. He made off for the open country and freedom. Some time later news came that he had been found, three miles away near the Belmont golf links. Apparently he was none the worse for the escapade, as that evening he was accepted for the day's hurdles, though in the end he did not start again at the meeting. Ohanga's connections have persevered with him because they know that he can jump. He is a small horse, but many good jumpers have been built on such lines. Now that he has really "felt" himself, he might be capable of showing to more advantage in future races. He should certainly at last have confidence in his own ability. ,