BY HALF A HEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 64, 15 March 1940, Page 12

BY HALF A HEAD

KATHBELLA IN THOMPSON

For the third year in succession a mare succeeded in the Thompson Handicap, which is one of the leading mile races on the Dominion's annual calendar. Kathbella well earned her victory, which is easily the most important prize that this solid and consistent galloper has yet taken. While in many ways it was a poor Thompson, Kathbella did her part in meritorious fashion. „ It was an unsatisfactory race, first because of a long delay at the tapes, to which several of the horses contributed and was no fault1 of the starter, and then because of consistent chopping about among the horses who were unfortunate enough not to be among the leaders in the running. Somehow nothing seemed to go right for several of the field at any part of the contest. IN THE LAST STRIDE. Kathbella and Orelio, who were to fight out a desperate finish over the last furlong, were among the few to escape any actual trouble. Kathbella was beaten out from the barrier only by White Rajah, and she was second till passed by Night Eruption and Amigo, during the first half of the journey. Orelio was always there -on her inner, and the pair moved forTvard to challenge White Rajah below vthe false rail. Over the last furlong . it was one or other of them, and it was not till the last stride that vigorous riding' assured Kathbella the verdict by half a head. Kathbella was well supported, but she returned a double-figure dividend. She was the possible winner at all stages and she battled on with rare determination. On her recent trip . round the Auckland provincial meetings, after winning over a mile at the Auckland Summer Meeting, she was consistently and sometimes unluckily .in the minor money; but the benefit of. the racing she .had on that tour enabled her to fight her way to victory yesterday. She is a four-year-old daughter of Beau Pere and the Lackham—Hymarty mare Royal Line, dam also of Misurina, who paid a big dividend on the Trentham course last' July,- and she is raced by her breeder, Mr. F. Ormrod, who had ,not previously won a Thompson. She has now earned £2525 in stakes for eight wins and fifteen minor placings in 36 -starts over three seasons' racing. Orelio made a bold bid to secure the honours for a three-year-old again, and it was only the turn of the scale that prevented him succeeding. He made a better beginning than he sometimes does and was there on the fence all the way. « ONE FINISHING ON. Globe Trotter's third was thoroughly .deserved, as he was one of the few horses who did emerge from the ruck. On the home turn he was improving round the middle bunch, and though he was still well back entering the straight he finished powerfully out on the track to worry White Rajah out of the remaining dividend. White Rajah attempted to win from end to end, and it was not till the last furlong that he yielded. Even fifty yards from the post he seemed assured of being in the money, 'but he lost third place in the last couple of strides. The effort indicated how much more solid he has becqme during • the past few weeks. Amigo was unlucky in drawing the - ' outside marble for the second year in succession. His performance was practically a replica of what he gave twelve months ago. He was never nearer the fence than three horses put, and under his weight he did well to bang on for fifth.. With a better i £raw he would have been very hard to heat. He was one of. the offenders in delaying the start. Wild Talk and Raeburn, who were among the last to leave the tapes, were finishing oh sixth, and seventh respectively. Baran and Jack Tar were always fairly well up. Laughing Lass raced round handy to the leaders on the turn, but the extra ground she covered left her. without anything for . the finish. Haughty Winner, who began smartly enough from close in, was soon off his balance. Sternchase, squeezed back at the start, made up leeway to be handy at the half-mile but then fell back again. Beaupartir showed up briefly wide out on the turn. Old Bill, slow away, was last rounding the straight, where he began a brilliant run through on the inner, only to collide with Haughty Winner. Night Eruption went up fast early to loin. White Rajah in the lead but she faded in the .straight. Homily never ' came into the picture. ~ _ . The pace early was a trine slow, which might have accounted for the '-. toiling up of the horses. The first halftoile required sUsec, but they came home the last . half-mile in 48sec, which set a next-to-hopeless task to {hose who had to come from rearward positions.

loose, had to be-satisfied with second money. Sir Crusoe was still a hack prior to the race and his real work, though known to be above the mean, was something remaining to be demonstrated. The manner in which he cut down this fine field of sprinters clearly proved his high quality. There was added merit to the performance, as Sir Crusoe drew tee outside marble, which is a big disadvantage down the Trentham six, though he was enabled to start one place in through Sporting Gift's being penned off. He was always fairly well up in the running without being one of the more prominent horses till the crossing to the straight., where he moved forward towards Footloose, who was closing on Density. He and Footloose had the issue between them in the last furlong, and, with long, reaching strides, he wore down his older rival to win by nearly half a length. Sir Crusoe was a winner among the hack sprinters at the January fixture and he was unlucky to be beaten under a big weight in the Douro Cup. He' failed •to do better than . minor placings at the recent Taranaki Meeting, but the two races he had there improved him for his splendid effort yesterday. He is a three-year-old chestnut colt by Defoe out of the Arausio —Te Atipaki mare Hine Wehi, a half-sister to that good horse Toxeuma and dam also of Meamea, another very useful performer, and he is probably more after the stamp of his sire than any other horse who has raced in the Dominion. Like Meamea, he carries the colours of his breeder, Mr. N. Clout, of Wellington. Footloose, beginning well from No. 1 marble, was always in a good position on the fence, but he unexpectedly found one too solid for him in Sir Crusoe. His. effort in nine cases out of ten would have brought success.' Density produced the brilliance she has lately been showing on the Riccarton track, leading well clear of the others till beyond the false rail. However, she began to feel the strain in the final furlong, and the post was just near enough for her to hold on for third from Disdain and Brunhild, who were finishing all over her. Disdain was third in the next stride. Brunhild and Disdain were both within striking range all the way. Alunga and Rakahariga ran fair races without improving. Flammarion and Sporting Gift were up handy wide out early but faded. Arvakur was chopped back at the start, showing no speed at any stage, and Lexden was also badly away. Russian Ballet was never seriously in the contest.