SPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 118, 21 May 1941, Page 14

SPORTING

A SHARP ADVANCE

TALENTA TOPS £500

TWO USEFUL RELATIVES

(By "Binocular.")

At the Manawatu Meeting in March three very useful hacks. The Monarch, ' Rakanui. and Talenta, filled the placings in the North Island Hack Plate, and within a brief space of time two of the trio had proved capable of j scoring ■in open company. Rakanui ■ carrying off the Hawke's Bay Cup in 1 the following week and The Monarch capturing the Autumn Handicap at Easter. Now, Talenta has also made; her way out; of the hack ranks as .a. result of her double at Otaki, but she has still to prove herself in the higher grade. Bred to Stay. \ By Tiderace, a son of Fairway (who . has on occasion topped the sires' list in England). Talenta is a rising four-1 year-old, her dam being the Chief, Ruler —Doree mare Talari (sister of the. A.R.C. Welcome Stakes, G.N. Foalj Stakes, C.J.C. Winter Cup, etc.), who traces bafck to D'Oro, a.sister to Desert Gold. Although an elder sister. Vascones, has showed herself to be purely a sprinter there is every indication of Talenta developing into a-stayer. Certainly the manner in which she has been holding on at the finish of her races indicates such. Successful Pilot. Although Talenta had registered a second placing to Le Marquis at Feilding'when ridden by the stable apprentice, J. Hastie, the filly's owner -was desirous of securing a more experienced rider at Waverley, but he left the final decision to the trainer, A. E. Neale. of Bulls, and the apprentice was legged up! Despite the fact that the filly had drawn No. 10 at the barrier —which in the minds of astute judges completely ruined her chance of winning—she was ridden a perfect race by the lad and carried off the honours. Once again he was given the mount at Otaki last Saturday for another, win. and he repeated the performance on Monday. The son of a one-time trainer and rider, this lad should go much further. Acceptance Night. Owing to its racecourse being in the possession of the military authorities, the Foxton Racing Club was granted the use of the Levin course for the Winter Meeting on Saturday. The response from owners has been excellent, and; a reminder is given that acceptances close foi* all events with the secretary, Foxton, at 8 o'clock this evening. Early Casualty. When Harbour Bar won the Akitio Hack, and Hunters' Steeples at the Manawatu Winter Meeting twelve months ago a bright future was predicted for him, for he spreadeagled a useful field that included Begorrah and Chat. Unfortunately.'at his next start—at Rangitikei—he had to be pulled up. and there his activities ended for the season. Two appearances early in the current term were nonproductive, and last Saturday saw him parade for the hurdle event at Otaki. but after showing all his former brilliance over the initial five furlongs or so he had to be pulled up, having bled. If he could be kept going this Tidal gelding would win races. May Make Good. j Reports from Hawke's Bay had indicated that Master Cyklon was a hurdler in the making, and as a result the Hunting Song gelding came in for some support on the day at Otaki. However, he tipped out too early to furnish onlookers witb an insight into his ability. Full Relatives. Mr.'L. W. Davis, of Waitoa,' has a very useful pair to represent him in Noble Fox and Lucky Lulu, both of whom are by Foxbridge from the Valkyrian—Glacier mare Lady Lulu. The former ' won the Huia Handicap on the opening day at Otaki, but had to share the honours with SurveyorGeneral on Monday when meeting the first day's runner-up on 61b worse terms. The younger member had opened her winning account in the bKUku Maiden ver: easily and she was backed as unbeatable on the second day. However, she belied her name by meeting with a check at a highly critical stage and could not do better than finish fourth. She was certainly a good thing beaten. Coming Back. It was back at the Wanganui Meeting in September that Lady Montana last got on the winning list and that was in the Higgie Handicap, a ninefurlong event, but her form later suffered a lapse. Taken' on a recent trip across to the Nelson and Marlborough Meetings, she gained some minor place-money, and despite the fact that she« failed to do better than fourth both days at Qtaki when competing over seven furlongs she gave an indication that she is by no means a spent force as yet. Stops Badly. A team of northerners was in attendance at Otaki, but the monetary return was poor. Grandora showed a fund of speed in his sprint engagements, but he was commencing to stop a long way from home. Possibly he may do better over a furlong shorter than he was required. to race over at Otaki and when atmospheric conditions favour him. Another, La Rosita, a three-year-old filly by Maori Boy and .who hails from Takanini, also showed early brilliance without being able to hold her place in the closing stages, but neither of the Rotorua pair, Valerian and War Cloud, really flattered. It must be conceded, however; that the last-named was unlucky at the jump-out in the hack distance event on the opening day. Double Winner. While she was undoubtedly assisted towards her success by the leaders running out in the Waitohu Hack Handicap on the opening day at Otaki, Star Zone showed that it was no fluke by taking the final event on Monday also. A four-year-old mare by Thomond from that one-time useful hurdler Warzone, she races in the interest of her breeder, Mr. J. H. Weekes, of Palmerston North, who also raced the dam. Bred as she is, Star Zone should appreciate winter conditions and carry her record on the flat still further, while no doubt she will follow in the footsteps of her dam as a jumper later on.