HAPPY ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 128, 26 November 1941, Page 12

HAPPY ASSOCIATION

X.EVIN STATISTICS

T. R. GEORGE-H. P. STEWART

The fact that the Levin course was •under water in places on Saturday morning was largely due to a drain' passing along the eastern boundary overflowing, and the track had made a surprising recovery for the resumption of the club's Annual-Meeting on Monday. Actually, the first day's form proved much more reliable than had. been anticipated and there were three double winners—Sunny Knight, Dungloe, and Saint Tor. Trentham trainers had quite a good innings, T. R. George registering three wins, P. Burgess a brace, and A. Goodman a single. Hastings visitors accounted for three i races, for in addition to Sunny Knight's j double, Arabic scored over the battens on Monday. Awapuni also took three j races per medium of Sairft Tor (twice) j and Aurdra's Star; Marton a brace j through Segra and Te Oriko; singles went to Hawera and Foxton. Mounting. . , -The Awapuni apprentice H. P. Stewart is at present riding on the crest of the wave-of success, for he followed up his good innings at the New Zealand Cup Meeting by again heading the jockeys' list at Levin. His association with the candidates • presented by T. R. George played a big part, for three of his four wins at Levin were on mounts from the Trentham stable, Dungloe (twice) and Lady Derby. On the opening day he scored on Saint Tor, but with his services required by G. W. New, to whom he is indentured, for Elusory in the scurry event on Tuesday, a winning mount on Saint Tor went elsewhere. Auspicious Re-entry. L; H. Clifford, who recently returned from South Africa, where he had been riding with a good measure of success; was not able to signal his return to the saddle in the Dominion by piloting a winner at his first essay, but he had1 the pleasure of saluting the ]udge at his next two turns in the saddle. He took the Juvenile Handicap on Dalesman, and two races later won the Levin Handicap oh Winsome Lu. He was unable' to add to his account on the second day, but was distinctly, unlucky in that Auburn Lad ran off the course when looking a bright prospect. Rode Two Winners. In addition to L. H. Clifford, jockeys who enjoyed two successes at Levin were T. Kilgour, whose limited appearances in the saddle are indeed surprising, and the Maori apprentice E. Lewis. The former took the open sprint honours on Sunny Knight each day, and as they were his only two appearances in the saddle, his record was 100 per cent. In recent months Lewis has been showing a fund of promise in the saddle, and he displayed excellent judgment when he won on Flying Spray and Te Oriko. With better luck at the jump-out in the Champion Hack Handicap, Te Oriko being squeezed out at the start, he might have registered a double on the Wheriko gelding. Lewis was seen out in the role of hurdle rider on Monday, but a heavy fall off Distress Signal left him momentarily badly shaken, arfd the experience may have, counted against him when he rode Te Oriko at his next turn in the saddle. Promising Rider. The Trentham apprentice J. Garth is steadily bringing himself to the notice of racing enthusiasts. On the opening day at Levin he had Maharajah well placed all the way in the Lake Handicap, but his mount could not stall off the late challenge of Te Oriko. On the second day Maharajah was beaten for pace early, but his young rider steadily improved his position to be within striking distance at the turn for home, and hard riding carried him through to victory.