RED CAT NARROWLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 133, 2 December 1941, Page 10

RED CAT NARROWLY

BY "BINOCULAR"

DAY OF SURPRISES

SPRINT TO RAKAHANGA

Quite pleasant conditions were offering at Feilding yesterday for the second day of the Feilding Jockey Club s Spring Meeting. There was a very tair* attendance for an off-day. The track had firmed up considerably, and the times showed a material improvement, but form proved to be somewhat erratic. As a result favourites experienced a rather indifferent innings, and one winner paid over half a century. Despite the reverses suffered by backers in the early portion of the day, the totalisator figures were well maintained, £16,616 being handled for the day, as compared with ±,lo,»ou on the second day last year. The aggregate on the two days showed a drop of £526, a very satisfactory outcome. A THRILLING FINISH. Eleven contested the St. Andrew's Handicap, and the event was productive of an exciting finish, although it may not have been particularly palatable to the big majority of patrons, for the winner, Red Cat, was little fancied, while Star Zone, the runner-up, was also one of the lesserbacked division. Red Cat and Talenta quickly worked to the front, and they made the play all the way along the back from Siglow and Globe Trotter, with Star Zone improving her position to be handy to the leaders crossing the top, Dynasty being in behind. Red Cat and Talenta were fighting it out inside the distance post, with Star Zone coming through along the rail, and a great struggle for supremacy saw Red Cat get the verdict by a head from Star Zone, with Talenta a neck back, and Siglow, Globe Trotter, and Dynasty practically in line with her. The erratic Rakahanga registered yet another minor surprise in the Colyton Handicap, the open sprint, when she finished too well for the others. There was a great race for the lead over the first furlong and a half, Wings of Song gradually forging to the front from Pay Roll and Race Away. Crossing the top Pay Roll dropped back suddenly, and Rakahanga ran forward to be handy to Wings of Song at the straight entrance, where the pacemaker commenced to weaken. Rakahanga was clear with less than a furlong to go. and although Black Thread made a bid to get up the topweight had no chance of pulling the other back, even though he overhauled Wings of Song quite comfortably. Enrich was only a fair fourth, with Pay Roll following. HAGEN IMPROVED. Backers installed the first, day's winner Roy Bun favourite for the Cheltenham Hurdles, with strong support for Colincamps, but both were beaten for the major stake by Hagen, who has been showing steady improvement and ran a creditable race on Saturday. However, Colincamps might well have succeeded had his rider allowed him to run along entering upon the final round. Distress Signal, Cartoonist, and Colincamps contested the lead early, but passing through the straight on the final round Colincamps was in charge, but under a firm hold, which enabled Hagen to join him. The pair were well clear of Roy Bun thereafter, and in the run to the post from the last fence, where Hagen had jumped a shade the better, Hagen held on to score by a head, with a gap of eight lengths to Roy Bun and Cartoonist. There was another break to Haile Selassie and Arabic. Distress Signal hit a fence hard early, and did not go kindly thereafter. ■ A COMFORTABLE WINNER. After being back in the middle of the field running along the back stretch. Bay Peter moved forward to be handy crossing the top, and in the straight he finished full of running and comfortably beat Oragon, who had assumed charge before straightening up for home. It was the winner's second outing this term; he showed some promise at Waverley on Labour Day. Polario, the favourite, began well, but could not hold his place, Sir Raid taking over from Lowry Bay, but Oragon, Frustration, Peter's Wife, Bay Peter, and King's Mark had all become prominent before the straight was reached. Over the final furlong Bay Peter finished best. to win from Oragon, with Frustration holding on for third, a length back and a neck in front of King's Mark. Peter's Wife and Polario were next. SURPRISES IN NURSERY. With twenty horses the Oroua Nursery Handicap was run in two divisions. In both instances backers were astray. In the first division Hippodrome jumped to the front from WaiEffort and was never headed, winning by five lengths from Valsheen, who was handy throughout, with War Effort third. The last-named lost his position on the turn, otherwise he might have filled second berth. Rink showed little improvement, although he was fourth, with Toastmaster and Verify next to finish. In the second division Samarra was the early leader from Damask, Vera Lynn, and Starlet, but Damask ran to the front after straightening up. When looking all over the winner the filly was challenged by Starlet, who had run wide, and the latter worried the favourite out of the decision by half a head. Alethea came home particularly well for third, a length away, and then came Clarice and Vera Lynn. Cracker jack was I'ast to leave the barrier. The winner, who paid over half a century, was ridden by A. G.- Waddell, a brother of Stuart Waddell. Both lads are apprenticed to G. W. New at Awapuni, and it was the irony of things that the newcomer to the ranks brought about the defeat of the stable's own candidate, Damask. TE ORIKO'S GOOD EFFORT. As on the first day, Te Oriko was a shade unlucky at the start in the Rongotea Hack Handicap, although he was not allowed to drift to the rear. Nevertheless, he was standing up the leaders a big break going along the back, but he "ran up to about sixth on the turn. He then came, through to win in a great finish, there being heads only between Te Oriko, Curtail, Auburn Lad, and Stairway. Actually, a stride past the post Stairway was in front. Courting and Sandy Bay raced to the front passing through the straight, but half a mile from home Auburn Lad assumed charge to lead into the straight from Sandy Bay, Indian Sun, Royal Melton. Courting, and Te Oriko. Slowly but steadily Te Oriko made up the leeway to be a head in front— although definitely stooping—at the post from Curtail, who came from further back, with Auburn Lad just shading Stairway. The lastnamed registered a great performance. Indian Sun and Gitana Lass did best of the others. STABLEMATES AGAIN. As was instanced on the opening day, the stablemates Graeco-Roman and Caroline Bay fought out the finish in the hack sprint, the Nikau Handicap, but despite the increased poundage he was required to carry, GraecoRoman was the winner for the second occasion. Tetratina and Soutane led Parlato and Caroline Bay along the back and across the top, but GraecoRoman was handy to his stablemate at the straight entrance. The pacemakers were finished with shortly after straightening up, and GraecoRoman and Caroline waged a keen struggle all the way to the post, the former getting home by a head. The pair were well clear of Parlato. with Legal. Ringcraft. and Tetratina at short intervals. GOOD FINISHING RUN. After being at the rear as the field turned into the straight in the Empire Handicap. Sir Beau came round the leaders to wear down SUrveyor-Gen-eral in the run home, although the latter was a shade cramped for room

as a result of Sir Beau coming in under j the whip. Glaciate and Poutatau led Davilia from barrier rise to the straight! entrance, and while Glaciate hung on fairly well both Sir Beau and Sur-veyor-General beat the pacemaker home, a neck separating the first and second placed horses. Stencil was fourth, with Poutatau and Davilia next. DETAILED RESULTS. The results were:— ' Cheltenham Hack Hurdles, £130; about 1% miles and 130 yards.—s Hageti, 9.6 (S. Pell), 1; 2 Colincamps, 9.0 (E. Temperton), 2; 1 Roy Bun, 10.7 (R. E. Havves), 3. Also started: 3 Arabic 10.4, G Halle Selassie car. 9.11, 4 Distress Signal 9.8, 7 Cartoonist 0.0. Half a tieck; flve lengths. Time, 2min 59sec. Novice Stakes, £ 130; weight 8.10; 6 furlongs.—s Bay Peter (P. Burgess), 1; 7 Oragon (E. J. Lewis), 2; 15 Frustration (C. G. Sargent), 3. Also started: 0 Mulla Park, 12 Merlac, 8 Passionace, 13 Sir Raid, 2 Broker's Dream, D Peter's Wife, 11 Lowry Bay, 14 Silver Ore, 6 Light Fingers, 3 Midlan Star, 4 King's Mark, 1 Polarlo. Two lengths and a half; one length. Time, lmin 16 3-osec. St. Andrew's Handicap, £250; 1 mile and a distance.—B Red Cat, 7.11 (H. P. Stewart). 1; 5 Star Zone, 7.8 (N. Vaughan), 2; 4 Talenta, car. 7.0 (T. W. Reid), 3. Also started: 1 Globe Trotter 8.12, 6 Lord Cavendish 8.1, 3 Sitjlow car. 7.1 iy 2 , 11 Hunting Cat car. 8.2; 2 Dynasty car. 8.2, 9 Colonel Bogey 7.6. 10 Miss Leighon 7.0, 7 Khurja 7.0. Head; neck. Time, Itnin 55 3-ssec. Oroua Nursery Handicap, £180; for two-year-olds ; 5 furlongs.^—First division: 0 Hippodrome, 7.12 (K. Chote), 1; 11 Valsheen, 7.7 (M Holland), 2; 2 War Effort, 8.0 (C. G. Sargent), 3. Also started: 1 Ulnk 8.10, 6 Broiefort Star 8.10, 15 Toastmaster car. 7.11, 12 Verify car. 7.11, 16 Solver car. 7.12, 18 Ngunguru 7.5, 4 Gay Polly car. 7.6. Five lengths; half a neck. Time, lmin 2sec. Second division: 17 Starlet, 7.5 (G. Waddell), 1; 1 Damask, 8.4 (H. P. Stewart),'2; 3 Alethea, 7.7 (D. W. Redstone), 3. Also started: 5 Crackerjack 8.0, 7 One Alone 7.13, 10 Samarra 7.11, 15 Voltaire car. 8.10, 8 Vera Lynn car. 7.12, 4 Clai-lce 7.5, 14 Golden Iris car. 7.6. Half a head; length. Time, lmin 2 2-ssec. Rink and Damask were bracketed. Colyton Handicap, £175; 6 furlongs.—4 fiakahanga, 7.11 (R. G. Howell). 1; 1 BlacU Thread, car. 8.8 (C. G. Sargent), 2; 6 Wings of Song, 8.0 (D. W. Redstone), 3. Also started: 2 Pay Roll 8.8. 3 Enrich 8.7, 7 Saxon Tor 8.4, 5 Ring Chief car. 7.10%, 8 Race I Away 7.0. Two lengths and a hair,'length i and a quarter. Time, lmin 14 l-ssec. Rongotea Hack Handicap, £ 200; II A miles. —2 Te Orlko, car. 8.5 (E. J. Lewis), 1; 4 Curtail, 7.8 (K. Chote), 2; 11 Auburn Lad, car. 7.8% (W. J. Stevens), 3. Also started: 1 Renascor 8.10, 3 Sandy Bay 8.7, 5 All Buns-by 8.4, 10 Laughing Song 8.3, 9 Arachne 7.13, 7 Indian Sun car. 7.13, 13 Gitana Lass car. 7 2, 6 Stratford car. 7.11, 4 Stairway 7.7, bracketed with Curtail, 14 Courting car. 7.0, 16 Carbine Hero 7.7, 8 Taane Pango 7.7., 12 Royal Melton car. 7.1, 15, High Tone 7.7. Head; head. Time, 2min 9 l-ssec. Nikau Hack Handicap, £130; 6 furlongs.— 3 Graeco-Roman, 9.4 (I). W. Redstone), 1; 1 Caroline Bay (H. P. Stewart), 2; 5 Soutane, 8.8 (A. Jenkins), 3. Also started: 2 Legal car. 8.5, 4 Blandisher 8.4, 7 Parlato 8.0, 6 Ringcraft 7.12. 8 Colerlca car. 7.10%, 9 Tetratlna car. 7.2, 10 Santa Lucia 7.7. Half a length; three lengths. Time, lmin 14 3-ssec. Empire Handicap, £150; 7 furlongs.—2 Sir Beau. 9.13 (P. Burgess), 1; 1 Surveyor-Gen-eral, 9.5 (L. H. Clifford), 2; 6 Glaciate, car. 79% (E. J. Lewis). 3. Also started: 5 Poutatau 8.6. 3 Boden Park car. 7.10. 8 Kaiwaka car. 7.1. 4 Davilia 7.7, 7 Stencil 7.7. Neck; length and a half. Time, lmin 27 3-5 sec. '. ■ "" j