SPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1942, Page 8

SPORTING

PROMISING STAYER

TALENTA COMES RIQHT,,

(By "Binocular.")

On several occasions this season the Tiderace mare Talenta has shown very promising form without being good enough to win. However, in the Ashhurst Cup this four-year-old mare : took the honours very definitely. Unlike earlier occasions, she was not pulling hard out in the front, N. Vaughan, who had the mount, having her several places back in the middle stages. iWhen Classform commenced her run I crossing the top Talenta followed her, and, surprisingly enough, the latecomer stayed on the better. It was an overdue turn of luck for both Talenta and her owner, Mr. M. Millar, of Palmerston North, who a few years back raced that smart sprinter Diatomous, who is now doing stud duty in the far north. By the success of Talenta, the Trentham horseman N. Vaughan placed yet another Cup race to his' credit. Back to Saddle. With the return to the saddle after a compulsory holiday of W. J. Brough--1 ton, the champion's mounts were very 1 much in demand at Ashhurst. His first two mounts failed to finish in the money, but with Classform running to the front in the Cup two furlongs from home his supporters were on good terms with themselves. However, the mare could not hold off Talenta, and at his next time out the horseman's mount again failed. However, those who stuck to him were rewarded when he piloted Duncannon and Kanui Te Pai to victory in successive races. Surprising as it may seem, Saturday was the first occasion on which Broughton has ridden in a race on the Ashhurst j course. Back to Form. Two members of T. R. George's team who showed improved form at the recent Wellington Meeting after having I apparently suffered a slump were The ! Champ and Dominate. At Ashhurst 1 yet another member of the stable. ! Duncannon, , shpwed improvement I when he took the open sprint. Nevertheless, the Inflation gelding required all of W. J. Broughton's vigour to land him a winner, and a few more yards might have seen Tuatara pressing him close. The latter was second (to last to leave the barrier. Duncannon's only previous win this term came at his first start, at the Wanganui Meeting last September. A Bold Bid. The Bulls trainer A. E. Neale, who went close to winning the Douro Cup at Trentham with.Duality, did not start this member of his team in the Manawatu Gorge Cup at Ashhurst, and a great: winning opportunity was to all appearances allowed to pass by. However, the trainer made a bold bid to take the big double with Talenta and Black Robe, the latter being unlucky enough to be beaten into' third place, a neck and half a head from the winner. The Leighon—Habit mare now carries her trainer's own colours. Chance Ruined. Three of the Cup candidates at Ashhurst were definitely unlucky at the rise of the barrier. Night Eruption and Boden Park, the former in particular, were badly left, and Native Song suffered to a lesser degree. The last-named gran forward very quickly, and the effort told in the all-important stages, whereas Boden Park steadily made up his leeway to finish a very fair fourth. This Mullaboden gelding has been unlucky on several occasions. Back to Sprinting.

In her races Njght Eruption has almost invariably been finishing solidly at the close, and it was unfortunate that she was unable to give any real evidence of her ability over a mile and a quarter in the Ashhurst Cup. She will'return to sprinting at the Egmont Meeting, when N. Vaughan will have the mount. The same horseman will also pilot Gay Fox and Peter's Choice.