SOVEREIGN LAD WINS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1944, Page 8

SOVEREIGN LAD WINS

RANGITIKEI CUP.

SPRINT RACE TO ALETHEA

(Special to "The Post.") FALMERSTON N., Dec. 2. Awapuni horses did well at the Rangitikei Meeting, winning eight of I the ten races. ' There were a num~ j ber of good dividend's during the day. That of Sovereign^Lad approached three score, and Sival's was over a third of a century. The course was in firstclass order, but there was" a strong wind which slowed the horses over the last half-mile. The attendance was good, and the totalisator handled £25,915, compared with £25,497 last year. ~.-••

The pace in. the Cup was solid throughout. Full Hand saw to it over the first bit. Then Diamond King took over, only to be displaced by Lady Spiral and Sunblaze six furlongs from home, and at the four Queen's Charm moved up to be just behind the leaders. Sovereign Lad, Hakim, and Harris Tweed, well back early, had begun J to improve, and Duality went up at j the three. Queen's Charm led into the straight with Harris Tweed, Hakim, Diamond King, Sovereign Lad, and Duality all well in the picture. Sovereign Lad hit the front with a brilliant run, but he had to be kept going to hold off Harris Tweed. Half-way down the straight Duality joined in, and in a thrilling finish Sovereign Lad won by over a length from Harris Tweed, with Duality only, a nose away. Hakim was close up fourth, and next were Sunblaze, Queen's Charm, Full Hand, and Joseph Conrad. . . <, Vera Lynn, Sterling Lad, and Prince Plato set the others a merry pace in the open sprint, Alethea being in sixth place as they passed the five. Vera Lynn was a couple of lengths clear of Prince Plato and Sterling Lad at the home turn, but Alethea finished brilliantly to win going away by three lengths. Park Light made up ground for third, two lengths away, and Sterling Lad was next. Whackie was fifth, doing his best work over the concluding stages. THE MINOR EVENTS. Fox Cover led for over a mile in the ■, hurdle race and, jumping well, he won ' as he liked by four lengths from Golden Tide, who was well placed throughout. Old Glory was third, a length and a half further back, after being well back until • half a mile from home. Rere Tere, from Matamata, ran a good race for fourth, with Whangai and Phalaria next. Anglo-Irish and Old Joe dwelt at the start. • • ■ i

Theiolyn put up a good perfoxiiiance to win the Ohakea Hack Handicap, for Stenelaus threw out a determined challenge in the straight. Theiolyn responded under pressure and won by half a neck. Grand Chase was a length and a half away third after going to the front at the five. Starlet was close up fourth, but Kuri, the favourite, did not improve after being sixth into the straight. Man-power was slow away. . ■

Awapuni-trained horses won both divisions of the, Hack Gup. In the first one Financial took .charge at the three and led into the straight, being! followed by Tavern Light, Foxada, Silver Ball, and Derryogue. Financial' was never in danger of defeat and ran home an easy winner by four I lengths from Tavern Light, with Foxada three lengths further back. Silver Ball was fourth. In the second division Merger, Glen Urquhart, Phoenix, and Sival were early prominent. Sival turned for home ahead of Merger, Crar croft, and Magic Art, with Valley Boy working through. Sival did not look like, stopping and ran home a decisive winner by two lengths from Magic Art, who was a head in front of Valley Boy..Cracroft was close up fourth. The' finish to the last race was one of the best.of the day, and the winner, Mary Jo, paid another good doublefigure dividend. Midian Star made, a great effort to lead all thejway. He was followed early by Mary Jo,. Mr. Cute, Golden Days, Starlet, Miss Ko» tere, "and. Alderman. Man-power ran up- into second place crossing the, top, where Palanui and Alderman also' improved, and the leaders bunched as they turned for home. Mary Jo headed Midian Star half-way down the straight, and in "a blanket finish Mary Jo got the verdict by a neck from Midian Star, with Alderman only a head away and just in front jof Starlet. Following were the detailed results (per Press Association): —

Rangitikei Plate, £125; 9 furlongs..—6-6 Day Lighting, 10.8 (Mr. A. Denton), 1; 1-3 Adrlg'oole, 10.13 (Mr. A. W. Lupton), 2; 3-5 The Rail, 10.10%' (Mr. C. Waller), 3. Also started,: 4-2 Greek Effort, 8-8 First Role, 2rl Aristocrat, 7-7 Stipulation, 5-4 Daniel. Haigh, 9.-9 Blaclc Mond. Neck; length and a half. Daniel Haigh" was fourth. Time, 2.0 2-5.

Trial Stakes, £180; 6 furlongs.—First division: 5-8 Mine Host, 8.10% (A. Midwood), 1; 3-rl Theorist, 8.7 (M. Andrews), 2; 19-19 Havildar, 8.7 (J. Bowness), 3. Half a neck; two lengths. Village Squire was fourth. Time, 1.18 2-5. Second division.: 10-10 Don Mac, 8.1 (J. Campbell), 1; 8-7 Matawene, 8.7 (W. J. Stevens), 2; 6-4 Toa-iti, 8.7. (C. A. Bowry), 3. Length and a halfr length. Sleeve Link was fourth. . Time, 1.17 1-5. Also started: 1-2 Tarzah, 14-18 Village Squire, 11-11 Sleeve Link, 18-14 Warrior Queen, 12-16 Young Trent, 2->3 Blackwater, 7-6 Jovial Lad and Silver Crest (bracketed), 4-5 Lumond .and Swell Chance (bracketed), 17-17 Battle Dance, 20----20 Korouai, 15-14 Gayanne and Prairie Flower (bracketed), 19-19 Royal Regret bracketed with Havildar, 9-9 Brilliant Scholar and Sublime Fox (bracketed), 10-10 Roseate Morn, bracketed with Don Mac, 13-12 Patta Fe, 8-7 TidApa bracketed ■ with Matawene, .5-8 First Act bracketed with Mine Host, 17-13-Ever Aussie, 6-4 Gay Countess bracketed with Toa-iti, 3-1 Gold Shoes bracketed with Theorist.

Sandon Hack Hurdles, £200; \Vz miles.— l-1 Fox Cover, 9.0 (WYJ. Stevens), 1; 3-6 Golden Tide, 10.5 (C. A. Bowry), 2; 8-8 Old Glory, 9.10 (W. Murray), 3. Also started: 5-3 AngloIrish, 1-1 Whero, 5-4 Phalaria, 6-5 Rere. Tere, 10-10 Squeers, 9-9 Old Joe, 7-7 Whangai. Four lengths; length and a half. Here. Tere was fourth. Time, 2.53.

Ohakea Hack Handicap, £200; 7 furlongs.— 2-2 Theiolyn, 8.3 (A. S. Ewan), 1; 4-6 Stenelaus, 7.7 (J. Forsyth), 2; 11-11 Grand Chase, 7.9 (W. J. Mudford), 3. Also started: 6-5 Lady Nahleen and Grand Central (bracketed), 1-1 Kurl, 5-4 Man-power, 14-14 St. Lucien, 9-12 Miss Wheriko, 12-10 Battle Royal, 10-9 Silver Rod, 15-15 Vernon, 13-13 Man's Pride. Short neck; length and a half. Starlet was fourth. Time, 1.28 3-5. RAXGITIKEI CUP, £300; 1% miles. , 13—13—Sovereign Lad, 7.0 (J. P. Bowness) 1 4—3—Harris Tweed, 7.0 (M. Edwards) .. 2 2—2—Duality, 7.6 (W. Aitken) 3 Also started: 3-5 Classform, i-1 Lady Spiral, 5-4 Pull Hand, 9-7 Alchemy, 6-6 Sunblaze, 12-12 Greenfeast, 11-11 Queen's Charm,- 10-10 Joseph Conrad, 8-9 Diamond King, 14-14 Lastik, 7-8 Hakim. One length and a half; nose. Hakim was fourth. Time, 2.9.4-5. Parewanul Hack Cup, £300; 1 mile and a distance.—First division: 1-1 Financial, 7.1 (J. Bowness); 1; 7-7 Tavern Light (W. Connor), 2; 11-12 Foxada, 8.1 (W. J. Mudford), 3. Four lengths; three. Silver Ball was fourth. Time, 1.57 3-5. Second division: 15-101 Sival, 7.10 (M. Andrews), 1; 5-5 Magic Art, 7.1 (J. Kendall), 2; 2-2 Valley Boy, 7.8 (J. Eagby), 3. Also started: 6-6 Phoenix, 8-8 Merger, 4-3 Silver Ball, 18-18 Master Francis, 12-10 Farcical, 14-14 Maid of Dunloe, 16-15 Sporting Style, 17-19 Curtail, 10-11 Toaiti, 13-13 Glen Urquhart. Two lengths; head. Cracroft was fourth. Time, 1.57 4-5. J. F. McKELVIE MEMORIAL, £250; 6 furlongs. I—l—Alethea, 8.4 (W. Stevens) 1 6—7—Vera Lynn, 7.0 (A. Toki) ..." 2 3—3—Park Light, 7.1 (M. Edwards) 3 Also started:. 4-5 Whackle, 5-4 Lady Acora, 11-11 Kighean, 9-6 Sterling Lad, 8-10 Prince Plato, 2-2 Tideless, 7-8 Foreign Coin, 10-9 Fine Boy. Three lengths; two. . Sterling Lad was fourth. Time, 1.14 2-5. Farewell Handicap, £175; 7 furlongs.—6-5 Mary Jo, 7.7 (J. Forsyth'), 1; 9-9 Midlan Star, 7.7 (G. Ivil), 2; 1-1 Alderman, 9.0 (E. Lewis), 3. Also started: 4-4 Starlet, 3-3 The Grand, 2-2 Palanui, 5-6 Man-pownr, 11-11 Miss Kotere, 12-12 Golden Days, 10 10 Te Wahaka, 8-8 Mr. Cute, 7-7 Gay Lena. Neck; head. Starlet was fourth. Time, 1.29 2-5.