SPORTING Finola Ran Out Of Hack Company At Awapuni

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 June 1950, Page 9

SPORTING Finola Ran Out Of Hack Company At Awapuni

Two apparently-effortless.victories made Finola, a. three-year-old filly by Ancient Briton from the Lueulhis mare Angry Words, the outstanding hack sprinter at the’Manawatu Racing Club’s meeting and she will have to do her future racing in open company. She has now won over £lOOO in stakes for her owner, Mr G. Lamb, Foxton, who trains her. Mr Lamb purchased her privately as a yearling after she had been passed in at auction at 275 guineas.

Finola is a half-sister to Black Beret, Panoni, Lilbert and Scram, so she comes from a useful , winning family. The Ancient Briton filly won her races at Awapuni with consummate ease. On the first day in the Suburban Handicap (seven furlongs) she led all the way and was not really challenged in the run home, winning'by five lengths from the useful Choy Loy. On Saturday, in the first division of the Electric Handicap, she had 9.10 to carry, but she again began smartly. She was not far from the leaders at any stage, and after she took the lead coming to the straight she did not look like being beaten. She won by two lengths from Despot with Rosearna a fair third. Finola revelled in the very heavy

going at Awapuni, which was only to be expected of a galloper bred from a daughter of Lucillus. She has also shown more than average ability on firm tracks and her owner-trainef • should not have to wait long for her first return in open company. She has brilliant speed and with a light weight in the higher grade she will be hard to catch, especially in provincial sprints. Rosearna, a four-year-old mare by Beaulivre from Unusual, by Captain Bunsby-Drolatique (imp.), by Black Jester ran two good races at Awapuni, finishing fifth behind Finola in

the Suburban Handicap, and third in , the first division of the Electric Handicap. Rosearna has not won in seven starts since she paid £45 for a win when breaking her maiden status at Waipukurau in April. She has a lot of speed and was in the leading division throughout her race at Awapuni on Saturday. In company a little less strong she might soon be a winner again. Plans For Beaumaris Weights for the Melbourne Cup have not been issued, and J. S. Shaw has stated that Beaumaris will probably do his spring racing in New Zealand, but Melbourne bookmakers have made the Riccarton colt favourite for the Cup. Struck Trouble Hoeroa will not have lost many friends because of his failure to do better than fourth in his division of the Electric Handicap at Awapuni on Saturday. He seemed to be going well when he struck trouble at the home turn, but even if he had not been hampered it is very doubtful if he would have troubled Finola. Finished Solidly

Pym’s Pride won the second division of the Farewell Hack Handicap at Awapuni with a solid finishing run. He was toward the rear till the half-mile, where he commenced to improve and trailed the leaders into the straight. He was not required to do his: best in the run home to gather in Robin Redbreast and beat him by a length. Pym’s Pride has improved with recent racing and he may develop into a good performer. Expensive Failure

Trench Mate was an expensive failure in the hack steeplechase on Saturday. He was kept well back early and had not made up much ground when he got in too close to a fence six furlongs from home, bungled badly and bumped his inexperienced rider out of the saddle. This failure would not cost this promising ’chaser many friends. One To Remember

Tactful Lad made a grand effort to win his division of the Hairini Hack Handicap at Awapuni and in going under to Clear View he was far from disgraced, foi' he carried 9.13 and started from the extreme outside of the field, a severe handicap on this course. Tactful Lad is one to remember for handicap events. The first of these for him may be the main races at Avondale pext month.

May Be Overlooked Christopher Wren, who had won the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui and finished second, two lengths back, to Master Patrick in the Wanganui Steeplechase at level weights, was going very well when he came to grief at the log fence about a mile from home in the Manawatu Steeplechase.' The error was not his as the ground was treacherous and gave under him as he took off. Consequently he slipped into the fence’and came down heavily. He was with the leaders at the time and going well enough to be given a chance.-

Huge Offer For Stallion A London message says that the Aga Khan has rejected two American

offers of £197,500 for the three-year-old Palestine. Palestine won this year’s Two Thousand Guineas. The horse is to be syndicated as a stallion in England for £150,000. There will be 40 shareholders, each holding £3750. The Aga Khan previously sold three Derby winners to the Americans—Blenheim, Bahram, and Mahmoud.. Winner In Australia

National Velvet, a winner last season when trained at Prebbleton by V. Leeming, for Messrs Wilson Bros., gained his fourth win since being purchased by Mrs M. P. Cummings in the £5lO Wordham Stakes at Wayville (Australia) last month. National Velvet, which is -by Grattan Loyal from Daphne de Oro, won at a 2min 18 4-ssec rate. A winner at a 2min 9 3-5 sec rate in New Zealand, National Velvet should be capable of winning more races in Australia. Master- Meruit Again

Master Meruit, who will on Saturday attempt to win his fourth Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, was paraded between races at the Manawatu meeting at Awapuni on Saturday. He has obviously clone a great deal of work in preparation lor his first venture over the big country this season, and with Brookby Song at the head of the list with the maximum weight of 12.0 he comes in at the comparatively luxurious impost of 11.3. Master Meruit, now an 11-year-pld, won the Wellington Steeplechase in 1945 with 9.4 and the Grand National a month later with 10.0. He won the Hawke’s Bay Steep! echa'se with 11.9 in 1946, with 11.10 in 1948, and with 11.10 again in 1949. Steeplechasers’Forni

The emphasis at this stage-of the season is on steeplechasing. There were three “cross-country” races on Saturday, and the most interesting though not the most valuable was the Park Memorial at Te Awamutu. This was won by the star hurdler Kauri Pine. There was nothing sensational about his win, as he carried less than would have been alloted to him in a country hurdle race. A probable result will be a nomination for the Grand National. Sten advanced another step by beating Mastei’ Patrick in the Manawatu Steeplechase, and has qualified for major events. Miro Chabo’s win at Oamaru did nothing to enhance his reputation.

SCHOOLING UNDER DIFFICULTIES AT RICCARTON CHRISTCHURCH, This Day (0.C.).—1n spite of a very heavy frost, some trainers elected to school their jumpers' at Riccarton yesterday. Kirkella, Watchword and Front Page were sent out to jump six hurdles. Kirkella showed his usual brilliance over the first two hurdles, but failed to rise at the third because of the slippery ground and crashed heavily. Watchword, who failed to move off with the other two, was up with Front Page at the fifth hurdle and the pair jumped the last flight abreast, both giving pleasing displays.

Later, when the conditions improved, Kirkella was sent over four hurdles and did not show any ill effects from his mishap. All Pockets and Young John shaped well in a task over six of the inside steeplechase fences. Master Mishna jumped eight fences carefully. Bonnie Game accompanied him over the first five, but slipped and fell at the sixth.

Contradictory Statements On AJleged Race Interference

DUNEDIN, June 21.—A special committee appointed by the Dunedin District Committee met today and reheard the charge laid by the stipendiary steward, Mr W. A. Saunders, against A. I. Powell (rider of Faustina) under rule 289, of crossing Philip Laing, ridden by J. W. Dooley, in the Autumn Handicap on the second day of the Beaumont Racing Club’s meeting on April 10. After hearing evidence the commitee unanimously agreed that the statements supporting interference were contradictory and that if there was interference, it had no effect on the result of the race. It *vas also decided that no action be taken against either the horse or the rider.

Forthcoming Fixtures RACING June 24: Ashburton County. June 24, July 1: Hawke’s Bay. July 1: South Canterbury. July 8: Geraldine. July 8, 12, 15: TROTTING June 24: Cambridge. July 1: Waikato.