RACES IN THE RAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20074, 21 October 1939, Page 6

RACES IN THE RAIN

TURF CLUB MEETING j SECOND DAY’S EVENTS WHETU'S HURDLES WIN TRIAL TO NATIVE CHIEF

Weather conditions were indiff’erent for the continuation of the Poverty Bay Turf Club's .spring meeting on the Makaraka racecourse today, but the effect on the attendance was not as great as bad been feared, staunch patrons of racing showing their capacity to overcome unpleasant conditions and securing much j satisfaction from a good day's sport. Fields promised better for to-day than lor the First clay of the meeting and with the prospect of a second dividend in all events the officials I looked forward to a recovery in the | lolaiisator investments. They spared i no effort to ensure the success of ! the day and both on the course and I in tile secretary's office and loiaiisaj tor house everything worked smoolhi ,y. fne secretary, Mr. G. 11. Sccais, j again received compliments upon the | organisation of the racing, and Mr. ! P. A. Pettit, judge, and Mr. L. MurI ray, starter, carried out their rej spective duties promptly and with j general satisfaction to the public. Weights Tell Their Talc

Wlietu was ridden a good race to win the First Landing Hurdles Handicap, in which lie bad competition from Small Boy. Birkoiogy, Paul Robeson,'and Seven Seas. The lastmentioned was prominent only in the early stages and after completing three-quarters of the circuit began to fade out badly. Whetu was taken out in front from the start in an endeavour to make the higher weighted rivals carry their imposts the full distance and this plan succeeded, for when Birkoiogy and Small Boy made their efforts in the iasl half-mile they could not quite get up. Paul Robeson shared Hie lead with the winner for the greater part of the course and at one stage looked a possible winner, but Whetu jumped away from him at the last fence and Small Boy also accounted for Paul Robeson in the run home. The margin of 111. stone between the weights of first and second horse was bound to tell under the prevailing course conditions. Success of Top Weight Native Chief made nothing of an extra stone in the Trial Handicap and beat his field even more convincingly than the the Endeavour Scurry on the first day. This time No Wonder provided the competition, with Taharakau well in the picture up to the iast half-fur-Inng and then well beaten. From the start, where Millions faltered, Whakao and No Wonder were the smartest to move away, but Taharakau and River Tide were both close up in the first hall-furlong and Taharakau moved up between live and four furlongs to a position alongside No Wonder. Whakao dropped back at this stage and the first four coming round towards the home turn were No Wonder, Taharakau, River Tide and Native Chief, the last-mentioned being on the fence in behind No Wonder. At the turn the favourite swung out around Taharakau and No Wonder and once straightened out for home Native Chief left no doubt of his superiority, handling the going like a veteran, and drawing out to a clear two lengths lead at the finish. No Wonder finished on fairly well and Taharakau, slowing up, was third, two lengths further back again. The order after the first three was Whakao, Waikawa, River Tide, Jungle King and Millions. Results in detail were: — FIRST LANDING HURDLES HANDICAP

First ti!)s, second £7, third £3: over six llights of hurdles; U miles. 3 —WHETU. A. Macdonald’s br.g., Gyrs., Mimetic—Hipparchia, 9.0,

car. 9.1 f <D. Craddock) .. 2—SMALL BOY, E. N. Fitzgerald’s blk.g., aged. Psychology—Susan

Lenox. 12.7 (W. Pine) .. .. f S—PAUL5 —PAUL ROBESON. .1. D. Jobson’s blk.g.. aged, Master Colossus —Nightwatch Mare, 10.1, car. 10.1 i (A. L. Murray) .. ..I Also started. —1 Birkology. 10.12 (N

Cavaney): *1 Seven Sens. 9.0. car. 9.2 I (P. Shields). j Won by two lengths, and half a i length. Time, 2min. 4Gsec.

TRIAL HANDICAP, First 165, second £7, third £2: 6 furlongs.

I—NATIVE CHIEF, E. N. Fitzgerald's br.g., 2 vrs.. Kincardine—Vniadorc. 9.0 <O. Evans) 1

2 —NO WONDER. R. J. Fen lon’s hr.m.. 4yrs., Hunting Song—• 1 Little Wonder, 7.12. ear. 7.7. (P. Fenton), .. ■■ ..2 2—TAHARAKAU—H. Maude’s blk. colt. 4vrs.. Hunting Song—Accumulation, 0.7, car. 8.0. (R. G. Kerr) . . .. . . . . 2 Also started: —f Waikawa, 8.2, car. j 8.2 (R. Marsh); 7 Jungle King, 7.12,

car. 8.2 (J. P. McLaughlin); 8 Whakao, j 7.12 (N. Cavaney); 6 Million, 7.12. car. ! 8.0 (P, Williams); 5 River Tide. 7.13, car. 7.121 iL. Cullen).

j Won by two lengths each way Time, lmin. 17sec.