BIG FIELDS SEEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22289, 26 March 1947, Page 8

BIG FIELDS SEEN

.EVENTS AT PAEROA

COROT GETS DOUBLE SURPAI'S JUMPING (Herald Special Service.) The Ohinemuri Racing Club concluded a very successful two-day autumn meeting at Paeroa on Saturday when big fields contested the eight events. Although provision had been made to run four of the eight in divisions, they were necessary in two only.

The hurdle field at Ohinemuri, as at Awapuni, was not strong. The winner, Kcura Eka. won a couple of races last season in moderate company, while his best in three starts this term prior to his recent success was a third. _ He is a nine-year-oid by the Australian-bred Vaals, from Nacre by Acre. Smart Maicleners.

The winners of the two divisions of the maiden event at Paeroa, Court Lad and Silk Thread, are smart gallopers. Court Lad previous to his Saturday's success had been three times second. He is a three-year-old by Gynerium from Court Lady, a mare that was bred by Mr. H. M. Campbell, of Poukawa. and when trained by Jack Hall (who won the Grand National steeplechase on Nadador and Eclair), won a few middle-distance hack races.

Silk Thread, who won the second division, was runner-up in his last effort. This three-year-old was bred at the Hastings Flaxmere stud, being by Theio from the Poverty Bay-bred Huntaway (dam of Theophilus, one of tire smartest gallopers in Auckland), by Hunting Song from the Limond mare Clemency. This recent winner is highly spoken of and his admirers consider that he will very soon make a name for himself in the open grade. The progeny of Theio have been very successful. For this last two and a half years hardly a week’s racing has been passed in which one of his sons or daughters have not won. However, Theio has not received the patronage from breeders to which he was entitled.

Silver Lighting, who was second to Court Lad was having his second race of the season, the first being an also rah. He is a four-year-old by the New Zealand-bred Silver Stick from Sunny Jane and may be worth keeping in mind for future minor events.

First Win of Season. The four-year-old Medieval KnightPointation bay horse, Bedivere, opened his winning account for the season when accounting for the average opposition in the Railway Handicap. Of late this horse has been racing over longer courses without success. Back to a shorter course he achieved success.

'• The promoted hack Commissar who * had been galloping well in private was J confidently backed by his connections, '■ but second was his share. He is by !» Lord Quex from Lavina, a mare which, i® when trained in Hastings by Wallace 'I Young, won about 20 races. Tiger '■ Tan "showed a little improvement. |» Once the going becomes easier, this , D little fellow may be earmarked as a i* very likely winner. '• Corot’s Double Event.

Corot, winner of the Ohinemuri Cup on the opening day completed a double by annexing the Paeroa Cup. This diminutive nine-year-old was considered at 8.8. as having a little more than he could manage. The promoted hacks. Tilting and Gay Fault, were second and third respectively, but there was not a great deal of merit in these minor placings.

Bright Fox, the first class hurdler, was leeling the effects of racing on the concrete-like tracks and will have to be eased if his party wish to have film in order -for the jumping season. Richelieu who was considered a little unlucky in the Ohinemuri Cup when gaining second did not perform as well this time.

Division Form Winners. The winners of the two divisions of the IU-lurlong hikuraia Hack handicap were the form horses of the field. Peggy O, who was having her last race in the lower grade, won the first division in solid fashion, but as she is now in her seventh year may not prove a verv paying proposition in open class. “She was got by Baffles and was bred by the Gains Carrington estate. Her dam. Foggy Defoe, was bred in the Gisborne district and was by Defoe from Etoile d’Or. Second to Peggy O was Coolgardie, a useful sort of hack. This name will bring back to memory a gelding of the same name raced in Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay some 4u-odd years ago. The former Coolgardie was raced oy a Mr. Weston who must have been an old "digger" as he raced another gelding named The Miner. Swanee, winner of the second division, has previously run two seconds, a first and a fourth in successive starts so that on form she was the logical favourite. She was supported more for a straight out win than for a place, being 2-5 in the betting order. She is only a three-year-old and a little more racing experience might show decidedly better form. This full sister to ioxhaven was got by the premier sire, Foxbridge, from the well-bred mare, Pelagia, by Chief Ruler from capture, by Khbroney, going back to the No. 14 mare Mermaid. Surpai’s Brilliant Jumping.

Surpai, not on all the acceptance lists, won the Members Steeplechase by brilliant jumping. He has always been noted for his last clean jumping and with' a firm track at Paeroa did not give the opposition much chance. He is an aged gelding by that one-time first class performer, Surveyor, who, among other races, won a Wellington Cup. The runner-up in this cross country race, Ballinasloe, who fell the previous week when favourite, this time got safely round, but could not foot it with the winner, especially at the obstacles. This gelding is described as a promising chaser, but will need to improve on recent showings as the opposition at Paeroa was weak.

Electric to Babrow. The Hunting Song gelding. Babrow, who recently won at New Plymouth, followed on that success by beating King's Pride and company in the Paeroa Electric. The winner, like the big majority of his sire’s gets, is an evergreen and is showing form now as good as ever he has done. It is reported that this winter he will be seen to advantage over hurdles. That would not cause surprise as all the Hunting Songs jump proficiently. Two of the best jumpers in the Dominion at present.-Bramble Song and Brookby Song, are by the defunct Hurry On horse.

King’s Pride, though second, does not race in keeping with his brilliant track work. At 7.7 on Saturday he should have won if able to reproduce his training form. On the hard track Exeter was never a possibility with 10.9, while the Contango-Tavcrnsidc bracket. 2-1 in the betting, was not equal to a place.

Second Triumph. Euryalus, winner of Ihe concluding event on Saturday at Paeroa, gained his second triumph, his previous success being in a division of a maiden race on Labour Day at the Waikato Hunt fixture. He is a four-year-old, but commenced racing only this season. He is by Foxbridge from Lady England. bv the imported jumping sire. Little England from Lady Comet by Day Comet.