AWAPUNI ACES

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

AWAPUNI ACES

CLASSY RUNNERS

BEAU LE HAVRE’S CUP

GREAT TREK’S SUCCESS

(Herald Special Service.)

The centrally-situated Manawatu Racing Club enjoyed a very successful opening of its autumn meeting on Saturday at Awapuni, The dry spell of weather resulted in the track being much harder than is generally the‘case at Awapuni and fast times were recorded although no time records were registered.

The weight-for-age Awapuni Gold “Cuo drew two high-class performers in the champion three-year-old Beau Ie Havre and Bruce. As expected the votmger horse prevailed. The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes event was contested by one of the most even fields m manv vears. Record betting resulted -with the Napier-owned and undefeated Great Trek finishing in front of his rivals. All the other events were marked bv close and interesting racing which points to next Saturday's programme being eagerly awaited. Gay Strollers’ Tamatete.

Gay Stroller accounted for the main handicap on the first day of the Manawatu R.C. autumn meeting in defeating a fairly strong middle-distance field in the mile and a quarter Tamatete Handicap. He ran fair races at the recent We.iington meeting and in one was deemed unlucky. He was bred by Mr. i’. Coitman, o; Wellington, and the late Mr. Chas. Boyle, well-known in the Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay districts. This Foxbridge lour-year-old was raced but little as a two-year-old, his owners considering lie would require time. The policy is proving a wise one. This gelding is stoutly bred as his dam Gaystep was got by tile Gay Crusader horse, Gay Lothario, from Tickle Toe by St. Anton, from Princess Aura by the Carbine horse Pistol from Auraria. a daughter of the imported Instep, ancestress of Desert Gold. In his latest success Gay Stroller won impressively and in his’ present racing condition should win another important race before the flat racing season is over.

Arco, runner-up to Gay Stroller, had been regarded as a good bef after his second to Broiefield at Trcntham, but had to strike his colours to Mr. Tom Coffman's nom,nation. Arco, a five-year-cid Coronach gelding, was at his best last season, when among other races lie won the Hawke's Bay Cup. This term he has not managed to win a race, but in his present order should win one soon.

Stony Broke, like the two horses which finished ahead of him in the Tamatete Handicap; has been racing prominently of late. On the recent Taranaki circuit lie was twice a winner.

Night!oe did not enjoy the same run as he did at Trentham, but may have been feeling the effects of the two hard races there. Catterick Bridge, winner of the New Zealand Cup, once again failed to weigh-in. Consistent Fort Royal

The consistent Fort Royal won the second leg ol’ the Awapuni double, but his win was well anticipated. He iaiied to get in Uie money in his s»x starts in tne latter part of last season. Then he went seven races this season without notching anything to his credit. Seven furlongs seems to be his best distance and although he did not beat a ''hot” field the other day his success was solid.

The promoted hack, Carmalita, ran a creditable race to collect second mon.v In her last seven starts she has weighed-in one very occasion and a turn in tne higher grade should not be tar distant for this well bred FoxbridgeLay Rampion mare After bis solid second a mile at Wellington a week previously the Hastings three-year-old, Opulant, was considered in some quarters as the right pick for the J.M. Johnstone Memorial, but third eras his share. Stoutly Bred Hurdler,

Roto Paerea .the only form hurdler in the Karere Hurdles at Awapuni, is a stoutly-bred gelding. His sire, the defunct Foxlight (by Foxbridge’s sire Foxlaw who was got by Son-in-Law) is backed bv first class staying blood while the dam of Saturday’s winner, Wet Paint, is by the Toi Herode horse Leighton, from the Auckland Cup winner, Mascot, by Martian from Mary of Argyle, by one of the greatest sires ever imported into Australia. Grafton from Herbina, tracing back to the Yattendon mare, Keepsake. Roto Paerera to date has only been an ordinary performer. When trained in Hastings by G. W. B. Greene for the Waipawa sportsman, Mr R. Meredith, he won only a few flat races. Since going in to the Waller stables he has been tried as a hurdler with average success However, he has improved in his actual jumping. He won impressively the other day. but did not have a very strong field to contend with. The runner-up, Phalaria, who possesses a noticeably-enlarged knee which might affect him. has been disappointing He is one of the Collinson-owned tribe and is by Phaleron Bay from Aratulla (half-sister to that first-class steeplechaser, was got by Martian from the New Zealand Cup winner, Tortulla. Bred as he is, Phalaria should have accomplished better things than he has. Last jumping season he was tried over country, but was lacking in stamina, something not to be expected in view of his lineage. Third place was taken by the steeplechaser. Gay Rouen, which confirms the view that the field was not exactly “national.” The Aucklander, Ruling Master, again failed to occupy a place and his two recent hurdle efforts are not in keeping of what he promised on the fiat. “Hat Trick” to Shiraz.

The three-year-old filly, Shiraz, completed her "hat trick” as she recently won a double on the other coast and for the season her total is six wins. This filly has beer, described before in these columns as a brilliant galloper and there is every reason to predict that she will make the open grade with little difficulty when raced in that class. She has a hack engagement next Saturday at Awapuni. but is more likely to start in the open sprint on account of the big weight she would have to carry in a minor event

The class opposed to Shiraz at Awapuni was not very strong. The runnerup. Swift Fox was having his second run of the season. He is a three-year-old by (he premier sire, Foxbridge, from Speedmint, a useful galloper in her time. Third in this two and three-year-old race was Blank Cheque who is not fulfilling promise, as his halfbrother was that great galloper, Irish Note.

Seventh Successive Win. The champion three-year-old of the season. Beau le Havre, in winning the Awapuni Gold Cup, achieved his seventh successive victory of the season and brought his total winnings for this term to £7505. Last season he was just an average two-year-old. He was then trained by'his owner-breeder, who also had him in the early spring. On account of waywardness he was transferred to the Hawera trainer, J. Farrell, who did not take long to quieten the three-year-old. -When in his owner’s charge he was started at the Auckland October meeting, but was so badly left that he took no part in the race. His first start under Farrell was at the Feilding November fixture, when he was left again to chase the field all the way. In his next effort a big improvement was seen in his manners, as at Otaki he was always with his field to finish third. Then came his first win of the seven referred to above. These have been his victories in the Fitzherbert Handicap (Manawatu), Great Northern Derby, A.R.C. Royal Stakes, W.R.C. Gloaming Stakes, W.R.C. Trentham Stakes. Wanganui Cup, and now the Awapuni Gold Cup. Bruce, good as he undoubtedly is, is no cqu'af to the three-year-old at weight-for-age and once again had to play second fiddle to the Beau Repair©