OPEN COMPANY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22582, 10 March 1948, Page 8

OPEN COMPANY

FLEETWOOD'S WIN OPAKI PERFORMANCES DESERT FOX DISAPPOINTS (Herald Special Service.) The Hastings-trained, Masterton owned four-year-old, Foxbridge gelding, Fleetwood, who last December won his way out of hack class, bridged the gap between that grade and open company at Opaki on Saturday, winning brilliantly the open six-lurlong event, the Waimana Handicap. The track was very hard despite liberal watering. The recent Trentham winner Desert Fox. was very disappointing in the chief event of the day. He did not at any part of the race give an indication that he was a win possibility. Two favourites wore successful, the biggest dividend of the day was returned bv Fleetwood in the open sprint. Cot Case, second in that event was the only Poverty Bay representative at the meeting.

Morotai Collects The Bulls trained five year-old, Bulandshar mare, Morotai won the J. M. James Memorial Handicap in solid style at the finish of a race run truly. She was always nicely placed and making her bid at the right moment ran on strongly to gain the verdict by a long neck. She is engaged in the chief event at Wellington on Saturday in which she will carry 71b less than last weekend and for which there is no rehandicap and so will enter calculations as a dangerous light-weight for the £3500 Autumn Handicap. Morotai is owned bv Mr. G. McDonnel and trained by A. E. (Darkie) Neale at Bulls. She is out of the Colossus mare, Bamian, .from Ngarangi. by Rangitiro from Taimuri, by Glengowrie from Muritai, a halfsister by Euroclydon (N.Z. Cup, N.Z. Derby and Canterbury Cup as a three-year-old) to Equitas, ancestress of many high-class gallopers. The pedigree of Morotai on the distaff side is not exactly fashionable, but is, nevertheless, a successful one regarding New Zealand. Barrage, whose form of late has been below average, ran a very fair race for second money, but he generally seems to perform best in the Wairarapa where he is neither owned nor trained. The place favourite, Tenor Royal, winner at Egmont a week _ earlier, finished third. He was inclined to hang in all the way, possibly as a result of the hard going. Fie carried 7.8 and with only lib less at Trentham on Satday will have to go an infinitely better race. Lady Delight, a mare that can only win at the “country” meetings, was fourth, while after her came Foxella and Desert Fox abreast. The lastna#ied was considered a very fit gelding as he had raced well at the last Wellington summer fixture when he was fourth in the Cup and achieved an impressive win in the Racing Club £3OOO handicap. Fleetwood Impressed Fleetwood was very impressive in his victory over the open sprint field. This fout-year-old was five or six lengths behind the leaders when the field entered the long run home and a win for him was hardly expected, but Messcrvy got to work on him and with his stride lengthened the four year old came home “like a train” to win by a neck going away. As a dress rehearsal for the W.R’.C. Railway Handicap the performance was most impressive. Fleetwood is by the premier sire, Foxbridge, and his dam is the Lord Quex mare. Lover's Lane, from Cheloma, a mare imported from England by the late Mr. W. G. Stead. The sole Gisborne representative, Cot Case, ran a very fair race and although beaten decisively at the finish by Fleetwood was a bit unlucky. This gelding is always hard to manage at the barrier. He either gels a “fly" or the worst of the despatch and at Opaki it was the latter. Those few lengths he lost were made up quickly, but had he got away first, or among the first, Fleetwood’s job would have been much more difficult. The Collision black gelding of Mr. 11. Lunn has gone on to Trentham where he is engaged in the big sprint this weekend With 31b less than at Masterton he will meet his recent victor on practically the same terms, but on a straight six-furlong track which may suit the Hastings four year-old more than the Gisborne representative. Tanith was only a head away third running a better race than predicted as the long straight at Opaki was thought to be against her. .She was not allowed to rush to the front immediately as usual, as a result she ran the six furlongs out better than before. The Hack sprint later on in the day was run in time 3-5 of a second better than this open six.

Money Lest at Start Most of the money invested on the Highweight Handicap, the opening event at Opaki, went west at the start when the three best-backed candidates, Master Gary, Beau Jewell and True Friend, were slow away. The first two named geldings galloped as though they did not relish the hard state of the track, while True Friend went no better so on that form their chances at Wellington on Saturday look rather hopeless. Mine Host, ridden uv F. Cleaver, was never far back, but had to be kept right up to his work to win by a neck from the* 5 Waipukurau-owned Rondello who was a similar distance in front ot Belmont, whose placing was his best of this season and brought the first money he has earned in about 30 starts. The winner did not have much to recommend his chances. His best this season previously was a second at Tauherenikau on New Year's Day. He is a six-year-old by Man’s Pal from Substitute by Cricket Bat. Rondelle went a much better race at Opaki than at Woodville and more in keeping with the form he showed at Wairoa and Gisborne last month. On Saturday he was always in or near the van. Greek Court was fourth with a big gap back to Beau Jewell and Master Gary. Apprentices in Photo Finish The apprentices had a great struggle in the Kailuna Hack Handicap in which a rather poor field paraded in a very close finish Ihe winner was only half a head in front with the third horse the same narrow margin away. Paper Ruffle, who recently won a race again, saluted the judge and the outsider of the field, Silver Mascot, was the runnerup. Silver Mascot is a five-year-old by Solicitor General from Silver Don. In her previous starts this season she had not once been prominent. Commercial, who generally races honestly and con sistently, was a little unlucky, but any of the first three might have won. The Bulls maiden winner, Belle Mignonne, did best of the others, but the scratching of Dancing Girl and Lady Myrtle made this easy for the placed horses. Determination Recovers After running third in the Maiden at Bulls, Determination had to run the gauntlet of an inquiry. The committee accepted the owner-trainer's explanation that his charge had been suffering from shin soreness. This prevented him from working her anj the rider was told not to knock her about. At Bulls she was favourite but at Olaki she was three-three in the betting and was able to win handsomely by the best part of a length. She is a four-year-old chestnut by Tideracc from Elgin .by The Greek from Iline Wc'ni (dam of Sir Crusoe) and half-sister to Toxeurna who holds the weight-carrying record in the Winter Cuo, by Arnusio from Te Aupaki, by Merry Moment from Timua who descends from an Arab taproot.

Sunshine Bay, who recently ran third at Riccarton, was second. The eachway favourite, Golden Hope, from Has lings, ran a creditable third, but did not strike out as freely as expected. Possibly the hard track troubled him. Incision Gay Fellow, also feeling the effects of the hard going, and the