FEW CONTEST CUP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22589, 18 March 1948, Page 8

FEW CONTEST CUP

PAEROA FIELDS LARGE !N OTHER EVENTS three divisions (Herald Special Service.) The Ohinemuri Racing Club's twoday autumn meeting at Paeroa drew large fields except in the Cup in which only eight horses went to the post. Three of the eight were hurdlers and three were recently promoted hacks. Silver Lighting did not represent the best Auckland handicap classRegal Praise was the only performer up to metropolitan form, but this four-year-old mare could not do better than take third place. There were divisions in both the hack hurdles and the six-furlong hack race, while for the Novice Stakes with an acceptance of half a hundred, three divisions were necessary.

Two favourites only were successful. One of the winners of the last race on the card was 10-20 in the betting order.

Frances Monel In leading the field home in the £IOOO Ohinemuri Cup. of one mile five furlongs, Frances Mond won for the first time in open company. Last April on Hawke's Bay Cup day he won the mile and a quarter hack race and on the second day of the same meeting he was second in tnc Hastings Hack Cup to King's Ransom. That was his best performances prior to last Saturday, He is a live-voar-old by Francis Drake (Chief Ruler-Tame Duck) who who was a good class performer and as a three-year-old won both the Auckland Raster and the St Legor when ridden by Percy Atkins Possibly lie is a solid stayer On Saturday the distance was far enough to test stamina ..

Second to him was Brown Duke who a week earlier ran second to Regal Praise The increased distance was considcre.d to favour Regal Praise, but she was a disappointment

. Hazara won the middle-distance back race the Tirohia Handicap, at a false price as the previous week on the one afternoon lie won over seven furlongs and ran third in a mile and a ciuarter On that form he looked the logical favourite. Yet he was only third in the betting order.. Brierly. a gelding with hardly any performance of late to speak of. was second and (he second-best backed. Master Ballater, was third. The favourite, Silver Secret, did not run nn to expectations and failed to gain a place Steeplechasers Not Good

The steeplechasers on Saturday were not good, but it is a little early in the year for this class of horse- Our Nation who two years ago won the Great Northern, was a starter .but was not fit. while Kilcommon. Tangn-te-pai and Diamond King were course scratchings. The winner, Etaro, who was successful earlier in the season, had little difficulty in winning and was the public's first choice. Rich Mint, a gelding with no form whatsoever, was second. He was the outsider of the 10 runners. He is a six-year-old by Safari. Pomade, who earlier in the season won three steeplechases at New Plymouth, two of which were on the one afternoon, was third. Beaute Triumphs

The three-ycar-old, Beaute. triumphed in the St. Patrick’s Handicap, thus making amends for her costly failure at Franklin where she weakened over the last two furlongs. She is a full-sister to Beaufighter, who won earlier in the clay. The consistent aged gelding. Bonny Pay, again did his best, but that was hardly good enough on the day as Beaute showed him at the finish. This sprint field was not the best Auckland provincial class. The third place getter, Bedivere. had not raced of late, but as soon as the tracks are softer can be ticked off as a very likely winner. Big' Surprise There was a big surprise in the first division of the concluding event when Farrier was first past the post. Not many expected his success as he was 19-20 in the betting. Last August when this six-year-old won his first race he was 14-14 in the order of favouritism. Second to this Triune gelding was the little-fancied Yusuf, with third position going to Gay Town who was not as well backed as the runner-up. The favourites were well beaten in the second division, with the winner, Eurolie, eighth in the betting order. Nanakea, a recent winner, was second and was as low in the betting as 12-10, while third went to Spandeau, 5-5 in the betting and lie paid the shortest price of any of the six place-getters in the last race.