SEMI-OUTSIDERS WIN MAIN JUMPING EVENTS AT ELLERSLIE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22665, 16 June 1948, Page 8

SEMI-OUTSIDERS WIN MAIN JUMPING EVENTS AT ELLERSLIE

For the concluding: day of the Auckland Racing: Club’s winter meeting: bright conditions existed, consequently there was a big attendance and the times were faster than on the other two days. The main jumping events were won by semi-outsiders in Dinkum Pal and Foxstar, both of whom were eighth in the betting order on the win totalisator. , Double Chance and Pelias, botn three-year-olds, and Super Vaals were the successful candidates in the principal flat events, while at the meeting double winners were Star Performer, Mooney Valley, Welldorp. and the Hastings gelding Say writer. From a racing point of view die star performances were Valley Bov’s win in his division of the Cornwall Handicap and Brookby Song’s brilliant exhibition of steeplechasing when he won the Great Northern.

Welldrop’s Two on End Bv winning the Tamaki Hack Steeplechase, Welldrop made it two on end for on the King’s Birthday lie v/gs successful in the Hunt Cup He has always bc-en a very fair jumper with form Wat pointed to him being at least usciulIn the soring of 194 Ghe won the Farmers’ Steeples at Te Papa, but until the recent Auckland winter meeting had not won again. With two races to his credit he has conmpensated ownertrainer Ross Heaton to the tune of *lloso.—not bad for a “hack and hunter.” He is an aged gelding by the Tea Tray horse Kiosk from Pirouette. The runner-un. Sir Wnimai. was always in the picture, but had no chance with the winner so hardly ran up to what his Great Northern form. suggested.

Good Jumpers The Hastings-trained Skywriter-Mor-occo bracket monopolised the finish of the Orakei Hack Hurdles, finishing first and second. On form it was not at all surprising to find this combination the favourites on both machines as Morocco ran second the first day and Skywriter was a winner on the middle day Morocco jumped five of the seven hurdles in brilliant fashion but the other two he bungled, otherwise he might have beaten his stable companion. Skywriter, like his stablemates Pimlico and Morocco, is a four-year-old so that owner-trainer Arthur Meikle looks like having a trio of outstanding jumpers in the next few years. Skywriter was content to run along about fifth for half the journey, but he then made a forward move to trail Morocco to the straight entrance, finishing a little too solidlv for the grey Theio gelding. Skywriter was purchased as a yearling at the national sals by Mr. Meikle. being a fine cut of a gelding by Son of Mine (by Son-in-law) from a mare whose dam was got by Rr-Pum, the sire of Night Raid. That old “mud-lark’ Our Gold finished well, but had 100 much ground to make up over the last four or five furlongs. He is only a beginner in this department and his recent two placings suggest that he should develop into a useful jumper.

Well Deserved Success The chief flat race, the mile York Handicap, was run' in divisions, with the winners, Double Chance and Pelias, both three-year-olds. The winner of the First Division, Double Chance, is by Nizami, from Limond-Lady Cavendish (Absurd-Bon-ny Helen) and well deserved this success as in his four previous efforts he was third in each. He may prove one of the foremost of our handicap horses next season. Sleepy Fox. although not the horse he was. still has a “kick” left in him. Happy March ran his best race in open company, taking third place. Valley Boy and Sylis did not find the distance to their liking, while Cowper and Master Ted disappointed their supporters. Pelias, -the winner of the Second Division, was a smart two-year-old, but this term has been very disappointing as in his previous nine starts one fourth was his best effort. Had he not been coupled with Happy March he might have been at longer odds. There was no form to suggest that he would be the winner, although a private report said that he had been galloping well —but the same had been said before of him. He is by the Hyperion horse Neptune from Bronwen, a double winner of the A.R.C. Railway Handicap who was got by Cambria Park from Recepio. The Hastings-bred Artificer ( Lang Bian-Hest) ran another good race, but had to be content with second again. On Saturday he was a little unlucky in the early running as having drawn wide out he was forced to cover a little extra ground, otherwise he would have won. However, a mile is a little short for him so that if taken to Wellington next month he may make amends in a race like the Parliamentary. . ’ . , Honora was again in the money, but the public did not think much of her chances. Tiger Tan and Lyn Vaals, winners on the second and first - day respectively, did not repeat that form and finishing out of a place must have displeased not a few. Another that did not race up to his second in the Cornwall was Prince Chat, but possibly he might have gone a little stale after his hard effort on June 5, which would not be surprising as altogether this season he has been saddled up on 23 occasions. Dinlcum Pal Wins by 100yds, Dinkum Pal won the three-mile £2OOO Winter Steeplechase by at least 100 yds. Fourth going up the hill the first time, he had run up behind the pacemaker, Surpeen, on the fiat again and going out of the inside course the last time had the measure of last year’s National winner, who was not jumning in his usual brilliant style. Making the hill the last time. Dinkum Pal was out in front and at the third fence on the lull Surpren tipped out and slightlv inteiforod with Ha'meatu and Hunting Dink, but that check had little or no effect -on the result. Coming down

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the hill, Dinkum Pal had cleared right out and after a fine exhibition of steeplechasing enjoyed an ever easier win than Brookby Song had in the big cross-country event on the King’s Birthday.

This winner is a seven-year-old by Dink and this was his first win. He was trained on the flat in his early career by A. Cook, and when four years old was purchased by his present owners, Messrs. L. Picot, and J. McNaughton, who train him themselves. The aged Hunting Song gelding Haereatu (unfortunately never sound; was second, and Hunting Dink third. Town Survey, always well back plugged on for fourth. It looks as if Good Armour does not like the Auckland fences and the hill, so we will wait and see if he does better at Trentham next month in the Wellington Steeplechase, which he won last J uly Foxstar Stages a Good Race In winning the £ 1500 Campbell Hurdles Foxstar staged one of his occasional good races, scoring solidly at the end of the two miles. Foxstar was actually tha first out, but soon drifted a few places, nevertheless was never far behind and ridden patiently was right there taking the last hurdle to win well If narrowly. The runner-up. Duncan, for his first appearance in open hurdle company, did not disgrace himself by any means and his second suggests that he should win an important jumping event before long. Diamond King ran his best race for some time when weighing-in for third money. He was always either first or second until the last, when he failed to stay on as well as the two that beat him. Hunting Mac, the leader with AJ furlongs to go, was fourth, failing to finish like he did last year when winning the Great Northern and taking a line on his recent Auckland form it appears as if he is not master of the weight he is now being asked to carry. Bright Fox jumped as brilliantly as ever, and at one stage was ahead with Diamond King, but it looks as if this good hurdler is at his best in the summer months. Super Vaals Shows Speed Super Vaals in winning the Visitors’ Handicap, the open sprint, showed brilliant speed. On odd occasions this sprinter has shown similar form, but often has disappointed. Last Saturday’s was his ninth start this term, during which he has won three races. A welcome return to form was shown by Shirley Fox, which of late was not in accordance with her spring and summer form as on Saturday she chased Super Vaals home. Wonder Boy Rewarded Placed in his four previous races, Wonder Boy well deserved his success in the No. 1 Ftzroy Hack Handicap. He has not had the best of luck this season as this was the Rhodes ScholarLa Premier gelding’s first success. Jan Rosa, recently acquired by Mr. W. S. Goosman, M.P., who at present heads the winning owner’s list, again ran a fair' race following on a recent second to gain third just ahead of Lola May and General March, the latter coming from a long way over the last three furlongs.