SIXTEEN START BUT ONLY SEVEN FINISH STEEPLES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22697, 23 July 1948, Page 4 (Supplement)

SIXTEEN START BUT ONLY SEVEN FINISH STEEPLES

(Herald Special Service.)

Out of 16 starters only seven finished the Matai steeplechase at Trentham on Saturday last. Among the nine “casualties” was the Poverty Bay candidate, Find Out, who ran off.

The winner, Batal, a five-year-old, by Battle Song from the well-bred Paper Money mare, winner of the C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap, ran an encouraging race in the Wellington steeplechase for a novice, that being his first effort over country. On that form in a field of second raters he was considered a likely winner. He was always well placed and made only one slight mistak.e Ootherwise his lopping exhibition was good. As he is only a beginner at the game he might yet develop into National class. Batal was originally owned by Mr. Goosman, M.P., who at the end of last season sold him to Mr. D. MacFarlane. Batal was disappointing on the flat though he won the Avondale Guineas for Mr. Goosman. Later he failed to run up to that form and last season as a four-year-old was raced in hurdle events. winning a division hack hurdles at the Waikato winter meeting. After that Mr. MacFarlane, purchased this well bred gelding and gained a win with him in a mile race at Riverton last Easter. Tried To Win All The Way

Ballinabuoy tried to win the Matai steeples all the way and kept the lead until just before the last fence when Batal took over.

The Royal Shol-Helen Rufus gelding, Grand Central, ran a much-im-proved race being always well up and at tiie finish hotly challenged the runner-up. Hunting Dink collected fourth prize, but never looked likely to win. At intervals after him came Indian Sign, High Morale and Spiro. The first to be eliminated was Master Play, who lost his rider early. Then Tatara Lad ran off with Whiphand and Find Out following suit. Grand Forest, when going rather well, lost his pilot in front of the stands with a round to go. Lunaria fell when he also was making a fair show. The other three that failed to complete the course were Tenormant second for half the distance) Ring Scarf and Aga Kay.