THE TURF HONEY LENDER AND NIGHT OWL CONTINUE ON WINNING WAY AT HOKITIKA RACES

Grey River Argus, 21 February 1949, Page 6

THE TURF HONEY LENDER AND NIGHT OWL CONTINUE ON WINNING WAY AT HOKITIKA RACES

The Westland R.C. summer meeting opened at Hokitika on Saturday, when a large crowd turned out for the occasion. The weather, though overcast and threatening, kept line throughout the day. Chief event on the programme, the Hokitika Handicap, was run .in divisions,, and the respective winners, Night Owl and Money Lender, repeated their performances in a similar event at Omoto on Monday, when both were successful. The open sprint, the Summer Handicap, saw the Wingatui visitor, Faites Vos Jeux, bring about the defeat of the pronounced favourite, Bambalina. The start was delayed through the unruliness of Faites Vos Juex, who finally got the best of the jump out. Bambalina’s chances were practically ruined at the start, and his supporters were never on good terms with themselves.

The judge’s verdict in the Borough Trot, received adverse comment from many racegoers, who were of the opinion that' Fire Brigade had won. There was a mild demonstration a., the placings were semaphored. It must, however, be taken into consideration, the acute angle of the finishing line, which is probably the most deceptive of all West Coast courses. Almeta finished wide out

whereas Fire Brigade was in on the rails, and just as they flashed over the line, Almeta appeared to have the edge on his rival. W. D. Skelton, rider of Open Sky had a fortunate escape from serious injury, when his mount fell just after passing the post in the Miners’ Hack Handicap. Skelton was dragged a few yards along the ground, but was little the worse for his experience.

"The track provided good going, some fast times being recorded. The totalisator handled £15,124 against £15,4091 taken on the corresponding day last year. This represents a decrease of £2851. Results: — NOVICE STAKES, Of £115; six furlongs. 4/3 EXCHANGE, 8.5 (W. D. Skelton ) 1 2/5 PYM’S PRIDE, 5.5 (G. G. Hampton) 2 1/1 VALLEY GOLD, 8.5 (C. C. Stokes) 3 _ Also started: 6/6 Achieve (fourth), 0/2 Cerisette coupled Jacquee, 3/4 Scuttle, 7/7 Ryeland. Won by two lengths; a length. Time: 1.17 1-5. Achieve got the worse of the start, and was soon tailed off. Jacquee was actually the best to begin from Cerisette, Exchange and Pym’s Fride. As they galloped past the half, Exchange had moved through, and took over control, just clear of Jacquee, Cerisette and Pym’s Pride. Into the straight they came with Exchange just showing the way to Cerisette, Pym’s Pride and Scuttle. Over the concluding stages Exchange never looked in danger of being beaten, and came away for an easy win. Pym’s Fride finished fast to get second narrowly from Valley Gold, who made a belated effort. Achieve got up to beat Jacquee for fourth. FEBRUARY HANDICAP TROT, Of £135; one mile; 2.2'3 class. First Division 1/2 ALMETA, scr (R. Stevens) .. 1 8/9 RECOGNITION, scr (F. Walker) 2 5/7 LOCKNIT, 24 (S. R. Messervy) 3 Also started: 9/12 Empire Girl, 14/15 Pixie Bell, 15/17 Paul Defiant, 18/19 Rifleman, 12/10 Stately Lady, 6/6 Wrackdale. Won by half a length; a neck. Times: 2.1 S 1-5; 2.1 S 25; 2.16 3-5. Almeta made practically all the running, and stayed on under a hard drive to win narrowly in a punishing finish. Bellegarde took no part in the race. Almeta was followed early by Recognition, Stately Lady and Pixie Bell. Locknit was inclined to be slow away, but made a game bid in the run down the straight. In a close finish, Almeta just shaded Recognition and Locknit. Then came Deep Thoughts and Wrackdale. Second Division 273 GLOBE THEATRE, scr (J. A. Carmichael) 1 7/5 STAMINA, 24 (W. J. Hall) .. 2 18/18 SUN CHARIOT, scr (D. L. Watson) 3 Also started: 10/8 Loyal Volo (fourth), 15/13 Great Show, 13/14 Dominion Jack, 3/4 Little Slam, 20/20 Pounamu, 3/1 Sailor’s Globe, 17/16 Adelma. Won by a head; a neck. Times: 2.19 1-5; 2.17 2-5; 2.19 2-5. Sun Chariot made every post a winner, but failed to stay the distance and was beaten into third place. Loyal Volo, Globe Theatre and Stamina followed Sun Chariot past the stand the first time. With just over five furlongs to run, Sailor’s Globe ran into Adelma and both horses were pulled up. In a good race down the straight, Globe Theatre came fast on the outside to just get tile verdict. He would have been unlucky to have lost, as he gave ground near the finish when he bored out. Stamina was a good second, with Sun Chariot close up. The next to finish was Loyal Volo. THOMPSON HACK HANDICAP, Of £140; one mile. 1/1 FINIGIN, 9.3 (C. C. Stokes) .. 1 2/2 GOLD MEDALLION, 7.11, car. 7.8 (I. McLure) 2 4/3 MORNING WATCH, 5.6 (W. D. Skelton) 3 Also started: 3/4 Salmarie (fourth), 5/5 Iron Trail, 6/6 Maka Maka, 7/7 Our Style. Won by three lengths; two. Time: 1.44. Iron Trail lost his rider soon after the start. Gold Medallion was one of the early leaders, and with five furlongs to go was four lengths in front of Finigin, Salmarie and Our Style, who were almost abreast. Morning Watch stumbled, but his rider made a brilliant recovery, though he lost considerable ground. Finigin moved up to challenge Gold Medallion, and they came into the straight almost on terms. Finigin drove through in the run up the straight to win nicely from Gold Medallion.. Morning Watch finished on for third. Then came Salmarie and Maka Maka. HOKITIKA HANDICAP, Of £200; one and a-quarter miles. First Division 2/4 NIGHT OWL, 7.11 (W. D. Skelton) 1 5/5 RENEGE, 8.5 (D. J. Thistoll) ? 10/10 ROYAL ROBE, 7.7, car. 7.S (I. McLure) 3 Also started: 7/8 Early Night (fourth), 3/1 Grill, 8/9 Super Lake, 13/13 Atreus, 11/11 Sir Tague. Won by two lengths; a length. Time: 2.11. Always well placed, Night Owl made no race of it, and won as he liked from his stablemate, Renege. Both Grill and Early Night gave ground at the start. Early Night soon caught the field, but Grill was never really a possibility. Royal Robe led down past the stand and into the bad: from Night Owl, Sir Tague, Renege and Super Lake. Night Owl went'to the front racing down the back, and galloped on very freely to win front Renege and Royal Robe. Then came Early Night finishing on, and Grill. Second Division 1/2 MONEY LENDER, 8.2, car. | 7.13 (M. ,R. Jones) 1 6/6 SHENANDOAH, 7.2, car. 7.3 (IT. Phillips) 2 4/3 FALCONBRIDGE, 8.6, car. 8.7 (R. G. Bradshaw) 3 Also started: 12/12 Rival Chase

(fourth), 9/7 Master Baron, 8/9 Paper Ruffle. Won by four lengths; a length and a-half. Time: 2.10.

Falconbridge was hopelessly left, but the rest got away to a straggling start. Shenandoah was the first to show out from Rival Chase, Master Baron and Money Lender. ' Shenandoah and Master Baron were together in front as they passed the judge with a round to go. Money Lender, on the inside of Rival Chase, was getting a in second place equal. Shenancipal\, piloted the field past the live and on towards the four. Money Lender set out after the leader rounding the turn for home, and came into the straight just clear of Shenandoah, Master Baron and Falconbridge. The favourite came on for an easy win from Shenandoah. Then came Falconbridge, Rival Chase and Super Lake.

WILLIAMS HACK HANDICAP, Of £130; seven furlongs. 3/2 MORNING WATCH, S.S (W. D. Skelton) 1 6/4 VALLEY GOLD, 7.8, car. 7.3 (D. F. Combe) 2 2/3 VALMEER, 8.12 (H. Phillips) 3 Also started: 4/5 Chaka (fourth), 5/6 Jinny Jinks, 1/1 Cinereous, 7/7 Lance Tor. Won by a length and a-half; a length. Time: 1.30 2-5.

Jinny Jinks was soon hurried out to the front from Valmeer, Cinereous and Morning Watch. Jinny Jinks had a good lead as they went into the back, where her nearest attendants were Valmeer and Cinereous. Morning Watch moved up on the outside between the half and the three, and by the time the straight was reached Morning Watch was up challenging for the lead. Valmeer gave ground racing to the straight. In the run to the judge. Morning Watch did best and won well from Valley Gold, who came very fast over the last half furlong. Valmeer was a poor third; then came Chaka and Cinereous. The others were beaten off.

BOROUGH HANDICAP TROT, Of £135; one mile and a-half; 3.37

class. 3/3 ALMETA, 24 (R. Stevens) .. 1 1/1 FIRE BRIGADE, 24 (F. G. Lynch) 2 4/6 LOCKNIT, 48 (S. R. Messervy) 3 Also started: 10/9 Loyal Volo (fourth), 5/5 Little Slam, 8/10 Empire Girl, 15/15 Pixie Bell, 14/14 Rifleman, 272 Shining Gold, 13/13 Stately Lady, 11/12 Sun Chariot, 7/7 Sun Glory, 12/13 Adelma, 6/4 Victory Peal, 9/8 Deep Thoughts. Won by a nose; a length. Times: 3.38 1-5; 3.36 2-5; 3.34 3-5.

Pixie Bell was first to hit her hopples, and led out from Loyal Volo, Fire Brigade (who had made a splendid begining), Sun Chariot, and Little Slam. At the completion of the first circuit, the order was Pixie Bell, just showing the way to Locknit, Fire Brigade, Loyal-Volo and Almeta. The order remained unchanged as they raced down the back'. Into the straight, Fire Brigade, Locknit, Almeta and Pixie Bell were almost on term's. The field spread across the track half way up the straight, but over the last fifty yards Fire Brigade on the inside, and Adelma wide out on the track, came away to fight out a desperate finish. Almeta on the outside was doing the better of the two on the line, and won the money by the narrowest of margins from Fire Brigade. Locknit was a length away third, and was followed home by Loyal Volo. SUMMER TIANDICAF, Of £150; six furlongs. 2/1 FAITES VOS JEUX, 8.8 (L. ■ V/. Hare) 1 1/2 BAMBALINA, 7.2 (W. D. Skelton) 2 3/3 DRESS REHEARSAL, 7.2, car. 7.3 (H. Phillips) 3 Also started: 4/4 Theocritus (fourth), 5/5 John o’ London, 6/6 Pedantic. Won by a length and a-half; a length. Time: 1.16. After Faites Vos Jeux had given considerable trouble at the start and disorganised the field, he was given a real flying start, whereas Bambalina, who for the most part had stood well, was left flat-footed and given an almost impossible task to v,Tn. Dress Rehearsal sped up to fane the lead from Faites Vos Jeux at the end of a furlong. Bambalina made a fast run down the back, but with the fast pace' set by Dress Rehearsal had to be kept up to his work all through. Faites Vos Jeux had the measure of Dress Rehearsal as they swung for home. Although Bambalina finished gamely on the outside, be never looked like catching Faites Vos Jeux. Dress Rehearsal was a creditable third, just in front of .the top weight, Theocritus.

MINERS’ HACK HANDICAP, Of £140: six furlongs. 2/2 NEWSPAPER, 7.13, car. 8.3 (C. McDonald) 1 3/3 POST GRADUATE, 8.13, car. 8.6 (R. A. Burt) » 2 4/4 ALL’S FAIR, 8.8, car. 8.5 (M. R. Jones) 3 Also started: 1/1 Open Sky (fourth), 8/8 Jinnk Jinks, 5/5 Valmeer, 6/6 Battle Spear, 7/7 Lady Montrose. Won by two lengths; half a length. Time: 1.17.

The staunch favourite, Open Sky, was slow away. Post Graduate and Newspaper were soon disputing the lead from All’s Fair and Open Sky. Newspaper went into a clear lead as they passed the half. Open Sky moved up to be handy as they turned to come into the straight. Newspaper came home the easiest of winners from Post Graduate and /ill’s Fair. Open Sky was a disappointing fourth, and just after passing the post she slipped and fell. Her rider escaped with a shaking.