THE TURF SHENANDOAH HAS RUNAWAY WIN IN ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1949, Page 6

THE TURF SHENANDOAH HAS RUNAWAY WIN IN ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP

Deficiency’s Close Call

The Westland R.C. summer meeting concluded at Hokitika yesterday, when perfect weather conditions prevailed. A large crowd witnessed some good racing, which at times was exciting. Close finishes marked most of the events and even the judges at times appeared to have difficulty in placing the horses. On two occasions the win dividend was actually outside the totalisator before the placings were hoisted on the semaphore board.

A repeat performance of the Al-meta-Fire Brigade incident occurred in the main sprint race, the, Rimu Handicap, when a section ‘of the crowd near the finishing line were of the opinion that Dress Rehearsal had won.

Shenandoah outclassed his opponents in the Anniversary Handicap, and cleared right away from the field over the concluding stages.

Finigin completed a treble for the circuit when he made light, of 9.13 to win easily at the finish of the Arahura Handicap. The well bred, but hitherto disappointing Robin Good-fellow-Knocklin colt may now go on to much better deeds.

Easily the most impressive of the younger horses at the meeting was the Defaulter three year-old, Exchange, who galloped with effortless action. Fire Brigade caught the eye among the light harness horses, and with any luck in the running would have scored three wins instead of a win and two seconds. The Light Brigade gelding appears to have inherited all the fighting qualities of his sire, and may develop into a good stake-winner for Mr F. G. Lynch. PLACINGS REVERSED After the running of the Farewell Handicap, in which the judge’s placings were Battle Spear, Newspaper and All’s Fair, in that order, the stipendiary steward, Mr A. L. Lewis, instituted an inquiry into alleged crowding by Battle Spear and Newspaper on to All's Fair. The unanimous decision of the judicial committee after evidence had been submitted, was that under rules 255 and 289, the placings be amended. Newspaper befng placed first, All’s Fair second, and Battle Spear third. An anneal by the owner of Battle Spear against this decision was later withdrawn.

The track was inclined to be on the heavy side, and underfoot conditions were damp.

The totalisator handled £14,1041 as against £14.6481 on the corresponding day. The total for the meeting was £29,2281, compared with £30,058 last year, a decrease of £8291. Results:—

TRIAL STAKES, Of £115: six furlongs

1/2 EXCHANGE, 9.1 (W. Skelton) 1 2/1 VALLEY GOLD, 8.5 (G. Hampton) 2 3/3 JACQUEE. 8.10 (A. Stokes), . bracketed Cerisette 3 Also started: 3/3 Cerisette, 5/5 Achieve. 4/4 Scuttle. 6/6 Ryeland. Won by four lengths: one length. Ryeland was fourth. Time: 1.19 3-5.

Exchange had reached the front by the time the field had settled down, end soon put a useful break on the field which he never appeared in danger of losing. Valley Gold, Jacquee and Ryeland were hard put in a vain attempt to overhaul Exchange. In the run home, Exchange was doing

. it on the bit, and won untroubled by ' four lengths from Valley Gold, who I put in his characteristic finishing run. Jacquee held on for third. Then came Achieve and Scuttle. TASMAN HANDICAP TROT, ' Of £155: 2.23 class; one mile. I First Division > 5/6 SHINING GOLD ,scr (J. A. I Carmichael) 1 1/1 FIRE BRIGADE, 12 (F. G. i Lynch) 2 111/10’LOYAL VOLO, scr (A. C. • Marr)’ 3 Also started: 17/18 Bellegarde, 114/14 Gallant Bess, 15/19 Paul DeI hant, 20/20 Pounamu, 3/3 Recogni- ! tion. 10/13 Sunglory, 19/16 Adelma, I G/4 Locknit. Won by a length and ja-half; half a length. Adelma was fourth. Times: 2.27; 2.26 1-5; 2.27 , Fire Brigade was beaten by being honelessly placed after he had broken las they passed the five furlongs. AlI ways well placed. Shining Gold came through over the final furlong to stall

off a strong challenge from Fire Brigade, who finished faster than anything else in the race for second. | I Loyal Volo was third, just in front of i ’ Adelma. I ' Second Division I 7/7 STAMINA. 24 (W. J. Hall) . . 1 i 8/8 WAR GLORY. 12 (R. Stevens) 2 2/2 GLOBE THEATRE, 12 (W. R. : Eutt) 3 i Also started: ’ 17/18 Great Show I coupled Bellegarde, 17/15 Dominion ’Jack, 16/17 Empire Girl, 15/14 Rifle- : man, coupled Gallant Bess, 11/12 Pixie Bell, 9/9 Sun Chariot, 4/5 I Wrackdale, 13/11 Deep Thoughts. | Won by a length; half a length. Sun | Chariot was fourth. Times: 2.25 3-5; 2.2’6; 2.27 2-5. ; Stamina, the back-marker, made a good beginning, and was soon nicely placed. Sun Chariot made most of the running from Pixie Bell and Wrackdale, with Stamina right .up. Sun Chariot held charge at the two from Stamina and Globe Theatre. Stamina finished best under a hard drive to win by a length from War Glory, who finished fast from Globe

Theatre. Then came Sun Chariot, Wrackdale and Great Show. EVANS HACK HANDICAP, Of £140; one mile. 1/1 GOLD MEDALLION, 8.1 (I. McLure) 1 2/2 MORNING WATCH, 9.1 (W. D. Skelton) 2 4/4 MAK A MAKA, 7.7, car. 7.2 (D. F. Coombe), coupled Lance Tor 81 Also started: 3/3 .Salmarie, 4/4 Lance Tor, 5/5 Our Style. Won by three lengths; a neck. Salmarie was fourth. Time: 1.49. } The field went away to an even | break, with Maka Maka the first to ■ break the line from Lance Tor, Gold j Medallion and Morning Watch. As; they approached the half, Maka Maka j just led Gold Medallion and Lance j Tor, with Morning Watch heading, the others some four lengths away. | Gold Medallion went to the front as they swung for home, and won easily from Morning Watch and Maka Maka. Salmarie was fourth. Then followed Our Style and Lance Tor. ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP. Of £200; one mile. 2/1 SHENANDOAH. 7.6, car. 7.7 (H. Phillips) 1 1/2 RENEGE, 8.6 (D. Skelton) .. 2 7/8 RIVAL CHASE, 7.0, car. 7.1. (D. F. Coombe) 3 Also started: 4/4 Grill, 3/3 Falconbridge, 5/5 Master Baron, 9/7 Super Lake, coupled Paper Ruffle, 8/9 Atreus, 6/6 Early Night. Won by four lengths; one. Falconbridge was i fourth. Time: 1.47. Shenandoah, who handled the going well, was first out, and never afterwards headed. He came right away over the final stages to win as he liked. Renege, who was second most

of the way, had a hopeless chase, but was an easy second from Rival Chase, who went an improved race. Grill tailed off in the first two furlongs, and never recovered. Paper Ruffle was handy early, but dropped away racing for the straight. Shenandoah came home on his own from Renege and Rival Chase. Falconbridge was fourth. Then came Master Baron and Atreus.

ARAHURA HACK HANDICAP. Of £130; seven furlongs. 1/1 FINIGIN, 9.13 (C. Stokes) .. 1 3/3 MORNING WATCH, 9.1 (W Skelton) 2 6/6 CHAKA, 7.12, car. 7.9 (W. R. Jones) 3 Also started: 5/5 Valmeer, coupled Sir Desmond, 4/4 Cinereous, 2/2 Valiev Gold, 7/7 Iron Trail. Two lengths; half a head. Valley Gold was fourth Time: 1.35.

Finigin was first out, but was allowed to run along easily out in front with Cinereous. Chaka and Morning Watch were next, closely followed by Valmeer and Valley Gold. As they’ swung for home, Finigin gave ground slightly, and Chaka took over control. Half way down the straight Chaka and Morning Watch were having a battle royal when Finigin came through like a good horse and won impressively from them. Valley Gold was fourth; then came Cinereous, Iron Trail and Valmeer.

YARRALL HANDICAP TIIOT, Of £135: class 3.37; 11 miles. 1/1 FIRE BRIGADE, 35 (F. G.

Lynch) 1 3/3 WAR GLORY, 24 (R. Stevens) 2 2/2 WRACKDALE, scr (T. Thompson) 3

Also started: 14/17 Dominion Jack, 15/18 Empire Girl, 13/13 Gallant Bess, coupled Ritieman, 9/10 Loyal Volo. 17/15 Fixie Bc-11, 7/7 Recognition, 4/4 Shining Gold. 19/16 Sun Chariot, 12/11 Sunglory. 5/5 Globe Theatre, 8/9 Victory Peal, 15/14 Adelma, 6/6 Locknit, 10/8 Stamina. 18/19 Great Show, 11/12 Deep Thoughts. Won my two lengths; a length. Locknit was fourth. Times: 3.43; 3.44 1-5; 3.46 2-5.

Fire Brigade fully deserved his win, for he had anything but a good run and overcame difficulties. Loyal Volo, Pixie Bell, Sun Chariot and Wrackdale were the early leaders. Passing the stand with just over a round to go. Wrackdale led a closely bunched field comprising Sun Chariot, Loyal Volo and Deep Thoughts. Fire Brigade put in a fast forward move down the back and had reached the front by the time the straight was reached. He finished full of running to win by two lengths from War Glory and Wrackdale. The next to finish were Recognition, Loyal Volo, Locknit and Deep Thoughts.

RIMU HANDICAP, Of £150: six furlongs. 2/2 DEFICIENCY, 7.11 (A. J. Stokes) li 4/3 DRESS REHEARSAL, 7.4, car. 7.5 (H. Phillips), coupled ’ Cooraclare 2 1/1 FAITES VOS JEUX, 9.3 (L. . Hare) 3 Als started: 5/4 Renege, 7/7 Paper Ruffle, 6/6 John o’ London, 3/5 Post Graduate. Won by a nose; half a length. Renege was fourth. Time: I.lB' 1-5. Faites Vos Jeux dwelt slightly at the start. Post Graduate was the smartest to begin, but was soon displaced by Dress Rehearsal, who set a fast pace out in front from John o’ London. Deficiency and Cooraclare. Faites Vos Jeux moved around the field fairly quickly to be handy as thev came around the home turn. Dress Rehearsal appeared to have the race in hand at the distance, hut Deficiency, under a hard ride, got the decision right on the post. Faites

Vos Jcux was close up third, and was followed in by Renege.

FAREWELL HANDICAP, Of £140; six furlongs. 1/1 NEWSPAPER, 8.12 (C. MeDonald) J 2/2 ALL’S FAIR. 8. 9(R. W. Shaw) 2 4/4 BATTLE SPEAR, 7.10 (A. J. ° Also ’started: 4/4 Valmeer. 5/5 Cerisette was fourth. Time: 1.20.

All’s Fair was first to break the line from Newspaper and Battle Spear. The’’e was a little crowding passing the five, Where All’s Fair received a bad check and lost several lengths. Newspaper moved up to be within a length of Battle Spear with three furlongs to run. As they turned to come into the straight, Newspaper went a little wide. All’s Fair was disappointed when she attempted to come through at the distance. Battle Sueur, under a hard ride, just held off Newspaper. All’s Fair was a good third. Then came Cerisette and Valmeer.