SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 19 June 1926, Page 3

SPORTING.

June 18, 19 —Napier Park R.C. June 23—Hawke’s Bay Hunt C. June 25, 26—Hawke’s Bay J.C. July 6,8, 10—Wellington R.C. July 22—Waixnate District Hunt Club. July 24 —South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 29, 31—Gisborne R.C. July 31—Christchurch Hunt Club. TROTTING FIXTURES. June 19 and 23 —Auckland T.C. Winter NAPIER PARK MEETING. (by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) NAPIER., June 18. The Napier Park winter meeting opened to-day in idea] weather conditions, and the course was in splendid order. The totalisator handled £12,110 against £9877 on the first day last year, an increase of £2233. Results: MOTEO HURDLES. Of 150 sovs. One and tliere-quarter miles. 1 Mangatoetoe (J. Nixon) 1 2 Euchre 2 3 Reliutai 3 Also started: 4 Royal' Heather, 8 Counter Attack, 9 Tempean, 5 RubyRing, 6 Manutai, 7 Mannequin. Won by a, length, with half a length between second and third. Time, 3:14 4-5. PETANE HACK STEEPLECHASE. Of 150 sovs. Two miles. 1 Bonny Rill (A. McDonald) ... 1 8 Woden 2 5 Little River 3 Also started: 7 Lady Comet, 3 Lark Hall, 2 Uncle Dave, 9 Birka, 10 Supporter, 11 Kyoto, 4 Silta, 6 Velvet King. Won by a length, with twelve lengths between second and third. Time, 4.15. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP. Of 200 sovs. One mile. 5 Beaumont (C. Carmont) 1 6 Wristlet 2 4 Malatour 3 Also started: 2 Perle de Leon, 8 Startle, 1 Tuahine, 11 Serene, 3 Jeannette, 6 Sir Pam, 9 Killoeli, 10 Mountain Top. Won by half a length, with a length between second and third. Time, 1.42 2-5. NAPIER STEEPLECHASE, Of 350 sovs. Three miles. 1 Puwliero (A. McDonald) 1 4 Sturdee 2 2 Nukumai 3 Also started: 5 Passin’ Through, 6 Fireblight, 3 Ranui, 7 Maliia. Won by eight lengths, with two lengths between second and third. Time, 6.12. LADIES’ HANDICAP. Of 100 sovs. One and a quarter miles. 2 Hillation (Air. G. Green) ... 1 4 Arch Salute 2 1 Brigadier Bill 3 Also started: 3 Royal Diadem, 5 Peshwa, S Grey r Lady, 9 Red Cent, 11 Blackflier, 7 Revel, 10 Mint Julep, 6 Polyastra. Won by half a length Royal Diadem won by three parts of a length from Hillation, but disqualified for weighing in short. Time, 2.12 2-5. AHURIRI HURDLES HANDICAP. Of 200 sovs'. One mile and threequarters. 6 Ngata (A. McDonald) 1 1 Highway 2 5 Koauau & Also started: 4 Many Colours, 2 Santiago, 8 Comedy Prince, 3 Merry Singer, 9 Eonmark) 7 Good Sport, 10 Monte. Won by a length and a halt, with a similar distance between second and third. Time, 3.11 3-5. SETTLERS’ HACK HANDICAP. Of 125 sovs. Six furlongs. 2 Mime (L. G. Morris) I 3 Cohesion 2 1 Llandudno 3 Also started: 6 Gauntlet, 12 Blue Jay 4 Minstrel Boy, 9 Tino Maunga, 5 Polar, 11 Bennanee, 7 Coot, 15 \\ umoreana, 8 Break o’ Day, 20 Doimy, f 3 Evensong, 18 Arrow River, it Hatlior, 22 Sand-burn, 17 Essential, 14 Patutahi, lO Stmngholt, 21 Three Kino-.s, 16 Merekava, 23 Lombardo. Won by a length, with two lengths between second and third. Time, 1.15 2-5.

RACING DESCRIBED,

(By Telegraph —Special to The Star.) NAPIER, June 18. The Napier Park meeting was opened in beautifully fine weather, the warmth at mid-day suggesting more of late spring than mid-winter. As the various times show, the course was veiy firm, but provided excellent going. Puwhero won again in good style, while that good horse Ngata once a Sp' in showed what a master ho is. P. Holman injured his shoulder when Lark Hall fell with him in the Hack Steeplechase, otherwise there was no serious mishap. Several batches of youngsters were cantered down the straight, and Commendation, in company with Comedies, was cantered once round the course proper. George Price was present and had a very busy day amongst his numerous friends. In the Moteo Hack Hurdles, Mangatoetoe and Euchre were the best backed, with Rohutai and Royal Heather fairly well supported. Mannequin missed the jump out and Rohutai began very slow. Manutai actually led at the first fence, but once over, Royal Heather, Ruby Ring and Manutai were almost on terms. Counter Attack caily coming lo grief, his rider, R, Edger, making a good recovery. Racing past the stands, Royal Heather and Ruby Ring were well clear of Tom pea 11 and Manutai, but going down the back Mangatoetoe, Euchre and Rohutai made forward moves. Racing to the second to last fence, Mangatoetoe, Euelire and Rohutai were closing on Royal Heather with Ruby Ring falling back well beaten in the run from the last fence, where Mangatoetoe jumped to the front. The latter won easily by a length from Euchre, who got up to beat Rohutai by half a length. Royal Heather was well back fourth, and then at intervals came Manutai, Ruby Ring and Counter Attack.

The Pctane Hack Steeplechase saw Bonny Rill always a good favourite, with 'Uncle Dave, Lark Hall and Silta cvonlv backed. Uncle Dave, Birka and Velvet King were the leaders at the first fence, but the next, the sod wall, brought, about Velvet King’s downfall. Passing the stands Uncle Dave led Birka, Woden’ and Bonny Rill, with Lady Comet tailing the field and bucking over her fences. Crossing the stand double, the order was Kyoto, Uncle

Dave, Birka, Bonny Rill, Silta, Wbden and Little River. " Silta tipped out at the log fence, Uncle Dave and Lark Hall fell at the sod wall and Birka at the second to last fence, the lastnamed at that stage being out in front with Bonny Rill and Little River. . At the last fence Bonny Rill and Little River were practically ~on terms with Woden handy. Once over Bonny Rill held off Woden and beat him by a length. Little River was eight lengths away third and Kyoto and Supporter were the only others to.finish. For the Stewards’ Stakes Tuahine was a good favourite, with very fair support for Perle de Leon and Jeannette. Malatour, on the inside, got all the best of the start, and turning into the back straight was well clear of Tuahine, Serene, Beaumont, Wristlet, Sir Pam and Mountain Top, with Jeannette and Perle de Leon last of a: strung-out field. Malatour still led crossing the top from Beaumont, Tuahine, Serene and Wristlet. Beaumont headed Malatour in the straight and Wristlet challenged. In a good finish Beaumont beat Wristlet by half a length, with Malatour a length away third. Sir Pam was fourth with Tuahine close up next and Startle, Mountain Top and Perle de Leon following practically in line. Iri. tlie Napier Steeplechase-, Puwliero and Nukumai between them carried more than half the total investments. Ranui, Sturdee, Puwhero and Nukumai were the leading buncli at the first fence, with Fireblight and- Passin’ Thru’ last. Puwhero had gone to the front at the -s-tands and led from Sturdee and Ranui, with Nukumai, Mahia, Fireblight -and Pa-s-sin’ Thru’ following in that order. There was no change, until the stands the next time, when Nukumai had displaced R-an-ui. Going down the back the last time, Mahia lia-d gone back to last, but otherwise Puwhero was still bounding along in front well clear of Sturdee, who was -followed at intervals by Nukumai, and Ranui. Then coming, after an appreciable gap, were Fireblight and Passin’ Thru’ on terms. Puwhero was not troubled, and won by -six lengths from Sturdee, which beat Nukumai by two lengths, with Ranui a length away fourth. Fireblight and Passin’ Thru’ were next. Puwhero jumped brilliantly all the way. Sturdee and Nukumai bungled -several fences, and Ranui did best of all at his fences "outside -the winner. Fireblight- will be improved by the race.

In the Ladies’ Handicap, Brigadier Bill and Hillation monopolised the- betting. Mint Julep led past the stands from Polyastra, Peshwa and Royal Diadem, with Brigadier Bill and Revel well hacked. Royal Diadem went to the front passing the- furlong post, and Hillation -shot out m pursuit, with Arch Salute Hillation, Polyastra and Brigadier Bill. Royal Diadem went on to win easi'y by two lengths from Hillation, which got up to beat Arch Salute by half a length. Brigadier Bill, Peshwar and Revel were next. The winner’s rider failed- by 4lb-s to- draw the weight, and was disqualified, the first place going to Hilation, with Arch Salute placed second and Brigadier Bill third.

For the Aburiri Hurdles, Highway and Santiago were the public fancies in a good betting race, with Merry Singer, Koauau and Many Colours all better backed than Ngata. Highway, after being behind the fie’d at the harrier rise, led at the first fence from Good- -Sport, Ngata. Eonmark, Koauau. and Merry Singer. There was little change as they cleared the stand hurdle, except that Many Colours had run up into a [handy position with Ngata and Koauau. Good Sport got into the fence near the six furlong post and dropped right back. Ngata. Koauau and Santiago were in hot pursuit of Highway at the second to last fence. Highway was wide out at the turn, allowing Ngata to come un on the Inside. Ngata, Highway and Koauau were practically on terms at the last fence, hut once over Ngata drew out -and beat Highway rather decisively by a length. Koauau was a length away third, with Merry Singer fourth and Good Sport, Santiago, and Eonmark next. Ngata is back to hie best.

In the Settlers’ Hack Handicap, Llandudno. Mime and Cohesion carried the hulk of the money, go-od picking, as they filled the places. Mime, Minstrel Boy, Essential ..and Cost began best, but Coot soon ran to the front and showed the way across the top to Cohesion. Mime, Llandudno and Essential. There was little change at the turn, but Coot retired when in line for home. Cohesion going, on with Mime. Mime staved on to heat Cohesion by two lengths, with Llandudno a length away third. Gauntlet was fourth and Essential. Polar, Blue Jav and Minstrel Boy next. Llandudno and Cohesion were unluckv and it looked as if Llandudno should have won. ASCOT GOLD CUP. BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. LONDON. June 17.

The Ascot Gold Cup resulted: Solario ('Childs) 1, Priori Second (Allemand) 2, Pons Asi norum (Wragg) 3. Six started. Won by three lengths.