SPORTING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 October 1926, Page 3

SPORTING

FIXTURES. Oct. 7 —Kurow J.C. Annual. Oct. 7, 9—Whangarei R.C. Spring. Oct. 8, 9—Otaki-Maori R.C. Spring. Oct. 9 —Oamaru J.C. Spring. Oct 14, 16 —Dunedin J.C. Spring. Oct.' 16—Carterton R.C. Annual. Oct. 23, 25—Waverley R.C. Annual. Oct. 23, 25 —Wellington R.C. Spring. Oct. 25 —Waipawa County R.C. Annual Oct. 25—Waikato Hunt Annual. Oct. 25, 27 —Gore R.C. Spring. Oct. 25—-North Canterbury R.C. Annual. Oct. 28, 30—Poverty Bay T.CL Spring. Oct. 29, 30—Masterton R.C. Spring (at Trentham). Oct 30 —Upper Clutha R.C. Annual. Oct. 30. Nov. I—Thames J.C. Annual. Nov. 13, 15—Waikato R.C. Spring. AUSTRALIAN RACING A.J.C. SPRING MEETING. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. SYDNEY, Oct. 4. Glorious weather ruled for the .seoond day of the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting and the track was in good order. The attendance was 19,000. New Zealand representation was again numerous.

The Hawk was much fancied in the Shorts Handicap, but he gave a poor display. He was last Away from the barrier and ran- up third to last rounding the bend. Young Loclihivar and Giggle were never prominent. The time, 1.1,01. was a course record. Agrien was the only New Zealander amongst the two-year-olds, but never got going. He drop)>ed back after th 0 first furlong and finished eighth. Tweut.y-three horses faced the barrier for the Metropolitan Handicap, including Count Cavour and Star Stranger. Fujisan was first away, closely followed by North Logan with Count Cavour and Star Stranger always handy. Pantheon, who was second to last when passing the stand, passed round the field when going out- of the back. Fujisan led going into the straight and it was there that Star Stranger came up on the outside and gained a comfortable lead. Pantheon pushed his way through th© bunch, hut Star Stranger beat him; off and won easily with a length and a half to spare. Count Cfcvour was alyays handy. In the Steeplechase, King Abbey was well back when lie fell at the halfmile. Neither horse nor jockey was injured. Bright Light was last most of the way. Royal Tea and l Reonui ran a good race for second place in the Granthan Stakes. They were together most' of the w«y a few lengths behind Greenhorn,. Rova l Tea. proved the better horse and finished a length and a half ahead of his stable mate. The results are: SHORTS HANDICAP. Six furlongs.

Calmest, 8.2 (Davidson) 1 Golden Voice, 7.12 (Duncan) ..., 2 Oawnpore, 8.0 (R. Reed) 3 Thirteen started, including The Hawk, Young Lochinvar and Giggfte. Calmest was the first away, led into the straight. and won easily by a length and a half. Cawnpore was half a length away after being always handy. Time, 1.102. BREEDERS’ PLATE. Sweepstake, with £2OOO added; .second horse £4OO, third £2OO. Five furlongs. Beckwith (Cracknell) 8.2 .... 1 Vielian (Bartle) 8.5 2 Laneham (R. Reed) 8.2 3 Fourteen started, including Agrien. From an qyen start Veiliam took the lead from. Inducement, Wedara, Beckwith and Laneham, and this order wa.s maintained till entering the: straight. Beckwith shot ahead two furlongs from home and won bv half a length. Time, 1.01. THE METROPOLITAN. Sweepstake, £6OOO. added; second horse £I2OO, third £6OO. One mile and five furlongs. A. B. Williams’ b.g. Star Stranger, 4 years, by Martian—Star Lady, 8.9 (R. Reed) 1 •J. E. and C. H. Brien’s b or br h Pantheon, by Tracey—Scotch, Rose, 5 years, 9.6 (Craokne 1 !) 2 W. C. Douglas’s and Hon. J. A. Murdock’s bh Vitality, by Buchan —Lania, 5 yrs, 8.6 (Munro) 3

All the twenty-three started. Fujisan led past the post the first time round, and going out of the straight was half a length ahead of North Logan, followed by Count Cavour, Piasteen, Beenjtla, Star Stranger and Vitality. Valamita was last, with Pantheon just ahead of him. This order was maintained practically till the straight was reached, but Pantheon had moved up to a handy gosition. About a. furlong from home tar Stranger established a lead., and, staving off all challenges, won bv a. length and a. half. There was a neck between second an rlthird. Time, 2.44. FIRST STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP. Two and a half miles. Minterne (12.12) I Pay Dav (11.2) ... h 2

Reparation (10.0) 3 Eight started, including King Abbey •and Bright Light. Minterne established a good lead early and held it till entering, the straight, when Pay Day and Prince Arim headed him, but Muitenne came on and won by two lengths. Time, 4.41. Prince Arim lost liis saddle in the straight.

G H ANTHAM STAKES. Nine furlongs. Greenhorn. (7.13) 1 Royffil Tea (7.10) 2 Reonui (7.2) 3 Eight started, including Battlement. Larkspur established a good feadi from the jump, with Reonui second and Royal Tea well back, but at the six furlongs post the last-named was equal with Reonui a few length® behind Larkspur. Inna close: finish Greenhorn won by half a length. Reonui being a length and a half behind Royal Tea. Time, 1.51. KENSINGTON HANDICAP. Seven furlongs. Vaa.ls (8.13) 1 The Cause (9.10) 2 Siaosi (7.10) 3 Nineteen started. Vaa.ls ;W1 most of the wav and won in .a canter by three lengths. Siaosi made, a, good' run in the"straight and was a long head behind The Cause. Time, 1.26}, a course record. THE HAWKE NOT GOING TO ' MELBOURNE. SYDNEY. Oct. 4. Mr Cameron states that after The Hawk’s showing to-day he will not take him to Melbourne.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

„ (By Maecenas.) As the acceptances are exceptionally good, the Otaki Racing Club should have a most successful meeting on Friday and Saturday next. Prior to Saturday’s, gathering, the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club experienced several really good meetings, which certainly suggested that the club had made a good recovery. However, last week’s gathering must result in a. Bubstaltial loss to the club. Commendation’ s teeth had been giving trouble, so on the day prior to the Hawke’s Bay Guineas some of the molars were extracted. That the operation had little effect on the gelding was shown by his good performance in the classical race. Prior to sending out Vaward for the Spring Handicap at Hastings on Saturday last, owner-trainer W. Pine ex-

pressed the opiuion that he was a much-improved gelding. After being well placed in fclie eax'ly stages, Vaward went to tlxe front before racing into the’straight, and scored very attractively. Before leaving Hawera for Hastings, Seatown showed a good trial, which convinced those concerned that lie had improved considerably since racing at Wanganui. From the courageous manner in which Seatown finished on Saturday last, he should at least win some good handicaps in the future. The two-year-olds that competed in the .Nursery Handicap at the Hawke’s Bay meeting; last Saturday will have to show much improvement if they are to hold their own in future racing. Certainly Lady Orby can go fast lor a few furlongs, but it is hard to imagine her winning over anything but a very short course. Although ho usually does not ride so light as 8.2, F. Waddell will make an effort to get down to that weight for Beacon Light in liis New Zealand Cup engagement. Originally J. Barry was engaged for the gelding, subject to certain weight conditions, but the re-handicappilig of Beacon Light to 8.2 has cost Barry what, at this stage, appears to be a good mount. The success of Rampion over Limerick in the Australian Jockey Club’s Derby on Saturday last would indeed be pleasing to most Australians, and proves that Rampion still retains that great superiority he displayed as a two-year-old. Just how he came to be beaten over tlie nine' fur-longs of the Rosehill Guineas will always remain one of those mysteries that abound in

horse racing. Many men associated with racing are very superstitious. Particularly does this apply to owners of good racehorses, many of whom have a horror of any good animal owned by them coming under the notice of a would-be buyer. Such persons make themselves believe that the refusal of a good offer for a horse often brings a ‘‘hoodoo” over the animal. We were reminded of this through the defeat recently of what is described as the world’s best horse, Soiario. It is only a lew weeks since an offer of 100,000 guineas was made and refused.

In his early, tliree-year-old career Spearfelt gave promise of developing into an exceptionally great performer, but he suddenly lost form, and up till recently there appeared to be little or no chance of his ever regaining good handicap form, but a few weeks ago he again showed fine track work. Even his greatest admirers, however, could not give him much chance against Windbag at \Yeight-for-age, yet Spearfelt accomplished the feat in the Spring Plate at Randwick on Satur-

day last. When the barrier rose for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas last Saturday, Commendation was just screwing side on; but he made an instantaneous recovery, arid was actually in front in a few yards. He was pulling hard in behind Rascal, and when his rider (B. Morris) asked him to go up Commendation passed Rascal in a very short distance, to win with a lot in hand. In fact, he was obviously a better class than his opponents. After being so well-mannered at Ellerslie, when he contested the Avondale Guineas, it was a blow to the admirers of Commendation to find him again giving trouble at Hastings last Saturday. While Commendation bucked and lashed out with his hind legs when reprimanded by his jockey at Hastings, it did not appear to be of the vicious variety of temper. Com-

mendation pushed and backed into his opponents, but lie bad no attempt to kick at an animal, it is a most unfortunate thing that such a great galloper should have the failing. Unlike many former years, the New Zealand horses were well beaten on the opening clay of the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting. Their defeat would be very costly to a large army of Dominion' racegoers, many of whom were looking forward to the successes of Dominion-owned horses to pay the ex-

penses of their holiday. As things are, the prospects of our horses at Randwick during the current week do not look bright. In Eulalie (G. D. Greenwood’s), Mason is said to have a fast filly, which may win a race during the

meeting. The accident to Serene, which brought about his destruction just after comueting in the Glenaray Handicap at the Hawke’s Bay meeting on Saturday last, was one of those unaccountable and lamentable incidents

that one sees occasionally on a racecourse In the actual race Serene went really well, and racing into the straight was just behind the leader (Bennanee). A few yards from the Dost Serene faltered, and many thought lie had broken a fetlock; then he lost control of his hindquarters and went down. On examination he was found to have suffered a heart seizure, and had also broken his back, so he was ordered to be shot.

Like at their meeting in the Wanganui Guineas. Seatown just got up in time to beat Rascal at Hastings last Saturday, but with anything like a good run Seatown must have beaten Rascal as decisively as Commendation beat him. When the tapes rose Seatown suffered interference, and racing lip the back stretch was last, giving the leader. Rascal, many lengths stait. Pacing to the straight Seatown moved up nicelv. and when well in the straight liis rider attempted to go between Hynaunn. and Threadneedle. He was disappointed, lost ground, but then beat Rascal. —«ll . ■■.■eg*