GREAT NORTHERN MEETING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 152, 13 June 1932, Page 2

GREAT NORTHERN MEETING

REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCES The Auckland “Star” has the following notes on the performances of competitors at the Great Northern meeting:— Though beaten out of a place in the York Handicap, Silvermine ran a solid race for about seven furlongs and was not far away at the finish. He was out forcing the pace until the field turned for home, but failed to run on over the last furlong. Silvermine looked in great order and had been galloping welll before the meeting, and his turn tor a win should soon arrive. « «» « Protomint surprised by iris running second in the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie on Friday. He went to the front after three furlongs had been covered, and from then on was not headed till the straight, where Sunny Sky ran past him and was the only one to beat him home. In the York Handicap on Wednesday he was expected to make another good showing, but he was badly placed early. He made a run up along the back, but failed to sustain his effort and was eighth at the finish. He was again saddled up for the Carbine Plate, the concluding event, and when the field settled down he was one of the rear division. He improved his position across the top and outstayed all but Seneschal. The racing Protomint has had recently should do him a lot of good, for he has not done much lately, and the next time he is seen out he should bo hard to beat.

Historic is a great horse under any conditions, and he put up three sterling performances at the Great Northern meeting. In the Cornwall Handicap, with 9.11, lie was finishing on in fourth place, and in the King George Handicap, with it pound less, he came from a very long way back to beat all but Sunny Sky, who was always one of tho leaders. On Wednesday, with 10.13, ho was in behind the lending division at the turn and finished on to get third just a shade over a length behind the winner, Manawhenua. Historic is right back to his best form and should take some beating in any event he contests from now on. o * % . High Pitch finished fourth in the Great Northern Hurdle Race, and on that performance looked to have a great chance in the Rcmuera Hurdles on the second day, lint Fernden fell at the third fence and interfered with High Pitch, who lost lus jockey, tin Wednesday ho was made favourite for the Campbell Hurdles and ran to ilio front when half the journey had bot-ii covered and stayed there. He did not jump the hurdle al the three-furlong post too well, hut recovered, and wait on to win coinfortalily. High Pitch is good in soft ground, mid n taken

south he should give a good account of himself in jumping events at Trentham, for he is not far from his best just now.

It is a long time since any candidate at tho Great Northern meeting has recorded such outstanding pertormances as Sunny Sky, who proved herself tho star perlormer nt the meeting on the fiat. She won decisively on the first two days, and her second to Manawhenua m the York Handicap on the final day, when conceding that gelding 161 b., was highly creditable, and stamps her as something above the average. The daughter of Hunting Song stood up to her racing in rare style and looked in perfect condition when she went to the post on \\ ednesday. In her preparation priot to tho meeting Sunny Sky was not given any strenuous tasks, with the exception of one solid gallop about a week before the meeting, and she appears to thrive best on that treatment Much credit ;s due to the trainer, A. D Adams, lor the condition in which he produced his charge, and he deserved the success that came Ins way. * « • Paddon did not impress by his display in the Great Northern Hurdles, but, taking ins initial performance into account, when he won so well at Te Kapa, he could not be discarded lor the Orakei Hurdles on Wednesday at Ellerslie. Ha was not particularly well placed in the early stages, but he made up his ground fast along the back and was with the leaders at the straight entrance. However, he did not jump the last hurdle at all well and hit it. That took a good deal out of him and he had to be content with second place behind Royal Visitor. That was the only mistake he made, and but for the mishap he would have caused the winner a lot of trouble, for he was going so well at the time.

Callamart has not had a great deal of experience over steeples, but he has quickly shown his ability to handle country. In the Great Northern Steeplechase he jumped splendidly throughout and ran the much more ex pcrienced and seasoned Copey to it length In the Winter Steeplechase cn Wednesday ho was in front with Nukumai the last time up the hill and was going as well l as anything when he fell at the next fence. Callamart, who won the Grand National Hurdle Race last year, will be troublesome in big southern jumping events this season if he starts. He will be an unproved horse as the result of his experience at the Great Northern meeting.

Billy Boy made a good showing for well over two miles and a half 'n the Great Northern Steeplechase and then dropped back, eventually finishing fourth The race, which was his first for some time, improved him a good deal, for he won the Winter Steeplechase on Wednesday after being handy to the leaders throughout. However, he was rather lucky that both' Callamart and Nukumai, who were leading him the hist time on the hill, fell, for at that stage it looked as though they would pay the dividends Anynow, Billy Boy is a good honest sort and a most reliable jumper

Monetize ran a great race in the Green Lane Steeplechase at EMerslie on Friday, Nassock just getting him in the last bit, to beat him by a neck. He jumped splendidly throughout and it was a most encouraging performance for a first time over the big jumps. On that showing he was solidly supported for the Tamaki Steeplechase on Wednesday, but lie did not jump nearly a» boldly and was always a long way from Town Beauty. Probably he was not suited by the going on Wednesday.

Make Up ran a good race in the Great Northern Hurdle Race, and only for hitting one obstacle hard near tho six-furlong post he might have beaten Landmark. In the Great Northern Steeplechase he was in front with Nukumai the last time over the nil! 1 , ■when he came to grief at the first fence there. With a stand up he would have been very hard to beat. In the Campbell Hurdles on Wednesday he was soon near the tail of the field and finished absolutely last, being pulled up to almost a walk in the straight. His display on the last-named occasion was very disappointing.

Lord Vai was badly interfered with in the first division of the Jervois Handicap at Ellerslie on Friday shortly after the field turned for home and hud his chances completely spoiled. With a good run he would have probably been returned the winner. On Saturday he was saddled up for the Fitzroy Handicap, but was turned side on when the barrier lifted and was completely leftHe was in at the minimum in the open sprint event, the Visitors’ Handicap, on Wednesday and made amends for his previous bad luck by winning in hollow fashion. Lord Vai is a good horse in the mud, and the ground was to his liking on the last-named occasion!

Nukumai, though getting into the veteran stage, gave two good exhibitions of jumping in the Great Northern Steeplechase and the Winter Steeplechase at the Auckland meeting. He was one of the leaders the last tune up the hill m botli events, and then came to grief at the first fence on the hill. He was very unlucky, for he was going so well at the time that he would have been very troublesome if he had stood up.

Tho win registered by Royal Visitor in the Orakei Hurdles was his first success over the battens and an improvement on anything ho had previously shown. He fenced exceptionally well throughout the race, and this cou tributed to his success to a marked extent. Like most of Lticullus's progeny, Royal Visitor handled the heavy

going in good style, and he looks like developing into a good hurdler with u bit mure experience.

Icimint, a three-year-old filly by Catmint from Tecoma, was thought in some quarters to have a chance in the Carbine Plate at Ellerslie on Wednesday. She had no form to her credit, only having once previously started at Pukekohe, when she got left. She never threatened danger at any stage and finished well back. Icimint is a half-sister to Quincoma and Royal Doulton, by Catmint ,and races in the same colours. She is very green at present., hut may do better with experience.