WANGANUI GUINEAS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 233, 14 September 1934, Page 2

WANGANUI GUINEAS

Season's First Classic

DECIDED TO-MORROW

(By “The Barb.”) z The Wanganui Guineas was first run m the year 1898. This event has always been the centre of a great deal of attraction on account ol its being the first three-year-old classic ot the season. Some stirring contests have resulted, and some of New Zealand’s best pertormeis have participated. Hawke’s Bay has played a very prominent part in the decision of this race, as no less than 13 winners have been trained in this district.. The first time the race was run saw the late Sir William R. Russell winning with his filly Tigress, by Dreadnought. The next year Mr E. J. Watt's St. Leger gelding, St. Mark, was triumphant, and in the third year the late Hon. John Davis Ormond won with that good colt, Renown, by Dreadnought. Thus Hawke s Bay won the first three times. In 1905 Mr E. J. Watt again won with King Billy, one of the very first ot Merriwee s (by Bill of Portland) stock to race. The following year the Bay again supplied the winner with Ito (by Birkenhead), the property of the late Hon. J. D. Ormond. In i ( J08 Mr E. J. Watt won his third Guineas with Aborigine (a lull brother to King Billy by Merriwee from the Stepniak mare Indian Queen). This colt eventually developed into a high-class racer, and after winning the rich Caulfield Cup went to India, where he raced with success. Eight years lapsed betbre another winner hailed from this district, when Mr T. H. Lowry led in his first winner of this race with The Finland gelding, Bjornburg. in 1918 Mr T. H. Lowry again supplied the i/iiner with another of Finland’s gets in Estland. 'Two years later that good three-year-old Duo, by Demosthenes, led the tic 1 . home, and afterwards went on to win the H.B. Guineas, N.Z. Derby, Canterbury Cup, and other important races.

The records show that in 1922 Mr F. W. Davis won with Highland (also by Finland). The next year Razzlo Dazzle, by Kilbroney from Simper, <'m well, whilst two years later Mr W. T. Hazlett again owned the winner in Father O'rlynn. 1930 saw the Bay winning its last Wanganui Guineas in Mr A. B. Williams’s Limond colt Cylinder. The late Stuart Waddell holds the trainer’s record, having turned out four winners in Renown, Ito, Razzle Dazzle and Father O'Flynn. Estland, from here, holds the time record for ths race, viz.: Imin. 41 2-5 secs.

The field for this year’s race, with a couple of exceptions, hardly comes up to standard, but as they are a wellbred lot this time next season may seo quite a few’ having developed into very fair performers. On form, three. that may occupy a prominent part in the betting tomorrow afternoon are Burnish, Pin Money and Mother Superior,