TAURANGA RACING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 48, Issue 2885, 27 March 1939, Page 8

TAURANGA RACING

CUP TO BALINA VAR PIRATE KING TAKES SPRINT ROYAL DANCE SURPRISES FIRST ATTEMPT OVER HURDLES Tauranga was the rendezvous for race-goers on Saturday and hot, fine weather prevailed. The Bay of Plenty Racing Club had completed extensive improvements to the course including reversing the going, providing a good long straight, while the convenience of the new, commodious members’ stand was fully appreciated. Favourites had their fair share of success and interesting racing was the keynote of the day’s sport. Ohinemuri form was a reliable guide in most instances. Surprise In The Hurdles The surprise of the day was Royal Dance’s success in the hurdles contest in his first essay over the battens in public. From a good break he established a lead of several lengths in the early stages, although he rapped the second hurdle rather hard. Airam nearly caught him coming into the straight but the 'Spear Dance gelding ran on for an easy win. Airam was . steadied by his impost and Celtic Lad gained third. The favourite, Innes Lad, failed to make a showing while the best of the others were C'unt Roussillion and Stansted.

The rpening event was a good victory for the Paeroa winner, 'Gamos-, although Broadway Bill ran him a close second. The favourite, Meadow Rose, led for most of the way but could obtain only third place. Gazeful gave promise of early success.

Two-Year-old Race

Brazen Bold and Hunto shared public patronage in the two-year-old contest and- the former justified his Paeroa form by winning from just after the start. Hunto failed his admirers but Wyndora, after good track work at Te Rapa, gained an impressive third. The second horse, Bronzeshar, by Bulandshar, returned her supporters a substantial dividend after running an excellent race. Pantheist and Trig IStation were the best of the others.

After his third in the Ohinemuri Cup the previous week Balinavar returned a good price in winning the Tauranga Cup, his failure on the second day at Paeroa apparently weakening public support. He came from well back at the straight entrance and in an exciting (finish with Jayola and Te Hai, spread across the track, gained the verdict by a head from Jayola who was with the leaders early and Te Hai who occupied a good position in the first bunch. Contest In The Straight

Royal Bachelor and Jayola, Day Wind and Black Musk were the early leaders but across the top Glen Abb ran into second place. Into the straight Balinavar made a good break but when challenged by Jayola who looked the winner at the distance, made a further effort. Scotland was handily placed but failed to show up, the best of the others being Kena and Sergia. Day Wind, the Paeroa entry, was well supported but finished seventh.

Son of the Soil and Midland had an exciting contest in the straight in the Memorial Handicap, the former, carrying little more money than Midland, failing by half a length. Midland and Noisy Night who finished third, led most of the way with Muskon in attendance. Favourites Defeated

Royal Abb, Electric Spear and Spinning Wheel disputed favouritism in the high-weight but failed to impress, Mio Fratallo taking the lead soon after the start and remaining there to win from Ureklaw and Haile Boy. Bronze Step got the jump-out followed by Mio Fratollo and Electric Spear and Ureklaw soon moved up. At the straight entrance Royal Abb and Ureklaw followed the winner who beat Ureklaw by a half-length with Haile Boy a neck away. The last-named ran a good race but could not beat the leaders.

Ora King followed his third in the last event at Paeroa by winning the President’s Hack after being well back at the start. May Song, Kenneth Robert and -Spearford were first out, Ngawiri being left, and across the top May Song led Kenneth Robert, Sen Acre and Ora King. The lastnamed was fourth into the straight with Snearford and held on by a neck with May Song the same distance away third. Second Leg To Pirate Fing Pirate Kmg was prominent early in the final event and after losing ground came with a good turn of speed to beat Tosh by a length with Gold Vaals a head bac kthird. On the s Xr ength of a rood race at Paeroa Gold Vaals wr’s well supported and showed that he will soon return to the win-

ning list. Tosh, Lornacre and 'Gay Seton had every chance but Pirate King was too good. Llangollen was apparently troubled by her weight and never looked a possibility. An increase in investments of £BO7B was a feature of the day, the totalisator turn-ovei’ being £38,415 as against £30,3'37 for the first day last year. BACK TO THE GAME Riding work at Trentham the other morning was P. Mcßrearty, one of the leading riders of jumpers a few years ago. Mcßrearty has applied for his licence and intends to return to the saddle. He should not lack opportunities.

Property Sold The Woodville trainer F. W. Davis has sold his property at Woodville and will shortly take up his residence in the Auckland province. Davis will continue to train privately for Mr W. H. Gaisford. Davis’s stables were purchased by the Woodville Jockey Club.

Sulieman’s Breeding Suleiman has established a claim to be considered one of the best sprinters in commission. He is a short-pedigreed horse got by Acre from ' Quinkama by Quin Abbey— Kakama by Soult—Winsome by Cuirassier—Winnie by Kingfisher—Dolly Varden by Pacific—‘Brunette by Van Tromp. Although short pedigreed, the root has produced some good winners notably through Winnie, the dam of Belmont, St. Simon and Record Reign. A Fortune Won Before the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington on March 5, J. T. Jamieson, trainer of High Caste, said the giant colt would win by half a furlong (says a Melbourne writer). High Caste did not gain the honours as easily as that, but he outclassed all except the place-getters, and came home with his ears pricked. Zonda, who finished second, and Aurania, third, were both decidedly unlucky at critical stages of the race, but probably High Caste could not have been beaten in any case. High Caste was backed for a fortune. Only Wilson and Zonda were backed against him. Four bets of to £l2's were laid against Zonda, and £lOOO to £175 was the best bet against Wilson.

Which Was Best? J. Pike, who rode Phar Lap in many of his races, will not have it that Ajax could- beat the other at any distance beyond six furlongs, even if he could at that distance. “No one will ever know what times Phar Lap could have registered had he been allowed to jump away from the barrier and been ridden out all the way,” avers

Pike. An old-timer, who regards Carbine as the greatest ever, on reading what Pike had to say concerning Phar Lap, wrote as follows: “Let Ajax come to Sydney at Easter, wm the Autumn Stakes, one mile and ahalf, one the first day; the Sydney Cup, two miles, with 81b. over weight-for-age, on the second; the All-Aged Stakes, one mile, and the Cumberland Stakes, one mile and three-quar-ters, both on the third day; and the A.J.C. Plate, two miles and a-quar-ter, on the fourth day. That was what Carbine did as a four-year-old, and no other horse before or since—not even the phenomenal Phar Lap—could do; and until Ajax proves he can do it, he is not to be mentioned in the same breath as Carbine for versatility.”

Trial Gallops A fruitful source of trouble at the barrier and the bane of starters is probably due almost entirely to the fact that many trainers go by the watch. Consequently, horses are not as keen to race as if the watch was a minor instead of a dominating factor in training. Horses that are continually sent against the watch are apt to suffer from heart trouble, or, in other words, they lose courage and consequently do not repeat track work

in a race. Nowadays we read of horses having “trials” on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and sent full tilt against the watch. The art of training is to get a horse fit and well, and for the trainer to realise quality and racing merit by one or two trials during a season and not by too frequent gallops against the' watch. It is said that Ormonde, one of the greatest horses the world has ever known, was never fully extended in his life. He was got fit and well, and his superiority never made it necessary for a trial. He was not a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday horse against the watch. A sluggish, gross horse may require a lot of work but if continually sent against the watch is more likely to drop the bit than fight on at the finish of a race.