SPORTING NOTES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4641, 18 May 1938, Page 5

SPORTING NOTES

THE WANGANUI MEETING. SIDELIGHTS ON SATURDAY'S RACING. (By Glentruin.) Features of the concluding day's ; racing at Wanganui on Saturday were the vastly improved performance of Iddo in winning the May Hurdles and the attractive exhibition i of jumping given by Clarion Call when he took the Wanganui Steeple- : chase for the second year in succes- : sion. The weather was fine, if dull, ! and track conditions were similar to ; those which obtained on the first ; day. Totalisator investments were substantial, the amount recorded being £24,988 10s., an increase of £3044 10s, while the total for the I two days, £40,843, was £6077 in ex- . cess of the amount put through at the corresponding meeting last year. Master Hector, which had its first win of the season in the Kaitoke Hack Handicap at the recent Dannevirke meeting, was responsible for a good performance in the Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase, in whichv event he was beaten into second place by the more experienced Daniloff gelding, Artful Dodger. It was not a strong field, but all the placed horses (Lady Callaghan was third), showed promising form, and are likely to win in similar company. Best of a big field in the Trial Handicap proved to be Hunting Mint, which has made marked improvement of late, and which had run a good race in the Balgownie Hack Handicap on Thursday. Cometarium, the second horse, was not disgraced, as he conceded the winner a stone, while Jacynth, the third horse, improved considerably on her recent form.

The May Hurdles showed the Tractor gelding Iddo in a vastly different light to that in which he was seen in the Century Hurdles on Thursday. While he did not have Charade to contend with in Saturday's race, Iddo gave weight to all of his opponents except Donegal, and when it came to real racing, made them look very cheap indeed. Begorrah, the second horse, and Aurora's Love, third, ran up to form, but the showing of Silk Sox was disappointing, and would be unpalatable to those admirers of the 'Royal Divorce horse who favoured his chance in the Great Northern Hurdles.

The Riyer Hack Handicap was an .; easy affair for the Martarma mare Puroto, which took command before ; the straight was reached to win- as ! she liked by four lengths from two ; consistent gallopers in Galteemore - and Conveyor. The winner which ? shows great staying ability, started on ten occasions this season without se- < curing a place, but smce then her » record is two wins and one unplaced • performance.

Jumping even better than he did ■ at Hawera, the Hunting Song horse, ', Clarion Call, had the principal event, the Wanganui Steeplechase, in safe keeping a long way from home. Brigadore gave a sound display and fin- ' ished.well to take second place from , Arctic Star, which was the winner's • nearest attendant for most of the - journey. Of the others, Riotous fail- . ed to stay, while Royal Limond and Royal Fire were pulled up. » Brazen King which had been prominent in the running of the Connolly Handicap on the first day, im- j proved on that showing on Saturday to win the principal flat event, the Empire Handicap, very easily from Slipping, with Catalogue third. Gaily, the favourite, weakened- in the j straight to be in fourth place at the finish, but the rest of the field were outclassed. I The Belimont Handicap was productive of a splendid race and a close finish, victory going to the Speardance gelding Alunga by a head from Great Hope, with the rank outsider, Bodyline, third. The winner ran well on the first day after having won attractively at Hawera, and is now a much better racing proposition than formerly. Great Hope made his best showing for some time and is a picture of fitness at present. Notium, which generally races well at Wanganui, was a big disappointment. , . The largest field of the day lined up for the Farewell Handicap, and the manner in which the winner, Rhodesian, did his job, pointed to the truth of the saying—"the bigger the field, the bigger the certainty." The Vaals colt hit the front early in the contest and won without being extended, by two lengths from a big outsider in Haile Selassie, which was * well clear of the rest of. the field. Rhodesian has been a long time striking form this term, but has now come right and in his present form the son of Mint Belle is likely to win a lot more sprint events.