WINTER RACING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 197, 22 July 1931, Page 8

WINTER RACING

MANAWATU STEEPLECHASE MEETING. NUKUMAI WINS CHIEF JUMPING EVENT. VETERAN’S SPLENDID PERj| ' FORMANCE. The steeplechase fixture of the :i watu Racing Club opened atAvajium i to-day in fine but windy weatner. The j course had recovered well from the deluge at the week-end. The attendance | of the public was very fair and the numbers grew as the programme advanced- Save in two instances, the i fields were of excellent strength and j patrons were treated to an interesting afternoon’s sport. HACK HURDLES TO JIU JAZZ. There were two scratchings—Landmark and Okapua—in the opening event, the Kiwitea Hack and Hunters Hurdles leaving a field of 12. Day Lass was a slightly better favourite than Unoco, there being a gap to Gueress. When the field was sent away Gourmet was taken to Hho front to show tnc way to Gambler, Evening Hero. Desert Lad and Lough Neigh, the last-named running up as tney went through the straight. However, Lough Neagh failed to hold her position and Gourmet, Gambler and Uven}ng Hero were clear as they went into the back. Unoco put in an appearance passing the five furlong pest and was up with the leaders as they came across the top. Jiu Jazz, however, had also ■ improved her position and, although Evening Hero outjumped the opposition, the local representative could not hold on .Jiu Jazz in the run home, the Marton trained maro going on to win by two lengths from Evening Hero, with Unoco ahead iwav. Gourmet came again to get witrun a head of Unoco, with Desert Lad and Gambler next to finish. , The owner of Sir Moment was fined £1 for racing in the wrong colours. FAVOURITE AGAIN BEATEN. Thrasher was the only withdrawal from the Rangitano Plate, leaving 16 runners in the second event of the day. Piji was in ads a warm lavourite, carrying over twice. as much as Beverage,- with another short drop to Curie. Beverage was the smartest to begin, hut early gave way to Merry Hunter who led liji, Curie, Hystride, Beverage and Acrospire along the back and across the top. With heads straightened for homo. Curie ran up to the leaders arid drew away to win nicely bv two lengths. Beverage also lodged a challenge, but Merry Hunter who was having his first race, held off the latecomer to take second placo by naif A length. The favourite was fourth with " Acrospire and Vitaphone next. STEEPLECHASE TO NCKUMAI. Withdrawals from the Awapuni Steeplechase Handicap, were Winter Day and Fine Acre, leaving a field oi eight. isukit. mai and Omeo were preferred to Dane Trince and* the judgment of the backers proved correct, trie trio finishing in that order. Spalpiko led Dark Prince and Pangolin as they negotiated the hurdle coming on to the course proper but, turnin" into the straight, Dark Prince had taken charge from Nukuniai, Pangolin and Revel, Spalpiko having dropped back fifth ahead of Omeo and St. vVarrigal. On the second round Dark Prince and Nukurnai were together ahead of Omeo and Coney, and they raced in that order along the 'back, and across the top to the hen-coop at the top ot the straight where Spalpiko came down and Pangolin ran off. On the final round Omeo moved up to Dark Prince. Nukurnai, who had made an indifferent jump at the brush double and at the single brush at the six furlong post, was ahead of Copey and Revel. Hall a mile from homo Nukurnai.ran up to the leaders and although Dark Prince dropped back Omeo drew clear with the favourite. However, the veteran turned for home ahead of Omeo and took the final hurdlo a length clear. Omeo failed to feather up the distance in the run up the straight and Nukurnai won by a length, with a gap of fufteen lengths to Lark Prince, Copey was a shorter distance back and Revel was the only other horse to finish. St. Warrigal took the last fence but failed to complete the course. RANK OUTSIDER SCORES. There wore no scratching 3 in the Clifford Handicap, for which Little Doubt wan mode a firm favourite from Manawhenua and Merry Damon, Llyn Du, the winner, being the outsider of the field. As they raced through the straight Little Doubt and Manawhenua were together ahead of Roval Opera and Pahu, the field being well bunched. Going away from home Royal Opera ran forward to pilot Manawhenua, Little Doubt and Merry Darnon into the back, but passing the five furlongs post Llyn Du and Moutoa Treosury made forward moves, the order across the top being Manawhenua and Royal Opera from Moutoa Treasury, Llyn Du, Royal Game and Merry Damon. Once in line for home Llyn Du ran up to Manawhenua and Royal Opera, and drew clear to win nicely by one and ahalf lengths from Royal Opera, who was half 4 neck clear of Manawhenua. Royal Game was fourth, with Merry Damon, Little Doubt, Spoarform and Pahu the order' thereafter. RACING IN DETAIL. KIWITEA HACK AND HUNTERS’ HURDLE HANDICAP, of 100 sovs. Second to receivo 20 sovs. and third 10 sovs. from the stake. Hacks and qualified hunters. One mile and ahalf. 10 Mr L. H. Collinson’s b m Jiu Jazz (Tribulation—Jiu Jitsu) aged, 9.0 (Jarvis) 1 8 Mrs E. E. Petersen’s blk g Evening ‘ . Hero, syrs, 9.3 (Miles) 2 2 Mr A. Jackson’s ch g Unoco, aged, 9.9 (Larmont) 3 Also started: 6 Gourmet 9.0 (Stanway), 4 Hymgreat 10.8 (Burgess), 3 Gueress 9.8 (A. McDonald), 1 Day Lass 9.6 (Gilmer), 6 Sir Moment 9.2 (L. Dulieu), 11 Braggart 9.0 (Jenkins), 9 Desert Lad 9.0 (Gordon), 12 Pleasant Surprise 9.0 (Kowhaij, 7 Gambler 9.0 (A. E. Stratton), 13 Lough Neagh 9.0 (Grindley). Won by two lengths, a .head between second and third horses. Time, 3.69 2-5. RANGITANE PLATE, of 100 sovs. Second horse to receivo 20 sovs. and third 10 sovs. from the stake. Six furlongs. 3 Mr F. Ormond’s b g Curio (Arausio —liymarty), 2yrs, 9.3 (A. E. Ellis) 1 10 Mr F. Hall’s br g Merry Hunter, 2yrs, 9.3 (E. Anderson) 2 2 Mr A. J. Toxward's b g Beverage, 3yrs, 9.12 (Tinker) 3 The other starters wore: —5 Hystride 10.0 (PI. N. Wiggins), 6 Gran Chaco 9.12 (W. Broughton), 11 Park Acre 9.12 (Foster), 8 Acrospire 9.11 (Gilmore), 9 Silver Fern 9.11 (L. Dulieu), 13 Royal Orenso 9.9 (K. Voitre), 14 Constant Sun 9.3 (Barry), 1 Fiji 9.3 (L. J. Morris), 4 Gibraltar 9.3 (Mackio), 12 The Mirror 9.3 (Wilson), 15 Tigcrism 9.3 (Jenkins), 5 Vitaphono 9.3 (B. H. Morris), 7 Flower 9.0 (N. Voitre). Won by two lengths, half a length between second and third. Time, 1,19. Hystride and Vitaphono were bracketed on the totalisator* AWAPUNI STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP, of 250 sovs. Second horse to receivo 50 sovs. and third 25 sovs. from the stake. About three miles. 1 Mr S. G. Davidson's br g Nukurnai (Manchineel —St. Clements mare), aged 9.12 (Miles) ... 1 2 Mr A. Lilo’s b g Omeo, aged; 10.5 (A. , McDonald) ... ••• ■■■ . 3 Mr ’J. D. Kemp s blk g Dark I nnce, <? aged, 10.8 (Mcßae) 5 Also started: 5 St. Warrigal 10.2 (Turner), 6 Spalpiko 10.1 (McGregor), 4 Copey 9.5 (Tucker), 7 Pangolin 9.3 (Poster), 8 Revel 9.0 (Gilmer). Won by a length, 15 lengths between second and third horses. Time, 6.3. CLIFFORD HANDICAP, of 200 sovs Second horse to receive 40 sovs. and third 20 sovs from the stake. Une t milo and a-quarter. 5 Mr C. F. Vallanoe’s br g Llyn Du (Kilbroney —Black Lake), syrs, 9.0 (A. McDonald) ... ... 1 4Mr C. Smith’s ch g Royal Opera, aged, 9.0 (A. E. Ellis) ... ... -2 2 Mr H. Rama’s br c Manawhenua, 3yrs., 10.3 (Wiggins) 3 The other starters were: 3 Merry Do-

mon 10.9 (B. H. Morris), 1 Little Doubt 9.11 (Tinker), 6 Moutoa Trousury 9.6 (K. Voitre), 7 Pahu 9.6 (Barry), 8 Royal Garrfe 9.0 (Wilson), 5 Spoarform 9.0 (L. G. Morris). Won by a length and a-lialf, half a neck between second and third horses. Time, 2.20. THE AUSTRALIAN TURF. QUESTION OF HECTOR GRAY’S LICENSE. Received July 22. 1.25 p.m. SYDNEY, July 22. Dr. W. C. Ring, of Auckland, the owner of Bronze Eagle, who is visiting Sydney, interviewed the Australian Jockey Club in reference to Hector Gray’s license. It is understood that this depends on the success of his mission and whether Bronze Eagle visits Australia.