STEEPLES CONTEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20893, 8 June 1931, Page 7

STEEPLES CONTEST.

MASTER LU'S GOOD WIN.

OWNERS' LUCKY PURCHASE.

COST OF THIRTY-FIVE POUNDS

Quito a few horses purchased for n modest i guro have won the Grent Northern Steeplec mso anil tho number was added to on Saturday, when Master Lu emerged triumi h ,nt in u fine contest. Master Lu was bre>. by Mr. J. Gaddes. of Morrinsville, and wu 1 purchased its nil unbroken three-year-old by Messrs M. and J. O'Connor for M ister Lu was not called upon to do any rac.ng until he was a five-year-old and was not a great success on the fiat, although he disp'oyed immediate promise when tried as a juiiper and did fairly well last winter, when 1 o won two hack " steeplechases at Elleralii and a steeplechase at Te Awnmutu and als) performed creditably at Trentham and Awapuni. Satur lay's great race attracted a fine field of four ecu and Lucess was sent out a slightly better favourite than Star Comet, with Dirk Prince and Master Lu also well backed. The field went away to a good start a id Dark Prince was quickest to the first fei ce, where ho fell, leaving Star Comet and F jxhound in the lead. Star Comet then < nrried on (ho pneemaking for a stage n nd he v.'as the leader up the hill the first tine from Lucess, Nukumai, Spalpiko, Foxhound, Copey arid Master Lu. On the hill Spilpiko ran to the lead and when tho water-j imp was reached ho was in command from Lucess, Nukumai, Foxhound, Wiltsh re, Copey, Matu, Pcrlo do Leon and Master Lu. Perle cle Leon's Fatal Fall.

With a round covered Star Comet and Ferle <le Loon fell at tho fence by tho sixfurloius post, Perlo do Leon breaking his beck nnd having to bo destroyed. Spalpiko had br this time established a good lead and g'ling the hill the second timo he was 011 fully twenty lengths from Nukumai, who was followed by Lucess, Copey. Master Lu. F jxhound, Wako King and Matu. At the dntble Spalpiko still had a lead of fifteen lengths and Master Lu had run into second position ahead of Lucess, Copey, Wako' King, Matu, Wiltshire and Foxhound, who had broken down and was pulled up at tho next fento. The field began to close up along the back and v hen they went up the hill the third timo Spalpiko just led from Master Lu. Luces 1, Copey, Wako King and Matu, who wero all close enough to have chances. Master Lu jumped to the front at the first fence on tho hill and he led down the incline from Lucess, Spalr>ko, Copey, Wako King and Matu. There was little between Master Lu and Lucess when they jumped the stonewall into the straight, whero Wako King went into third position ahead of Copey and Matu. Master Lu was first over tho list fence and camo away to win by eight lengths from Wako King, who plodded on gamely to beat the tiring Lucess by three lengt is. Copey was a fair fourth, followed by i!.atu, Spalpiko and Wiltshire.

Wako King's Good Effort. Master Lu gave a fino exhibition of fencing nnd stayed on too well for the others at the fitish. Wako King's forward running was a surprise and his price was almost as good as that of the winner. His jumping was better than 011 the first day and he was assisted by the fact that he was very patiently ridden by H. Dulieu. Lucess appeired to be going quite as well as the winner at the top of the hill the last time but :ould not go on with it and weakened at tho end. Copey did well for a young horso and seems certain to win a good race over country. Matu just plodded sounrlly all the way and Spalpiko stopped in tho final stages after being very freely used in the first couple of miles. Paris did not ,?et far on the journey and fell at the second fence. Nukumai fell at the first fence on the hill in the second round, up to which stage he was running a good race. Master Lu is trained by his owners. Usiu.lly he does most of his work on their farm a.t Kaihere, Hauraki Plains, but 11 few witeks before ho is to race at any meeting he is generally token to Paeroa and it. was there that he did most of his schooling for this race. Paeroa was, therefore, placed in the limelight at tho meeting by reason of tho fact that other jumpers trained there to win at the meeting were High Pitch and Cristobel. A Fortunate Rider.

"1 had a good rid?," said J. H. Mcßne. the winning rider, after the race. "Master Lu whs always running along kindly and finished 011 splendidly. Ho got in close to a couple of fences hut avoided trouble cleverly and on tho wholo his fencing was tirsl-ctass." The mount on Master Lu was a lucky one for Meßae, who did not get it until practically the hist minute. A. Gilmer was to have been Master Lu's pilot, but he suffered concussion of the brain in a fall from High Pitch in the Greot Northern Hurdles 011 the first, dav and a substitute hud to be secured Tho winning ride was- worth £9O. FINE FINISH IN HURDLES. VICTORY FOR HIGH PITCH.

The Romyera Hurdles provided a fine finish, no iWer than four of the eight runners having winning chances at the last fence. Wagering 011 (he race wns spirited and (here was not a great deal of difference between the first siv fancies, the favourites being I'rince Lu Make Up and C'lirinthia. Prince Lu was quickest to the first fence, and lie carried on the running through the cutting from High Pitch, Nucleus, Muke Up. Pendavies, Masterly and Singleton. High l'ilch ran up to Prince Lu in the straight, otlerwise the positions remained the same us they passed the stands. Prince Lu jumped away again at the fence in front of the member o ' stand, and he turned into the back twe lengths ahead of High Pitch, wl:o wns four lengths ahead of Nucleus will Make Up. Pendavies and Singleton following and Carinihia tailed off.

If our furlongs frim home High Fitch ngnin went up to Prince Lu, while Nucleus. Make Up and Singleton were nil handy Prince Lu gained a distinct advantage nt th 5 second to last fence, but High Pitch wis with him again at the foot of the straight, wliert- Nucleus, Make Up and .S'ngleton wero ii « bunch just behind There was little between High Pitch. Prince Lu. Make Up. Singleton and Nucleus at Ihe Inst fence, but High Pitch drew away in the rim home <•> win by two length" from Make Up. Nucleus was a length away third third nr>d Singleton was fourth Prince Lu. Cnrinthir and Pendnvies were next to finish Easlcly having fallen at the last fence. High Pilch wns always going well and. although Prince_ L i otitjumped him at several fences, his pace on the flat enabled h m to keep hundv all the way. He oh me home in great sljie from llie hist fence and should achieve mor» success through the winter Mnk-* Up went a fine rare and Nucleus also made n good showing. Sing'eton. whr was sore looked likely at the Inst fence, but weakened in the l"si 100 yards, when he was lieute* for third place by Nucleus Prince Lu went well for a mile a id three-quarters, bu* wits steadied by his rise in weight Cnrinthin was tailed off most: of the way but was running on s'ronglv at the finish

THE HUNT CLUB CUP. BILLY BOY VICTORIOUS. There was nil interesting finish in the Hunt Club Cup nnd Billy Boy confirmed liia form on the first day by winning from Town Beauty and Senora. The winner was frst fancy in the betting, but ho was not a great deal better backed than Senora, who hud a fair call over Mashoor. St. Lucas and Nukutere led over the first fence, where Nassone fell. St. Lucas then went 011 to make the running and he Mas the ieadcr up the hill from Nukutere. Man hoof. Billy Boy. Jin Jazz and Senora Mashoor fell at the first fence on the hill, otherwise there was no change in the positions until the field began to bunch up when they came down on the flat. When the double was reached Billy Boy was in charge, but St. Lucas, Jiu Jazz, Nukutere, Senora and Town Beauty were following in close order. Senora went up to Billy Boy at the fence by the six furlongs ?ost and they were the loaders up the hill ■he second time from Jiu Jazz. Nukutere. St Lucas and Town Beauty. Senora nnd Billy Boy led down the incline from I own Beauty, nnd Billy Boy drew out nt the last fence to win by a length and a-httlf from Town Beauty. Senora was. two lengths away third and Jiu Jazz was fourth. Next to finish were Nukutere. St. Lucas and Glon Mnree. „ . , Billy Boy and Town Beauty are both very promising and should be susceptible to 11 good deal of improvement. Senora. who carried Plb overweight, had every chance but failed in the run from the last fence. Fair Abbey fell at the fence near the flixfurloug6 post in tho second round.