RUNNING DESCRIBED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21880, 16 August 1934, Page 9

RUNNING DESCRIBED

KING'S VOYAGE WINS SUCCESS OF GEORGE REY BLUE MOUNTAIN UNPLACED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday Don Chenault was again entrusted with most support for the Improvers' Handicap, but after a wretched display he was beaten out of a place. The winner, King's Voyage, and Raclaim were the only,two to go the journey without a mistake. King'e Voyage was first out of the barrier and he always acted as pacemaker. From a 3.30 mark he went 3.26 3-5, time that accounted for the poor display of somo of the other starters. New Metford lost his chance through an unsteady beginning, but once he settled down he trotted in brilliant fashion and was actually overhauling the leader at the finish. Raclaim went steadily, but put little dash into her work. Chenwood raced to the front in the Dash Handicap, but did not carry on for long, and when Taxpayer tackled Kim three furlongs from home he was well beaten. Taxpayer was going along comfortably as the straight was reached, but put little dash into his final effort and in the run to the post he was decisively defeated by George Rey, with Master Roy, Nelson d'Oro and Chenwood in that order. The winner paid a dividend of just on double figures. He looked much bigger in condition than when trained at Addington and finished with rare determination. Taxpayer had every chance from the start and with six furlongs covered ho looked a certain winner. Master Roy did not have any the better of the early running and did well to finish third after coming fast over the last part. The public again stuck to their first day's fancies, Indianapolis and Blue Mountain, in the King George Handicap, but the race was differently run, and while Indianapolis made a much better showing than on the first day, Blue Mountain failed to run up to expectations. Vesuvius hopped out quickly and went out to make the running from the start, while Silver de Oro quickly tucked in behind and took advantage of the excellent pace-making. It was a race run to suit the winner. She was not allowed to do her best until the winning-post was well in sight and then she fairly buried the rest for speed.' The time, 4.19 4-5, showed that the speed was on from start to finish. Blue Mountain Disappoints Indianapolis was not allowed to make the pace, for he was tucked in behind the leaders lintil three' furlongs from home, when he showed, a great burst of speed that carried him past all but Silver de Oro. He had had enough when the post was reached. Blue Mountain disappointed, but, hemmed in on the rails, he had too much ground to make Up over the concluding stages. Pegaway was inclined to bore throughout the race and he did not make many friends as a result of his display. ' , Willow Wave, a hot favourite for tho Belgium Handicap, refused to begin when the word to go wbb given and lost enough ground to make his chance hopeless. Queen Author at once struck the front and she set a slow pace to Gunmetal. Margaret Chenault and Golden Direct. The order to the finish %vas unchanged, but Worthy King, coming fast over the later stages, had the winner fully extended. Worthy King, although never far out of the contest, did not make a real effort until the straight was reached, but. he had had enough at the post. Gunmetal ran his usual solid race into third place and Rey Spec and Harold Denver finished close behind the placed horses. Margaret Chenault was well placed until reaching the straight, when she cried enough.- s Peter Locanda showed a fcreat improvement on his first day's running when he won the Lincoln Handicap very comfortably from Ciro, Wild Guy, Linella, Colonial Boy, Harvest Child. Prairie King and Purser, who all finished in very close order. Colonial Boy made most of tho running, but when the straight was reached the whole field was bunched, with Peter Locanda in eighth position coming very fast. He put in a great burst to fairly bury the reßt for speed, but 100 yards from the post Ciro shot out of the ruck to make a race of it. Ciro finished fifth on the first day, and his form also showed improvement. Wild Guy, who lost ground at tne start, went a fine race afterwards to gain third mon.ey, and Harvest Child, who did not enjoy a good run, was battling on in great stylo toward the end. x Trotter's Great Effort

The Avon Handicap, for fast-class unhoppled trotters, provided one of the star turns of the day, and a race that was full of interest from start to finish was won by a sterling trotter, Nicoya, who improved to 3.14 3-5 from a 3.23 mark, a performance only once beaten in New Zealand. _ With half ft mile to go, any one of the 10 horses had a chance. Nicoya .set off for a sensational run, which took him to the front in just over a furlong. He led mto the straight and under the whip wbn like a racehorse. It was a eensational performance and marks the Nelson trotter as one o! the greatest raced in !New Zealand. Although ho was under the whip at the top of tne straight, he was far from beaten. He could still have outstayed anything in the race. Fifa had all the best of the running and. hung on well to gain second money. Garner went well until the straight, sue appeared almost to come down. T\ rackler trailed along in the rear and Stanley 1 found the journey too far. It was a great failed rather badly <?n the first day, but he made no mistakes in the Canterbury Handicap when, after being handily placed throughout.- he came with a great rattle at the finish to wm like a champion in 4 23 4-5. Most of the running was made by Sure, who did surprisingly well to. set such a solid pace and then gam second money. Mountain Ore was always in the fighting line, but he was beaten by two exceptionally good performers. Cloudy Range was closer at the finish than at any other stage, and raa a solid race, and Lord Leslie, Gay Gordon. Gunfire and Royal were all in the picture at different stages of the race. The winner went 4.23 4-5 from a 4.33 mark. The Speedway Handicap In tho Speedway Handicap Arethusa shot out from the start and led from Sir Guy Raydus and Mountain Dell, with Gold County, Glenrossie and Impromptu hartdy. Straightened for the run bome. Moutain Dell headed Arethusa, only to be immediately challenged by Glenrossie. The latter finished at a great rate and .got tip on the post to snatcn a narrow victory. Glenrossie was early in a good P o "*™" and his driver. L. O. .Thomas, covered no extra ground. Mountain Dell had started in the mile race on.the opening day without. making a showing, and evidently the race had improved her. Impromptu made a quick beginning, but got a bad position on the outside of the field, and was forced ,to cover extra ground. He made a great n 111 ®"' but the extra ground covered proved too much. He should wm a good *ace before long.

STRONG TAMAHERE TEAM PROSPECTS OF FIRST FLIGHT Horses owned by Mr. Wifred Johnstone, o£ Tamahere, were not very frequent visitors to meetings at Epsom last season, but on the occasions of their visits To Mahanga and First Flight were successful. In addition to this pair, Transv/orthy, Lady Fome and IJflhewah are also listed for the meeting this month and the team is a sound one. . ~ First Flight, who did not win a two-miles race last season, has received a let-up of 12 yards at the distance, and, handicapped on 4.28 in the August Handicap, ehe should have excellent prospects. She won the Prince of Wales Handicup at the Auckland winter meeting in very easy fashion, showing a return to her best form. First r light is in her element in soft going and the conditions may bo right to her liking next Lady Fame displayed good form last season by winning three races. a_ double at Te Airoha and the Ruakura Handicap at Claudelends. when she ran 2.48 2-5 from a 3.1 mark, defeating Ringtrue, tvho recorded 2.40 4-5 off 2.50. Lady Fame is jlicely placed in the Grey Lynn Handicap and has only to go fo the post to be strongly fancied. > Te Mahanga, who waß for a short term in S. M. August's stable at Otahuhu, won the Henderson Handicap at the Auckland April meeting and on that form should have prospects in the Orakei Handicap. Transworthy. the novice pafer of the team, was second in his loEt start, being narrowly beaten by Bismuth. With a little improvement he nhould race well in the Mount Eden Handicap. The trotter Kohewah haß not raced since the Wellington January meeting, when fihe was far from her best, but return to her best form of the previous season should make her dangerous in the Royal Oak Handicap.