A GREAT PERFORMANCE

NZ Truth, Issue 1167, 12 April 1928, Page 11

A GREAT PERFORMANCE

Easter Handicap Winner Comes From The Clouds (By "The Toff.") AT the distance post Machine Gun. looked a certainty for the Easter Handicap.

AT that stage he drew up to Waitaki Girl and — being a game finisher — he soon settled her pretensions. It appeared just a question of how much he would win by, when Taurekareka came from the clouds, so to speak, and — finishing m remarkable style — collared Machine Gun In a flash and beat him by a length. Taurekareka's brilliant effort kind of took one's breath away, for when m third place and on the rails — with a mile and five furlongs to go — he made a bad break and fell right back. He lost so much ground that nobody thought it possible for him to make up his lost ground. His driver, D. Withers, evidently thought otherwise and set the gelding to work. He was still out of camera view half a mile from home and still out of all reckoning at the mile and threequarter disc. But once into the straight — oh, boy! He simply flew. Since being purchased by Henry Watson for a modest £100, the aged son of Cathedral Chimes and Mountain Rose has won four races. His improvement is a glowing testi-

monial to his trainer, N. C. Price, and D. Withers, who drives him, knows him from A to Z, Taurekareka was bred by R. M. Morten and did all his early racing under J, Bryce. He was the champion three-year-old of his year and now that he haß regained confidence he is apt to prevail m the very beat company. For nine furlongs Golden Devon set the pace, then Pluto, which had been following him closely, took up the running. Before a mile and three furlongs were completed, Waitaki Girl rushed to the front and when the back stretch was reached Pluto and Machine Gun were following her closely, with Peterwah and Talaro still m the argument. Machine Gun and Pluto were just behind Waitaki Girl as she wheeled for home. Pluto broke, as also did Peterwah. Machine Gun then proceeded to account for Waitaki Girl. A furlong from home he had her measure and looked to have the race won when along came Taurekareka, beating him for first money. It was a sterling performance on the part of Taurekareka.