HIS BIRTHDAY

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 12

HIS BIRTHDAY

And Emerson Was On Winner (From "N.Z. Truth's" Dunedin Rep.) , On Saturday last Charlie Emerson celebrated his thirty-fourth birthday. Those m the know supported his mount m the Birthday Handicap, the' chief flat event at . Wingatui. TN addition to backing superstition or ■*■ coincidence, they were also putting their money on a good horse m Black Mint, for the bulky North Islander won handsomely. Emerson let him run along behind for half the journey, but once he began his forward move on the outside of the field it looked the best of good things for him. He joined the issue with Over-' drawn across the top and was m : the best position as they'turned fpc*. . home. \. s >: In turn he beat off challenges from" Queen Balboa and Apache, taking^ the stake by. three-parts of a length..;,. .' He showed a taste of his real quality fifty yards from the post, when; — when, answering to one crack with the bat — he shot out and left the others as though they were standing. Overdrawn, carrying 5% lbs. overweight, had seen enough at the end of a mile and a-quarter. Considering that the field was han.dicapped on a mile and a-quarter basis — for none of them had winning form over twelve furlongs— it was a remarkably good race. Apache finished on strongly 'and was only a head away from Queen Balboa, which had every chance. , • The extra two furlongs proved just beyond her. Apache would t>e well suited by a shorter distance, as he was always m the firing-line.