THE PACE WAS NOT ON

NZ Truth, Issue 1204, 27 December 1928, Page 9

THE PACE WAS NOT ON

Lfeader Was Allowed To Have All His Own Way

It was not a case of the pace that kills when; the Mahawatu Cup was. being decided at Awapuni on Wednesday; '

ruST what, and how.i-i-iders were m J structed is not known but no sooner had the barrier risen' than there, was a' decided hesitancy on the part of one and all to take the running. Merry, Damon began well, but his rider immediately started to have a fight/- with him arid sue- , ceeded m pulling him back. ; Then ''Mountain*. Heath came into the picture. . His rider was \ also , of the same opinion — anybody m front but him.' ■-. '■;;■ .■■-■'■•..... *■ ;,-.■ .-' '' .. Sooner or. later something had, to go, soriiething' had to. be, m front, and it was left to the lightweight, Star Area. He bowled albngr m front' at a good three-quarter , pace with all the rest content, to let liim go. Jt 'iyas 'terrible to watch. . '•■' '.' : . : .But *'nbt half, so much as when they entered the back. . The leader was . still a goodly gap m frdnf , but tthe e was no hurry for the. others. , At least they showed no'inclination to go out and get him. . On, the turn it was all over bar shouting and with only two furlongs, .to cover those behind had to do it to catch Star Area, and, then, do it again, to beat him. ; '■ [. '•'*;. .•■'.' .■'■'!' ' ''i ' '■".'"''■■':> i

Only one was any way equal -to the task. That was' Seatpwn. ■":: ' He made a valiant bid to get on terms with the leader/but the effort m getting up proved his undoing^-,. He had no, sooner got within range than Webster, on Star Area,, pulled his stick and the' last half r f urlpng was just a, good thing for him. . Just what riders were- thinking 'of they alone , know. ■ " ! Perhaps' being burdened; With' in-, structions — instructions given when trainers had no idea of what was likely to; happen— hampered them. But surely to goodness when they , saw how plans' were being . upset they could, have taken measures to counteract them. In particular First Sight and Historic were asked to ; do the . impossible over the last five furlongs and it is no sur.prise. that they failed, to get near the money. ' •■• . ' • Mandane bled and was pulled up. Still, had she continued on the odds are that the same wait-and-see tactics would have been adopted Syith' her. •'■ Altogether it was a most unsatisfactory race arid one that was anything but a true' test as ta ability to. r,un out twelve furlongs. .''■■'■