WITH ALL HIS WEIGHT

NZ Truth, Issue 1273, 24 April 1930, Page 11

WITH ALL HIS WEIGHT

Pegaway and Gray Make Job of Classy Mile Crowd

(From "N.Z. .Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) Pegaway lived right up to his reputation when he ran home m front of one of the best Easter fields which ever contested the big Ellerslie mile.

THAT there was merit m the performance was made plain by the fact that the sturdy son-oC Lucullus carried the welter impost of 9.5 and ran within, two- fifths of a second of the record time established by that great miler Reremoana when he won the same race m 1926. The 1.38 registered by Pegaway last Saturday had been equalled by Roseday, Hipo, Reremoana (first win, m 1925) and Civility, but those mentioned m the tasks referred to were not saddled with the poundage carried by Pegaway. However,' when Reremoana registered his time record m 1926 he carried the stiff impost of 9.11 to victory, ' which stands as the heaviest weight hoisted to victory m the history of the race since run over, a mile course. To get back to Pegaway, very encouraging reports about, fast track trials at Te Awamutu and ' the fact that Hunting Day had bolted the day before the Easter were responsible for sending the topweight out a staunch late favorite, and though he never hit the front until well m the .straight, Gray always had his mount up fairly handy to the . leaders, and it is the general opinion that he might have hit the front a lot earlier had he so wished. i-iowever, • Gray preferred to keep something m reserve, and the result was that- he finally ran up past the leaders to win handily by a neck from Toxeuma, which did not get through with ' an entirely uninterrupted passage, while Silvermine was only a neck away third, and Hunting Day fourth. Then right up: handy were Prince of Orange, Gold Money, Richfield, Mervette and Prince Val. Mervette was one of the unlucky contestants m running,, and can be ticked off as likely to. prove a stakeearner m the near future, while Prince of' Orange displayed very creditable speed during the race. Richfield was up handy entering on the final furlong, while Silvermine got one set-back m the early stages. Hunting Day was the early leader, but failed to stay on m the run home,, after Prince Val had proved a source of trouble to him. It was really a great race to witness, with twenty starters, and the victory of the topweight under Gray's superb horsemanship brought forth the plaudits of the crowd.

Trainer A. Cook had the aged gelding at . his very best, while the best horseman m the land played his part well. , It will be noted visiting horses secured the minor money, while Hunting Day, another visitor, was right up fourth. Pegaway has won all manner of races, from six furlongs to a mile and a-half, during his career, but perhaps his Easter mile of Saturday last stands out as the most meritorious performance. »'