KEEN RACING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26442, 22 April 1947, Page 5

KEEN RACING

THE SOUTHLAND MEETING Special to the Dally Times INVERCARGILL, Apl. 21. After failing badly in her two appearances at the Riverton meeting, Eriskay gave a taste of her best, form in winning the Awarua Handicap, the principal event on the opening day of the Southland Racing Club’s winter meeting on Saturday. She drifted in the middle stages back to about eighth at the half-mile, but, after being fourth into the straight, she came home particularly well to get up and beat Sea Power by half a head. In two seasons’ racing Eriskay has now won six races and been, 10. times placed for £2342 in stakes. She does not boast much in the way of size, but she is a fine stayer, and is the type to win an important han. dicap over a distance before the season Sea Power is experiencing one of the most exasperating runs of minor placings that any open handicap horse has’ ever had in Southland. His second to Eriskay on Saturday was his ninth such placing this season, while in his only other two appearances he has been third. He has won £IO4O this season without winning a race. Frances was responsible for an impressive winning effort in beating open sprinters over seven furlongs on Saturday She was one of the leaders with Young Bob from the barrier rise, but at the distance she dropped Young Bob at will and came on to win very decisively. Her time of lmin 25 4-ssec for the seven-furlong Journey was 4-ssec outside the Southland record for the distance, held jointly by Wise Girl and Lisheen. , . . Detain justified his solid support when he beat a strong hack field over a mile and a-quarter. He secured a perfect run until three furlongs from home, where he took charge when Merry Lancer looked like making a race of it. At the distance he responded to a few reminders by his rider, and he came on to win with something in hand. He has been raised to 9.6 in the hack mile on the second day, which will be his last appearance as a won-his second race on end over country when he almost outdistanced the field in the Monowai Steeplechase Filibeg, who usually carries his fields along at a fast clip, could not go with Geniality at the end of six furlongs, and from then on he made a procession a battle royal in the Southern Hurdles when Irish Wit and Royal Writ had a great duel over the last halfmile. and the judge was unable to separate them at the post. Irish Wit appeared to have Royal Writ beaten 20 yards from the post, but the latter finished on again. Kassai, who was only a head away third, was finishing bettor than either, and he looks a bright prospect for an early hurdle success. ' A worth-while performance among tne hurdlers was put up by Amorlad. who finished a length behind the placed horses after being one of the leaders through- ° Absentee, who dead-heated with Sea Venture in the hack sprint, was a shade unlucky. She was a long way back with three furlongs to run, but the Defaulter mare came home with a terrific run, and would have been an outright winner in another stride. . . The Hazlett trio—Noko, Aurora Australis, and Anglo French—which have won more than £12,000 in stakes between them in recent seasons, have been retired from racing. Aurora Australis will go to the Chelandry Stud. She won two Invercargill Cups and the Hazlett Gold Cup as a three-year-old. She was got by Salmagundi from a fine race mare in RuUng Light.