DOUBLES TOTE POPULAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27267, 19 December 1949, Page 6

DOUBLES TOTE POPULAR

SPORTING

Haughty Boa And King Gundi At Tapanui

TWO WINS FOR STRING BAND . By the Sporting Editor It was obvious at the Tapanui Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday that patrons of it appreciated the opportunity of picking a double as 2137 ten-shilling tickets were sold on the first “ leg.” Of the total the holders of 549 tickets were successful in picking the winner of the first of the nominated race, the Dwyer Memorial Handicap, and in turn 225 of these collected the double by picking the winner of the second “leg.” The winning double was Haughty Boa and King Gundi, both owned and trained by M. Corkery, of Thojmbury. The dividend on the double was £3 18s 6d. A ten-shilling investment on the ordinary machine for a win on Haughty Boa and all up on King Gundi would have brought a return of £7 10s.

After winning the Highwelght Handicap easily, String Band was started later in the day in the Tapanui Handicap and in a good finish with Royal Sal he just beat the Salmagundi mare by a nose. Waicoe ran most of the journey with his tongue over the bit. Young Yvette staged a surprise by winning the Quin Memorial Handicap but she won in a manner that suggested further successes before long.

Waicoe was out in front when the Tapanui Handicap field settled down and he was followed through the straight by Baygundi and Defendant, with Air Ace next ahead of Prawns, who ran wide at the turn, and Royal Sal and String Band. Waicoe led down the back and half a mile from home Air Ace, Baygundi, Royal Sal and String Band were next, with Defendant beginning to drift. At the entrance to the straight Air Ace, String Band and Royal Sal were practically in line behind Waicoe. Air Ace hit the front, with Royal Sal and String Band challenging. The last-named two drew clear and String Band got the narrowest of decisions. Waicoe was third ahead of Air Ace, and then came Baygundi, Defendant and Prawns. THE FIRST ‘‘LEG" Haughty Boa won the Dwyer Memorial Hack Handicap—the first “ leg ” of the double—with something x in hand. Green Lake took no part in the race and Skip and Continual began slowly. Plausible dwelt slightly, but she joined Winning Gem in the lead inside the first furlong and they were racing clear of Salma Royal and Good Form at the half, with Haughty Boa two lengths back and well clear of Continual. Plausible was two lengths clear at the three, but at the home turn she was being challenged by Haughty Boa, Winning Gem and Good Form, with Salma Royal under pressure. Haughty Boa was first into the straight from Plausible, Good Form and Winning Gem. Haughty Boa finished on to beat Good Form by two lengths, with Plausible a length back third. There was a gap of three lengths to Winning Gem, with Salma Royal and Skip next. I.ED ALL THE WAY First out and first home describes King Gundi’s win in the Stewards’ Hack Handicap, and he never looked in danger of defeat. Winning Gem, having her second race for the day, finished on for second, without having a chance with the winner, finishing four lengths behind him. Crowding on the pace from start, King Gundi caused the field to straggle at an early stage. Narrow View was second to him running down the back, where Correct Change was next. Winning Gem moved up to a handy position at the entrance to the straight and she beat Correct Change by three lengths. Lady Marylin followed the placed lot home. EASY FOR YOUNG YVETTE • Never further back than second in the running, Young Yvette finished well to win the Quin Memorial Handicap going away. Past the post the first time 'it was Nigger Lad from Young Yvette, Air Ace, Winning Cheer and Sterling Lad, with Jan last. There was no alteration in the order as the field galloped into the dip and across the bottom bend, but before the straight was reached Nigger Lad was fading a little and Young Yvette came through to take the lead from him, with the order after that Winning Cheer, Air Ace, Jan and Sterling Lad. Young Yvette never looked like being headed and her winning margin from Air Force was two lengths. Nigger Lad was a length away, and Jam just beat Winning Cheer for fourth. RETURN TO FORM String Band won the High-weight Handicap, easily after being chopped back at the start and losing several lengths. Gipsy Major was the first to break the line, but Winning Cheer took up the running as the field galloped across the top and he was followed into the dip by Gipsy Major and Gallimaufry, with the flel dstrung out and String Band still well out of his ground. The last-named put in a strong run on the bottom bend and was up with Gallimaufry and Winning Cheer as they straightened up for the run home, with Gipsy Major and Alsvider in the call. String Band came through to win decisively from Gipsy Major, who was half a length ahead of Alsvider. Winning Cheer was a close fourth and Gallimaufry was next. WINNER FROM GORE In the first division of the Trial Handicap Our Girl was the first to show out and Our Kathleen, Generation, Yodelling Pal and St. Leonard were slow to move. At the half mile Our Girl had charge from Salma Chief and Narrow View, with Emerald Chief, Tawny and Winger at the head of the others. Our Girl led round the home turn, where Salma Chief ran wide. Our Girl was still in charge at the straight entrance with Narrow View, Emerald Chief, Winger and Golden Wonder challenging, and Tawny at the head of the others. Golden Wonder took charge as the field straightened up and he came on to wn well by a length and a-half from Winger, who beat Our Girl by two lengths for second. St. Leonard was fourth and Royal Venture and Bonny Chase next. FARRAGO STRIKES FORM Farrago won the second division of the Trial Handicap in easy fashion. Hoopla, Continual, Urbino and Royal Princess began slowly and at the end of a furlong Vain Lad had charge from Urbino, who moved up quickly, with Farrago, Robin’s Return and Tip Top at the head of the others. With three furlongs to run Urbino and Vain Lad were two lengths clear of Farrago. Urbino stopped quickly at the home turn and Vain Lad was first into the straight from Farrago, Urbino and Carillon. Farrago drew clear and came heme an easy winner by three lengths from Vain Lad, with Carillon finishing on two lengths back third. Reggie was fourth, with Tip Top and Royal Princess next. BACK-MARKERS’ SUCCESS Bradley, the back-marker, paced a fine race to win the Mclntyre Handicap Trot and pay the largest dividend of the day. The Forbury-trained Golden Jack was well supported, but he was never in the call. Dakota Boy and Solandri were the early leaders from Silver Sphere, Alluck, and Shadova, with Bradley, Leyte Hall and Impossible next. Passing the half, ' Dakota Boy and Solandri had opened up a big gap •on Shadova, Leyte Hall, Alluck, and Bradley, who was making up leeway steadily. At the entrance to the straight Bradley was second to Solandri and was followed by Dakota Boy, Play Hall, Alluck, Leyte Hall, and San Fernando. Bradley easily gathered Solandri in and won by three lengths. San Fernando finished two lengths away, ahead of Alluck Impossible, Cuff Link, Shadova, and Play Hall. FIELD OUTCLASSED

Gunsmoke outclassed the field for the Fassifern Handicap Trot, and after taking charge at the straight entrance, he came away to win very easily. Mary Ann began smartly, and racing through the straight she was well clear of Sure Cast, Crafty Guy, Balahulish, Dakota Boy and Leyte Hall, who had made up some of her handicap Mary Ann was eight lengths clear into the back, but at the half-mile she began to come back to her field and Sure Cast soon ran past her, with Dakota Boy handy and a gap to Solandri, with Shadova and Crafty Guy and Gunsmoke. At the home turn Gunsmoke moved up and he was first into«the

straight from Sure Cast, Solandri, Play Hall, San Fernando, who was making a good run from the back, and Dakota Boy. Gunsmoke came on to win easily by four lengths from Solandri, with San Fernando eight lengths back third. Play Hall was a moderate fourth, with Dakota Boy, Sure Cast* and Super Hall following at intervals.