RACES AT THE PARK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17527, 23 July 1931, Page 8

RACES AT THE PARK

G.K.C. MEETING CONTINUES

TWO-lIORSE STEEPLECHASE

SURPRISE IN FRYING HANDICAP

The feature of Uie early .racing at the Gisborne Racing Club's meeting which commenced to-day at the Park course, was the small field paraded for the Gisborne Steeplechase Handicap, only two horses going to the post tor what was monetarily the premier event of the day. The Flying Handicap brought out only tour nmners". but this was distinguished by a surprise win oil the part of I'reelmld, who paid a substantial dividend alter a nice win from Hunting Day and White Fang, from both of whom lie received a weight concession of a stone. Hunting Day looked a winner a lurking from home, hut he did not put in tho finish expected of him. the reason being evident when he returned to the birdcage bleeding from nostrils and mouth.

The attendance increased through the early part of the afternoon, and for the tluril race was well up to the average of past winter meetings on the first day. The first two races were decidedly interesting, Battlement winning the. Park Hurdles" in good style from Whakaari and Princess Elizabeth; while, in the second event, the Maiden Race, Lordly Knight justified his strong favoritism hv a grand finish that swept him past the rest of the field, and landed him a winner by a narrow margin from Sunny Song.

MAIDEN RACE, of 100 sovs.; second horse to receive 15 sovs. and third horse HI sovs. from the stake; for horses that have never won a race; weight list.; 5 furlongs. I—\V. H. Wilson’s b.g. Lordly Knight. 2vrs.. by Paladin —Bloodshed, 9.0 "(Heath) ... 1 X—E. N. Fitzgerald’s br.f. Sunny Song, 9.0 (H. Gray) 9 s—lv. S. Williams’ cli.g. Megaphone, 9.0 (Goldfinch) ... 3 —Also ran: 8 Hinetewai 9.0 (Dunn). 5 Ladv Vane (Ludlow). 10 Nuki Boy (McIlroy), 12 Tarcha (Walsh), 15 Sublimate (Home), 4 Aiguille (N. Davis). 11 Honowai (Bartlett), 7 Bird Call (Kecsing), 11 Leighcata (Clements), 6 Black Songster (Young), 9 Hunting Star (Stratton), 12 .Yightbloom (llobson).

The public had a tip about the winner, judging by the way the money went on Lordly Knight. Sunny Song, ridden by the champion, Hector Gray, commanded a good deal of support, too, arid third choice fell on Megaphone. Only one of the sizeable field gave much trouble, this being Hinetewai, who slipped once in screwing round, and dropped her rider without injury. The mare refused to go up to the tapes, and when the dispatch was made, stood on her mark long enough to lose all chance. Aiguille, Sunny Song, and Hunting Star were the first, to show out, with Black Songster and Megaphone the nearest of the others. Bird Call running at the head of the strung out remainder. Lordly Knight was well back, and looked to be out of the race until the straight was reached. Sunny Song and Hunting Star had been battling for the lead as far as rhe straight entrance, and the first mentioned pot the run on the inside to show the way to the leger. There Sunny Song appeared to have command, but Lordly Knight came on the outer with a great run, Megaphone taking pace from him, and the pair moving up together to challenge Sunny Song. In a great finish Lordly Knight’s run carried him out to the front, and lie won by a head, with Sunny Song second and Megaphone third, a ncclc separating second and third. Black Songster finished fourth, and Hunting Star fifth. Time, 1.3. .FLYING HANDICAP, of 120 sovs.; second horse to receive 20 sovs. and third horse 10 sovs. from the stake; (i furlongs. 4 1). 11. McLeod and C. IT. Slater's eh g Freehold, Absurd—Tahua, aged, 9.5 (Young) 1 1 C. CL A.iiooll’s ch g Hunting Day, 4yrs., 10.5 (If. Cray) 2 3 W, C. Griffith's hr g White Fang, aged, 10.5 ( Reusing) ... ... 3 Also ran : 2 King Wang,a 9.2 (O. Davis). The withdrawal of Aulumn Sun and Helium from the Flying Handicap left only a four-horse field, and of these four, Hunting Day was entrusted with nearly half the investments, being about 100 tickets better backed than King Wanga, who was next in demand. The seasoned field gave no trouble whatever at the start, moving off like one horse, with Hunting Day and King Wanga showing out just a little ahead of Freehold in the first furlong, and White Fang making apparent efforts to stay right ,up to the others in the early stages. At five furlongs King Wanga went: out to load by a length from •Hunting Day, with Freehold another length back, and White Fang two and a half lengths further away. Coming round to the home turn the pace was on solidly. King Wanga on the rails hanging on to the lead until near the furlong post. There Freehold got through between Hunting Day and King Wanga, and set up a lead of about a length. Hunting Day was called on, and reduced Freehold’s advantage by half, but could not sustain the effort to success. Freehold won by a neck, with Hunting Day second, and White Fang third, a length back, after a fine effort in the straight. Had White Fang been closer at the turn lie would have made things interesting for Freehold uiul Hunting Day. Time, I. 2-5. GISIIOI I N E ST EE PL ECU AHE lIA N - DICAP, of 151) sovs.; second horse lo receive 25 sovs, and third horse 15 sovs from the stake; about three miles. J. Jl. [Looker and W. D. Coghin’s b g Handy, aged, Feramorz— Dexterous, 1(1.5 (Stration) .. 1 2 R. 11. Gourlay’s b g Knuiehnmoha, 9.11 (Mellroy) The two starters in the Gisborne Steeplechase Handicap did not leave the public much to hot. about, and o! the I very few people who did trouble to in- ! vest their money, the majority managed jto get on to the eventual winner. R was one of the greatest farces ever seen lon even a country course, lor while ! Plainly took the lead early, and. ieiiccd | with great capability and certainty, Kamehnmeha offered no opposition after the first hall-mile, and the favorite’s J task was reduced to one of getting round | the three-mile course without trouble. I Handy was three, lengths in front at the • first fence, a brush in the hack stretch, laud six lengths in front at the second, doubling the advantage by the time ho reached the log wall on the west bend. ! From that point on to the first of I lie j stand doubles Kaincliamelia began to jmnke up lost ground, and he was within | a length or two when they rose to the -first of the brush doubles. Surmounting that obstacle without trouble Kamehamelia refused the second brush, and repeated attempts by his rider • failed before he at last consented 'to take the fence and go on to the next. Handy was half n niilo in front by this time,' and fencing comfortably, Kameliaineha’s chance of catching him up became still further reduced by a refusal I on the board fence on the east bend,

Here ho unshipped his jockey on his second refusal, and it was not until Handy had lapped him and given him a lead over the boards that Kainelnunelia got past this point. Even then he could not go with Handy, and the latter had opened up another big gap by the time they reached the log wall again. Handy finished undistressed, and his only opponent again refused tho second brush of the stand double. The completion of his task was effected by dint of much struggling on the part of his jockey, ’and lie eventually passed the judge's box after Handy’s rider had weighed in and changed for his next engagement. No time was taken. MANAWATU MEETING (Per Press Assorint ion.l PALMERSTON N., Ibis day. For the second day of foe Manuwatu races the weather was cold, with rain threatening. The course and attendance were good. Flaxbourne Handicap.---4 Kings Counsel 1, 3 Day Lass 2, 1 Revel 3. Scr, : Trouble and Winnagan. Won by threequarters of a length, and LA lengths. ’I into, 4.55 1-5. Rangiotu Handicap: o Merry Hunter I. 4 Grand Chaco 2, 6 Flower 3. All started.' Won by three lengths, and half a length. Time, 1.19 1-5 Terrace Handicap.—s Royal Blank L Wild Country 2, 7 Fhootish 3. Scratched : Advenlus. Won by half a length each way. Time. 2.17 2-6. BURDEN OF TAXATION PROTEST FROM WHANGAREI (Pur Press Association.) WHANG ABEL this day. Commenting upon the discouraging prospects confronting the sport of horseracing in the Dominion through the general financial depression, Mr. L. W. Nelson, representative for the Auckland province on the executive of the "committee of the New Zealand Racing Conference, told the annual meeting of the Whangaiei Racing Club last night that the Government’s levy exactions were crushing the life out of racing organisations. lie predicted that unless considerable easement of taxation was promptly afforded the majority of tho smaller clubs throughout the country would he eliminated within two years. The meeting resolved that the conference executive be urged to take immediate action in the direction of securing some remission in taxation.