RACES AT THE PARK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19249, 15 February 1937, Page 13

RACES AT THE PARK

trial to hinepit GOOD BETTING POOLS * AN EASY WIN A light shower of rain during the middle of the afternoon did nothing to damp the enthusiasm of the large crowd which patronised the summer meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf Club at the Park course to-day. The attendance increased steadily until the running of' the fourth race, the Turanga Hack Handicap and keen interest in the racing was displayed both in the stand and in the neighbourhood of the totalisator house. The Trial Handicap, in which 10 runners took part, proved a good thing for Hinepit, who got out smartly and was always in a favourable position. She was level with Jaybird at the turn for home, but from that stage on simply romped away from the field and won by the biggest margin shown in any race of the meeting. Joe Louis proved the best of the others and secured second place, paying his backers a nice figure. The hot favourite, Hunting Step, ap peared to go well over half the distance, but then fell back. The totalisator figures for the first three races showed a substantial improvement on those of the last summer meeting, 'the aggregate of investments to-day being £3261, representing an increase on the three raceß of £1576 over a corresponding aggregate last February. Tin AT. HANDICAP, of £75; second horse, £10; third, £5; for horses that have never won a race at time ot nomination; G furlongs. 2 HINEPIT, C. L. Ferguson’s b.m., 4yrs., Cockpit —Hinekapua, 7.7 (R> Marsh) 1 B—JOE LOUIS, W. 11. Wilson’s blk.g., syrs., 7.7 (J. Forsyth) ... 2 3 JAYBIRD, Mrs. Pv. 11. Biggar’s blk.m., 4yrs., 7.9, lib over (S. Anderson) ... ... - 0 Also started.—l Hunting Step, 8.4 (P. Atkins); 4 Shani, 7.7, 51b (IT. Murray) ; 9 Miss Dawn, 7.7 (C. Kerr) ; 5 Ihu, 7.7 (J. Barrigan); 10 Hunting Crop, 7.7 (H. Callahan); 7 Mailman, 7.7, lib - over (,T. Kellett); 6 Maliala, 7.7 <H. Gilmer). Only four horses in the field of 10 for the Trial Handicap received really solid support, Hunting Step being backed with great confidence and carrying nearly 4Qu tickets more than Hinepit, the second choice for the race. Jaybird had a lot of backers, finishing on the machine close ap to Hinepit, and Shani was the only other runner to figure seriously in the betting. There appeared to be a slight mix-up at the start, and Ihu was caught off the right foot, losing ground there sufficiently to account for any chance he had. Jaybird, Hinepit, Hunting Step, Hunting Crop, Joe Louis, Mailman, Shani, Miss Dawn, Maliala and Ihu was the order of the running after the first furlong, the field stringing out rapidly and some of the runners being out of the picture in the early stages. After passing the half-mile peg Jaybird and Hinepit were together in the lead, with Hunting Step third and Hunting Crop fourth, but between the four and three furlongs Hunting Step slipped back, Joe Louis coming forward on the outside. At tho turn into the straight Hinepit shot away from Jaybird, and from the furlong post left no chance for anything else, extending! her lead to 2i lengths from the nearest of the others before passing the judge. Joe Louis put in a good finish nncl got second place, half a length ahead of Jaybird, the order of the others past file post being Hunting Crop, Shani, Hunting! Step. Mailman, llui. Maliala and Miss Dawn. Time, lrnin 13 4-ssoc. TURANGA STAKES HANDICAP DE FRIEND 1 GASMAN 2 BIG DOOK 3 "Won by a length, and half a length. Time, 2.8.