RACING

Putaruru Press, Volume XX, Issue 1183, 23 May 1946, Page 5

RACING

TE RAPA FIELDS The second day of the Waikato -club’s winter meeting will be held on Saturday when it is likely that the only division race will be the Gordonton Handicap. The going is not likely to be much different from that bf laot Saturday when it was heavy, “but not cutting out. Horses which may be fancied include: — Te Rapa Highweight, 11 miles (BETTERMUSK MARINOTO ESMOND® Matangi Hack Hurdles, 1} miles SPEED KING iHBTTBRiM'AN EXPEDIENT Gordontdn Hack, 7 furlongs First Division : SILVER -LAP BROIEAILICE Second Division: TI N MDISK SUSAN LEE Waikato Hurdled, 2 miles BBANTOME HUNTO BRIGHT FOX Hamilton Handicap, 1 mile BATTLE DANCE TUTBRE MASTER ROBIN Frankton Steeples, 2j miles ETAiRO TANGIRBRE TEDEOVER Maerda Handicap, 6 furlongs REORAPA ■BLACK BERET TIGER TAN Fardwell Handicap, 1 mile K CfHETSVORDE W INNI NG TICKET TILTING

WINTER MEETING POPULAR Events At Te Rapa Form worked out fairly consistently on the first day of the Waikato Racing Club’s winter meeting on Saturday, when four first favourites were successful. Quite a number of the place-getters did not pay mueh more than even money, and some considerably less. ©utsizes in dividends were paid by Representative, a maiden hurdler, which took the "'eddon Hurdles to pay well over £SO for a win and oyer a dozen for a place, and Master Dink, which had paid a big dividend the previous week at Paeroa, and again paid over a score and nearly five to one for a place.. An Easy Win The hack steeplechase was confined to gentlemen riders, and the performances of come of the mounts were nothing near first class. In fact, the race may be said to have been confined to about five with chances. The pacemaker was a comparatively unknown quantity, Te Rahu, a five-year-old bay gelding by Greek Shepherd from Lady Field, which had not had a start since it raced in the Greenmount Steeplechase at the Pakuranga meeting in August. In that race it was pulled up, but on Saturday gave a rare display and was not out. of it until they entered the Straight. ‘Here Tideover took over to win handsomely by 16 lengths, clearing out over the latter stages from ,“Doc” Knapp’s (Awapuni) Lady Premier and Tanga-ta-pai, which had been, going indifferently 'during the running. Expedient, owner-trained at Whangairei by Mr. C. R. Powell, went a fair race to beat Speed King, The latter, also from Awapuni, was inclined to dwell at hio fences, but is one that might be ticked off. He is a five-year-old by Brbiefort from Lucky Charm, trained by C. Thomson, which had run a third and two fourths in his last three start® over jumps. Contango Spcond Again The consistent Contango had a great duel with Beddvere over the lerjt stages of the first division of the Otorohanga Hack, with the consistent place-getter Silver Lap in third position, only a neck behind the winner. ’Golden One was in behind

them, and should be improved by the race. In the second division Boswell Hill got home by a neck from the Awapuni-trained Winning Ticket. The latter is a Lang Bian from (Lucky Bag and should win some money on h:■• trip north. Boswell Hill had: to fight on courageously to win, with the Matamata-trained Sir Emmett (Amaranthus—Fly On) half a length away. A Win Second Up Representative won- at the right end of the Seddon Hurdles after being in a bandy position for the last mile or so. As stated, the win was a surprise as the Nightmarch gelding had shown no aptitude at Paeroa where he trailed the .field. Representative has proved himself to be a horse of moods, but he is trained on the track and therefore would be expected to be more at home there than over the jumps at Paeroa. It is stated atoo that the hurdles at Te Rapa are inclined to suit speedsters. Sporting Gold went an honest race to be second, while Blue Title, a recent winner, was going nicely six and a half lengths behind Representative. The last-men-tioned might turn the tables in the very near future. Surprisingly Short Dividend The big flat raee of the day was won by Leigh Hark, with the consistent Royal Charter, which came from a long way back, second, and Hot. Pursuit third. It was an exciting finx'h, noses only separating the three placed horses. Bueno was with these until about three chains from the post when he got a knock that sent him clean out of the contest. It seemed) that two horses came across on him, one of which must have been Leigh Hark. The winner’s price was less than five to one and only a fraction over even money for a place, and was, rjurpris - ingly short seeing that he had not previously won in open company. His previous win was a hack race over the same distance at the November meeting at Te Rapa. South Riding was not much behind the placed horsco, but Lowry Bay was done with at nine furlongs, while Betterman, Twesdismuir . and Land Warden never gave their supporters any encouragement.

A Northern Possibility Brookby Song won the Waikato Steeples so nicely that his chances fer the Northern must be seriously considered. These remarks also would . apply to the third horse, Ballyneety. Both have been over the big country at Ellerslie, which is a fdr bigger proposition than the Steepler journey at Te Rapa. Although Ramilliea finished fourth he did not appear, to be putting much dash into hi®' work, and appears to be an inconsistent customer. Two good jumpers in Gold Gape and New Battle were pulled up. A V/ery Short Price ' l ' - .. . ■ A little over five to four was paid by the winner of .the City Hack, Kanga, and just a boat seven handles over £1 for a place. Someone knew something about the second ho esc too, Flying Jim, aa, although it had run no nearer than fourth in seven starts, it wao at only a little over five to one. The second division provided a duel between Chetsvorde and Crystal Ring, which had won the previous Saturday. Although there was not much in it Chetsvorde appeared to be doing it nicely. Verdant Again The public wao well on the mark in the Stewards’ Handicap, of- seven furlongs, in which the favourites, first, third and second, filled the places. Verdant did it well, tout might not beat Battle Dance and Black Beret at the difference in weights at the next meeting. Battle Dance, a .good performer in the soutft, can (’handle the going, while Black Beret revfei? iri it. Nepeta was the only other one to give any trouble in the final run home. .