ALL IRISH WINS STEEPLECHASE

Southland Times, Issue 23557, 11 July 1938, Page 10

ALL IRISH WINS STEEPLECHASE

BRILLIANT DISPLAY OF JUMPING MONIPERE AND REBEL MATE SUCCESSFUL (Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, July 9. The weather was fine for the concluding day of the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting, and the track was again very heavy. All Irish won the July Steeplechase after giving a perfect exhibition of jumping and leading all the way. The South Island won the two principal flat events with Monipere and Rebel Mate and also took the Winter Hurdles with Courtyard, who defeated a hot favourite in Full o Scotch and thus checked his winning sequence, which up till Saturday was four wins on end. There was a huge crowd present today and the totalizator handled £79,304, an increase of £7417 on last year, the increase for the meeting being £15,696 10/- over last year’s total. VALARTH FALLS Valarth, a very Dot favourite, crashed at the first fence in the Talavera Hurdles, which was won by the veteran Curie, who made a very bad jump at the second fence but soon retrieved the error and along the back held a handy position behind Greek Arma, Laggard, Lustral, King Mestor and Chaste. He moved into second place behind Greek Arma at the half mile and led into the straight. He was challenged by Lustral and Contract in the final furlong but had sufficient in reserve to win by two lengths from Contract, Laggard easily beating the others. King Mestor, who was fourth, failed under his weight. Chaste did not race so well as on the earlier days and Lustral slowed up at his fences. NOVICE HANDICAP Great Legion, Proclamation and St. Cedric were the leaders to the straight in the Novice Handicap with Yours Truly and Bluffer well placed behind them. Sly Fox moved up two furlongs from home where Great Legion was still in charge but Bluffer come on strongly along the fence to win by two lengths from Sly Fox, Proclamation being a length away third and Yours Truly fourth. Bluffer ran a good race on the first day, in her first start for some months. Weight beat Sly Fox but Proclamation ran well. Yours Truly was hampered by being carried out wide when making a run for a position nearing the false rail. The two-year-olds, Keen Sight and Miss Waitarere, finished after the placed horses but well back. FROM END TO END > All Irish treated the crowd to a | magnificent exhibition of jumping in I the July Steeplechase. He led all the | way being 20 lengths out in front on I the first round. Clarion Call reduced I his lead to one 'length six furlongs from I home but made a very bad jump at the | board fence near the five-furlong post and this cost him whatever chance he had. Without this mistake Clarion Call would have made it harder for the winner. He came at All Irish again in the home stretch but All Irish had plenty in reserve and he drew away after crossing the last fence to win by four lengths. Monastic and Bryce Street had a great fight for third ■ money, Monastic getting the verdict by a neck. Smiling Thru’ was the only other to complete the course. Kinkle fell at the stands double with a round to go. Chile and Kahunoke crashed along the back the last time and Fewer Chief slipped and fell after landing over the fence three furlongs from home, when lying third and looking certain to get that place at the finish. Three miles is about the limit of All Irish’s staying capacity but any deficiency in this direction is made up for by his beautiful jumping. He is the best fencer seen at Trentham for many a day. GOLD GLARE SCORES Hunting Chorus, Golden Ridge, Flying Acre, Advance Plane, Jazz Boy and Gay Hunting were the most prominent to the straight in the Crofton Handicap. Jan Ridd took charge running down to the false rail but was immediately challenged by Advance Plane, Flying Acre, Gold Glare, Jazz Boy and Gay Hunting. Advance Plane drew clear a furlong from the post but Gold Glare came through strongly and won going away by two lengths from Advance Plane with Gay Hunting m easy third and Jan Ridd fourth. Then came Philemup, Sporting Gift, Aria and Jazz Boy. Hunting Chorus, Golden Ridge, and Flying Acre failed to finish. The winner was unlucky at i Marton a week ago. I WINTER HURDLES Courtyard, the third favourite, won the Winter Hurdles from the favourite, Full o’ Scotch, who tried to lead all the way but found his rise in weight just beyond him. He hit two or three fences early in the race but it did not cost him his position and he was outstayed at the finish. For a horse who began hurdling only six weeks ago he performed splendidly. Courtyard was well handled by G. Ridgway, who kept him close to the lead all the way and came through after crossing the last fence to score by six lengths. He was going much better than any of the other placet’ horses. Aurora’s Love moved up to third place five furlongs from home and was actually in front at the last fence. She fought on gallantly but was beaten by more solid horses. Mcßae gave Erination every chance, riding him most patiently, but his weight and the ground beat him. He missed third place only by a head. Charade, who went up to jump on terms with Full o’ Scotch, at the end of half a-mile hit the next three fences very hard and dropped right out of the contest seven furlongs from home. She appeared to be sore when she pulled up. Spender fell on the first round and the others were well beaten. Southern Blood and Middle ran fair races but Donegal disappointed. WINTER OATS Coming from several places back at the home turn and getting a run at the false rail, Monipere won the Winter Oats from an outsider in Liane, Ned Cuttie and Enge. Monipere ran well for a mile in the Parliamentary Handicap and his form today was really impressive. Enge, Sweet Rose, First Chapter, Alma and Lady Montana were well placed in the run to the home turn where Enge was still in charge from Sweet Rose, Lady Montana and Alma. Then Liane came through on the outer and Monipere on the inner, while Ned Cuttie pushed through the middle. These three fought it out but Monipere did best at the finish, getting the verdict easily by two lengths. Liane beat Ned Cuttie oy half a length and Enge was fourth. They were followed by Airam (who was left several lengths), Sweet Rose, Lady Montana, Catalogue and Loombi-

nation. Catalogue was well up early but drifted in the middle stages of the race. REBEL MATE’S SPRINT Rebel Mate began smartly from the outside position in the Onslow Handicap and followed Superior Guard and Farland to the course proper, where the two leaders ran wide, leaving Rebel Mate in charge. He was hotly challenged by Rollicker and these two drew clear of the field. Rollicker had his head in front a furlong off the post but Rebel Mate worried him out of it and won by half a neck. Prince Acre, who was third, was nearly three lengths away and he just beat Thala, who came late on the scene. De Friend was fifth and then came Paper Slipper, Pukeko, Maori Song, Triune and Farland. Rebel Mate fought on very solidly. De Friend was staying on at the finish and Paper Slipper ran an improved race. Maori Song was unlucky in being carried off the course by Farland, but neither put much into their finishing efforts. DECISIVE WIN El Meynell took the lead once the field settled down in the Kia Ora Handicap and Goulsbro took him out very wide into the better going at the home turn, from which point he came on strongly and won by three lengths without being pressed, from Rotoma, who lost her position in the middle stages of the race but came on again well to cut Warehi out of second money. Tidewaiter, who was always handy was fourth and then came Sunbeam, Happy Landing, Auto Sweep, Harmarin and Great Bramble. El Meynell really outclassed this field and won with a good deal in hand. Silver Fox dropped out in the last furlong after being second most of the way and Sunbeam was unequal to taking advantage of a good opening on the fence at the false rail.