LANDED AT LAST

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 88, 5 July 1927, Page 8

LANDED AT LAST

AFTER MANY YEARS WOODVALE COMES OUT OF THE WOOD

When A. Fleming drove the WildWood Jun. gelding Woodvale home at the head of a good field in the Franklin Handicap at the Otahuhu spring fixture on December 1, 1920, he little dreamed that it would be over seven years before the speedy gelding would again salute the man in the box. A LONG LAPSE

But such it proved to be, and whether the effort of tramping two miles in 4.38 was too much for the sturdy son of Wildwood Jun. and Velvet Vale, or whether he considered he had played his part sufficiently well is not known. The fact remains that until June 22—the concluding day of the Auckland Club’s winter gathering, Woodvale had not been returned a winner during the seven years, although his owner each season persevered with the gelding in the hope that he would one day make amends. GIVING A HINT

Mr. A. G. Warnock’s pacer had recently however thrown out a few hints that he would be liable at any time to surprise the natives, and his intimate friends were not surprised when he duly landed the Liverpool Handicap on the second day at Alexandra Park. At the Waikato Club's gathering held at Epsom on March 5, Woodvale ran a sterling race in the Visitors’ Handicap, beating all but the winner, Jean Darling, and carving out the ten furlongs in the smart time of 2.46 2-5 from a 2.53 mark.

HANDICAPPER USES DISCRETION At Alexandra Park, Woodvale was handicapped at 2.51 for the mile and a-quarter, and Mr. Paul could not be accused of treating the gelding harshly. The value of the discretionary powers vested in the adjustor was exempliLIUHI

fied in this instance, and as results proved the Auckland handicapper’s judgment was not far out. MADE GOOD AT LAST

The son of Wildwood Jun. gave a promising and pleasing display on the opening day in the Marconi Handicap, when he was a good third to Mars and Hohora, and keen judges who watched Woodvale’s finishing dash, ticked him off for the concluding day. Beginning in approved style. Warnock’s pacer made no mistake, and at the end of six furlongs it was all over bar shouting, as far as Woodvale was concerned. He won like a real horse, paying an appreciative dividend, and scoring a pdpular victory. The wish is expressed by all lovers of the sport that the Warnocks will have further successes with Woodvale now that he is out of the wood.