NOTES ON THE RACING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 890, 16 December 1916, Page 11

NOTES ON THE RACING.

The First Amateur Handicap attracted the usual mixed lot generally seen out in races of this class. IN. L. Price's representative Bohemian j was made favourite on his creditable j showing at Forbury Park, but he quite spoilt his chance of stopping at I the post. Sherry showed a line turn ! of speed for half a mile, but when ! tackled by Wild Night failed to go ; on. Two furlongs from home the 1 latter appeared to have the issue in ' safe keeping, but when challenged iby Hudston 100 yards from home j failed to put any life into his linal I effort. In a good finish Hudston just managed to get his head in front as i the post was passed after a spirited finish. The winner has been trotting for a long time with little success, anil his victory was so unexpected as to return a dividend of 'nearly half a century. Wild Night trotted his best race to date in getting second place, while Pinebell, I and Happy Jack spoilt their chances by being slow oil' the mark. Paddy I Lynd on the other hand g.il away ! before his bell, and after finishing ! in fourth place his driver \v:.s fined £lO for his mistake. Several of the 1.") that went to the post for the innovation Handicap came in for strong support, actual favouritism resting with the ! O.Y.M. gelding Gipsy King, probably ion the strength of his brilliant track | work. He and Beewood set such a i solid pace from the start as to leave : the back markers with little chance |of success. Favoured with the in- | side running Beewood held a slight | advantage of the favourite all !lb rough. Three furlongs from home ! she made a mistake that let Gipsy King take charge for a few strides, i but on settling to business again ! she quickly had his measure. From This out the result was never in doubt I for Beewood was going very comfortably well clear of Gipsy King 'when the post was reached. For a J maiden effort her achievement of j reeling off the mile and a-half in 3min 37 3-ssec was a remarkably | good one, and suggests further sncj cess in the near future. Gipsy King j ran a genuine race in getting seci ond place, while Muriel Star rei peated her best form. I The big event of the day—the Mace | Memorial Handicap—produced one ; of the most interesting contests ever I witnessed on the course. Over anxij ety on the part of several drivers i resulted in a couple of breaks away, i Peggie Huon being mainly respon- ! sible. When Ihe signal was given | St. Ursula refused to strike a gait I while Irvingwood and Prince Berlin were both slow to get. going. 1 Tamarisk acted as pacemaker from I Reggie Huon all through the first 'mile with Author Dillon, General j Link, and Young Tohu running in ; close order. With six furlongs to ; go Oinako, who did not commence j quite so smartly as some of the others, put in a great run. Racing round his field in fine style he landed into i the home straight with a useful lead. | Then his effort commenced to tell, ! and though he struggled on long [enough to deferd Author Dillon by ; a head he finished very tired. Even iso his performance of getting j through a big field and reeling off the two miles in 4min 35sec was full I of merit. Author Dillon did not have ■ the best of luck in the running, and | with a better passage may have reversed positions with the winner. After getting well away Reggie Huon f failed rather badly over the last i quarter and is evidently none too | solid over a journey. Tamarisk also ; had every chance, but was in trou- ; ble at the end of a mile and aI half which appears to be the end |of his tether. The favourite. Prince ! Berlin, was rather slow to comj mence as the result of being check:ed on the post. He made up a lot | of ground in the first mile, but failled to sustain his effort. Before j getting the stake Oinako had to I undergo the ordeal of a protest lodgled by the owner of Author Dillon !on the ground of crossing. There seemed to be little ground for complaint, and the stewards could have had little difficulty in giving their verdict in favour of Oinako. The many backers of Cora Dillon for the Bowhill Handicap had a poor ; run for their money, as the erratic daughter of Harold Dillon absolutely refused to strike a gait, eventually being brought hack to the paddock. Ngaiora showed a fine turn of speed all through the first mile, but then she was in trouble, dropping right out of the contest. Half a mile from home it looked as if King Karri and; Rorke's Drift would provide an interesting finish for at this stage both were going well. Nearing the post King Karri had to be ridden to hold his position, whereas Rorke's Drift was going comfortably. The latter drew right away, scoring in decisive! style by eight lengths in the smart time of 4.51. Outside of this pair Nutwood Junior gave the best showing. A useful field of 14 went out for Ihe Sea View Handicap, Lady Moth,! a nice actioned daughter of O.Y.M. and Lady Bird, being elected a better favourite than Bank Note. Both ran fair races, and half a mile from home it looked as if the last-named might prevail. Then she tired, and at Ihe finish was a long way back. Starting brilliantly, Nora McKinney was in front throughout, (hough she had to he hard ridden over the last furlong to stall oil' a late challenge by ,La(iy Moth. The latter put up a really good race, and only lor being so slow to gel under way may have reversed positions with Nora McKinney, who finished very tired. A recent arrival from the West Coast in Miss Rye, driven by M. Edwards, had a slight call in the belting over Madam Shaw for Ihe YYaimairi Handicap, these two carrying Ihe bulk of the investments between them. Making Ihe most of her handicap. Miss Bye carried on Ihe nmMiing for a mile and a half, when she stopped. Then Madam Shaw look charge, and looked lo he winning easily. Over the last furlong, how-, ever, she had to he driven right oul to stall off a final challenge by Paul Huon. The latter was badly placed in the early stages of the race ;r,ul had all the worst of Ihe running throughout. Only for a mistake a hundred yards from Ihe post he looked like catching Madam Shaw, who did mil finish am 100 well. Hen Dillon put up a remarkably fine performance in the Dash Handicap, I'm- al the end of half a mile his chance did not look any 100 good. Al this slage The Bronzewing was going nicely in front, when suddenly she loppied over. This left Queen; Palch in P'or.l. but in Ihe last furlong she lired, and was just caught on the. posl by Hen Dillon, who finished par-' licularh well after being hard ridden all through the last half mile. Annie Dillon hopped off very smartly in the Electric Handicap, while Tiianua, Irvingwood, and '

King Lear ;ill save away mosl of their handicap. Two furlongs from home it looked as if Quinaldinc i would overhaul Annie Dillon and Blootnfield w; . putting in good work in third place, I'nder pressure Annie Dillon held her advantage, and won a good race with nothing to spare from Quinaldinc. King Lear, the favourite, never threatened danger, but showed a lot of speed in patches.