DEFEAT OF NIGHTMARCH

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1929, Page 4

DEFEAT OF NIGHTMARCH

NEW ZEALANDER BLOCKED METROPOLITAN A GRE.4T RACE.' PAQUITO FINISHES THIRD.

(By

“Moturoa.”)

Another Metropolitan has been run and won and another favourite has been beaten. But Nightmarch, the brilliant New Zealander, went down with colours flying—beaten under a welter impost of 9.12, conceding 15 pounds to the full sister to the mighty Windbag, the four-year-old Loquacious. The Maorilander registered a brilliant performance, but weight and the force of circumstances beat the best of horses, and the gallant effort stamped the scii of Night Raid as one of the most brilliant gallopers in Australia. . ‘ In the wireless description of the race tire .static was so pronounced that at. various stages the announcer’s words were difficult to follow. Starting from the top of the straight at the two-furlong post Nightmarch had drawn the rails, with Oratrix (Green) in the middle of the field. The favourite stood nicely and when the tapes went up the field moved off in line, Concentrate piloting them into the straight from Oratrix, with Valparaiso, Kavalli and Spearman improving their positions. As they passed the the stands, Concentrate had a slight lead on Valparaiso, with Kavalli and Spearman together next and Royal Favour, The Banker, Kidaides and Oratrix next. Concentrate lost the lead going out of the straight and at the mile Spearman was hunted along and was at this stage making play from Valparaiso, Concentrate, Kavalli, Oratrix, The Banker and Nightmarch, the last trio being abreast, with the favourite on the rails. Six furlongs from home Kavalli joined Spearman and Valparaiso and The Banker, Concentrate and Nightmarch had closed up. Kavalli drifted at the half mile, and at the three furlongs Spearman was again showing out from Valparaiso, Kavalli and Concentrate.

Valparaiso made his run as they swung into the straight and, once headed for the judge, came away clear of Spearman and Kavalli, while Nightmarch, boxed on the rails, was in a desperate position, and The Banker, Paquito and Loquacious were coming on the outside. Half a furlong from the post Valparaiso and Spearman were plainly weakening and The Banker, Concentrate and Nightmarch were in winning positions. ' The challenges from The Banker and. Concentrate were short lived when Nightmarch got clear, and 50 yards from the post he was actually in front of Valparaiso with Loquacious making a game bid on the outside and Paquito putting in a spectacular run on the rails. Loquacious’ challenge was not to be denied and as the field flashed past the post, the New Zealander had suffered defeat by a bare half length from the full-sister to Windbag, with Paquito close up ahead of a bunch which included Oratrix, Valparaiso, The Banker, Tidal, Concentrate and Spearman. The. breeding of Loquacious is of interest to New Zealanders, it, being, from the Maoriland mare Charleville, by Charlmagne 11. from Nithsevo. Charleville was raced with fair success in the South Island by Mr. O. R. Wise, winning the Linwood H .n--dicap (Riccarton), Outram Handicap (Wingatui), Stewards’ ' Welter Handicap (Waimate) and the Croydon Handicap (Gore) in the 1915-16 season. She won the race well and Mr. Robert Miller has a good candidate to carry on in the place of his Melbourne Cup winner, Windbag. Loquacious won her first race on December 18, 1928, when she scored in the Rosehill Maiden Three-year-old Handicap, but she was a good performer during the autumn. She was not considered quite forvard enough for yesterday’s race, the Caulfield Cup being considered her mission, and even with a penalty of 14 pounds for her win in the Metropolitan, which brings her total poundage in the Caulfield Cup to 9.9, she will not lack a solid following. The announcer considered that Nightmarch had been very unlucky in being boxed in until the last half furlong, but he was impressed with Paquito’s good late run. Mr. H. A. Knight’s Thurnham gelding may be allowed to remain for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. METROPOLITAN HANDICAP, 190-6-29. 1‘906. —Solution, 8.2, Poseidon, 7.9, 2. Time., 2min 34isec. 1907. —Mooltan, 6.13, 1; Apologue, 8.7, 2,. Time, 2min 34sec. 9.2, 1; Peru, 8.9, 2. Time, 2min 324 sec. .■ ; 1909. —Maltine, 8.4, 1; Olivester, 7.7, 2. Time, 2min 33Jsec. 1-910.—Eric, 7.9, 1; Ra, 7.2, 2;. Time, 2min 1911. Malt King, 9.1, 1; Lady Medallist, 8.9, 2. Time, -2min 34Jsec. 1912. ‘Duke Foote, 7.10, 1; Piastre, 7.6, 2. Time, 2min 1913—Cagou, 7.11, 1; Aimed, .7.12, 2. Time, 2min 31Jsec. 1914. —St. Spasa, 7.7, 1; Psyttyx, 7.8, 2. Time, 2rain 33see. 1915. —St. Carwyne, 8.8, 1; William the Silent, 6.12, 2. Time, 2min- 34isec. 191’6— Quinologist, 7.3, 1; Polycrates, 8.4, 2. Time, 2min 32fsec. 1917. Cagou, 8.10, 1; Westcourt, 8.4, 2. Time, 2min 1918. —Kennaquihair, 8.4, 1; Arch Marella, 8.0, 2. Time, 2nrin 3‘Bsec. 1919. Rebus, 9.10, 1; Kenilford, 7.4, 2. Time, 2min 36scc. 1920. —Pershore, 7.8, 1; Prince Sandy, 6.10, 2. Time, 2min 44Jsec. 1921—Laddie Blue, 7.10, 1; Ecarte, 6.10, 2.i Time, 2min 45Jsec. 1-922.—Speciality, 9.0, 1; Basella, 7.0, 2. Time, 2min 47fsee. 1923.—Sir Andrew, 8.6, I; David, 9.13, 2. Time, 2-rain 43Asec. 1924;—Polycletan, 7.4, 1; David.- 9.8,- 2. Time, 2min 46Jsec. 19-25.—Bard of Avon, 7.4, 1; ‘Frances Tressady, 8.11, 2. Time, 2min see. 1926.—Star Stranger, 8.9, 1; Pantheon, 9.6, 2. Time, 2min 44scc. 1927—Murillo, 8.0, 1; Limerick, 9.5, 2. Time, 2mhi 53£sec. 1928. —Jocelyn, 8.4, 1; Oratrix, 7.12, 2. Time, 2min 44? see. 1929. —Loquacious, 8.11, 1; Nightmareh, 9.12, 2. Time, 2min 44fsee.