SIDELIGHTS ON RACING

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1935, Page 10

SIDELIGHTS ON RACING

BAD LUCK WITH WEATHER REFRESHER RETURNS TO FORM. WINDSCREEN'S DOUBLE SUCCESS. (By “Hurry On.’’) The Taranaki Jockey Club will probably not do a great deal more than pay expenses from the meeting on Saturday, but the result under .the circumstances clearly demonstrated the necessity for extra days Of racing in the province. Given, a really good day instead of a cold and bleak one and a . good field in the Ngahuru Handicap, the club would have had a splendid day arid, it is safe to say, a totalisator turnover of almost £lO,OOO. The betting on the last two events showed clearly that this would have been the case. As it was, the public was provided with an excellent day’s sport and one that will do . much to increase the popularity of racing in the province. Back to Form.

After Refresher’s good gallop on Thursday morning R. Barlow was quietly confident that the son of Tea Tray was gding to take a good deal of beating in the Okoari Handicap, even though the majority of the punters did not give him much chance agaifist Diatomous, Rereatu and company. However, beginning really well for an old horse, he Was always showing but from the bunch behind Diatomous and, mbying up at -the straight entrance, he challenged the leader to hang on most tenaciously despite the fact that Diatomous was taring out on him. Refresher won by a nose, a really fine performance demonstrating that he is almost back to the form he displayed two yehrs ago when he beat Golden Wings in the Flying on the first day of the Taranaki Jockey Club’s autumnmeeting in 1933. , Success at Last.

The two successes of Wiiidsoreeh were very gratifying to her Inglewood ownertrainer, Mr. L. Butler. . Since making his entry to the ranks of the owners nearly two years ago Mr. Buffet had had no success. His colours Were carried by Count Lendfoff, and Autopeen, as well aS by Windsofeen. Count tendroff was placed on several occasions but could not Win a race. Last Week Mt. Butler must have been thinking he was ifi a long fene without a ttirning but Saturday saw a change of luck and from the mahher in Which Windsofeen won her twd races further successes should not be tong in edming., She is a three-year-old* filly By Potoa from Cfubeen, byLimond from the Birkenhead mare Mol-' len Oge. CrUbedn is the dam of the brilliant but unsound Cottesmore, who won at AWapuhi recently.

Off to Ellerslie. Tudor looked a picture when he paraded for the hurdles and the public had no hesitation, in installing the big sort oL Little England as a Solid favourite ch both machines. When he moved up into a handy position down the back stretch his supporters wete on particularly good terms with themselves as he appeared to be running along Very comfortably. However, he rapped the fence very hard between the half-mile and the three furlongs and Pascoe was unable to retain his seat. His showing satisfied his trainer, L. Knapp,-however, and after the race it was decided to take him to Ellerslie to fulfil his Brighton hurdles engagement on Saturday. Likes the Course.

Tahurangi evidently likes his h<sme course, as in his seven runs at New Plyiriouth this season he has scored four wins and one second. One of his defeats was in the Taranaki Cup, in which he- rather ambitiously took on Fersen, Hazoor, Red Manfred and company. He registered a smooth performance on Saturday when, after taking a handy position With half the journey covered, he made his move to beat the pacemaker, Onewhetu, decisively. This half T brother to Morena has paid his way well this season.

Riding Tactic#. There Were- some who were inclined to find fault with T. Webster’s riding of DiatomQus in. the Okoari Handicap. They maintained that a horse' With DiatOmous’ Weight should have Been nursed instead of’being taken to the front. The Writer disagrees with this view, however. Down thb backDiatomous had the wind behind him and was bowling along quite comfortably. Except for Refresher, Webster’s tactics had the rest of the field in trouble all the way, and had Diatqmous won Webster’s riding would have been described as a fine piece of horsemanship. ■ .

Failure of Favourites. Backers Of favourites had a bad fun at New .Plymouth on Saturday. Tudor was sent out a -good first choice in the hurdles,' only to make the first mistake of his jumping career and unseat his rider when going well , three furlongs from the finish. Tahurangi did the supporters of the favourite a good turn in the Pukekufa but an odds-on choice in Fairfax was left . standing in the Juvenile and another hot order in Chief Marionette made a sorry showing in the Ngahuru. Eara was the best backed in the Waifeka but never looked likely to win. Diatomous made a brave effort in the Okoari but just failed. Friesland •was the one sorted out in the final event but the three-year-old was moving back as the tapes rose, that being the end of his chances. Tired Horses. In a three-horse 'race there is often a lack of pace until the last half mile, but there was no loafing ifi the Ngahuru Handicap- at New Plymouth on Saturday. Trishna bowled along in front for three furlongs but was then joined by Davistock. This pair wasted no time down the back stretch, opening up a big break on Chief Marionette. It looked as though they were playing into the hands of the mare as they were obviously cutting their own throats. This they certainly did but Chief Marionette could not take advantage of the situation as she was quite, unable to raise a gallop. It would be hard to imagine two horses more tired than Trishna and Davistock over the last furlong. Trishna scrambled home simply because Davistock was even more tired. It was decidedly bad luck for J. Fryer that Ruri was unable to compete, as that son of Surveyor would have made short work of the pair over the final furlong.