VOITRE’S SUCCESS ON EASTERN CHIEF

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20066, 25 March 1935, Page 5

VOITRE’S SUCCESS ON EASTERN CHIEF

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 24. 6.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 24. At the Moonee Valley races yesterday, Ruling Light finished third in the second division of the Sherwood Highweight Handicap. Irish Chieftain was unplaced in the same event.

MOONEE POUNDS HANDICAP. Of 15 miles. Eastern Chief, 8.9 (Voitre) 1 Nellie’s Tip, 8.1 (O’Brien) 2 Prismatic, 8.9 (Dempsey) 2 Eleven started. Won by half a head a head between second and third Time, 2min 335 sec.

Voitre literally lifted Eastern Chief to victory after a magnificent finish between four horses.

Rongomai’s win at Oamaru was the 18th gained this season by Mr G. J. Barton’s horses, and with six wins by Mr J. Richardson’s pair, Iraq and Chiming Wrack, it brought C. Dunlevey’s total up to 24. With the exception of some of Indianapolis’s victories in the hands of E. C. McDermott, the horses have all been driven by the stable reinsman F. Fraser, junr., who has won races for other owners also.

Polydora was taken up to the middle of the field at the half-way stage in the Gardiner Memorial at Oamaru on Saturday, and looked like taking a hand in the finish, but the different tactics made no difference and she was again last to finish. The race was run at a slower pace than the mile on the opening day, and the extra distance was expected to give Polydora a chance to get balanced before unwinding her run, but the run was not there.

Since Mr W. Payne picked up Grecian Prince less than four months ago, the black gelding has won six races and put together an equal number of seconds. He won the Highweight at Oamaru on Saturday just as convincingly as he had done on the first day, though he carried more weight and had to step faster time. Derisively known as Greasy he was too well lubricated for the opposition he met at Ot naru, and might easily win again.

Sam Smith is the noisiest galloper at Riccarton, and is generally regarded as tapped in the wind. His owner and attendant combat this view, and it seems that they may be right. Sam was a very tired horse at the end of a mile on Thursday, but he battled out a mile and a quarter in the Gardiner Memorial though hotly pressed by Guarantee. It is a long time since a broken-winded horse won over this distance in open company, and there cannot be much amiss with Sam Smith’s breathing apparatus.