HAWKE’S BAY RACES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17836, 3 May 1926, Page 2

HAWKE’S BAY RACES.

RE REMOAN A IN FORM. (Special to the “Star.”) HASTINGS, May i. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club’s meeting was concluded to-day in fine weather. The attendance was large, though ndt so large as lafet year, wheh .the contest between Gloaming and The Hawk xvas the star attraction. The racing throughout the day was remarkably good, and a triumph for the handicapper. The totalizator investments xvere a long way below last year’s figures, but considerably larger than the 1924 total. Four first favourites woh and two ran second. For the Karamu Hurdle Handicap Little River was a strong favourite, with the bracket, Toa Taua and Polyastra, next best backed. The race was responsible for the death of Maungaronga, who hit the first hurdle hard and then crashed through the second hurdle in front of the stand, falling on his head and breaking his neck. Little River, who was following, just managed to jump clear of him, but Strongholt fell ovet him. Jenkins, the rider 6f Maungaronga, xvas carried off unconscious, and was found to have a compound fracture of the jaw. Neither Strongholt nor his rider wad seriously hurt by the fall. After Maungarongo's mishap Suspicion carried on the running up to the last hurdle, where Little River and Toa T.iua challenged, and in a hard finish Toa Taua beat the fa\ r ouri,te by half a length. Suspicion xvas txvo lengths away third.

ImiLation and Plain Sailing carried the bulk of the public money in the Pakipaki Hack Handicap, and the public judgment xvas correct, for. the pair xvere prominent, and they fought out a good finish, Imitation prex’ailing by a length. Coot. Who led for most of the journey, xvas third, and Merry Imp xvas fourth.

There was ti big demand for Decoy Bird, tickets in the Handicap, and he finished up a firm fax’ourite, with over txx-ice as many tickets on him as had the second fax-ourite, Inner Harbour. Hymgreat xvas third fancy, and Silx'cr Tray, a slashing fine filly by Tea Tray—Miss Girons, was next. Silx-er Tray had run third bn the first, day. and the race had sharpened her up. for she assumed the lead soon after the start and nex-er looked like getting beaten. Eloquent, who followed her most of the way, x\-ais second, while Decoy Bird finished on well and got third.

The youngsters’ race disposed of, the way xx-as cleared for the ex-ent of the day, the J. D. Ormond Memorial Gold Cup. Huikai xvas xvithdraxvn, leaving the four cracks. Rapine, Reremoana, Grand Knight and Glentruin, to go to the pbst. The four competitors were eagerly scanned as they paraded in the bird-cage. All xvere in the pink of condition. but Glentruin, handsome as paint, certainly bore the palm for good looks, xx T hile Grand Knight had the stamp of the aristocrat all over him. There xvas a hardy xvear-and-tear look

about. Rapine, while the well-proportion-ed and poxverfully built Reremoana came in for a'lot of attention. It was soon .evident which xvav public opinion xx-as going, for the great majority of backers xvould liax-e nothing but Reremoana or Rapine, the former ending up £2OO more fancied than the Awupuni Gold Gup xx-inner. The storx : of the race is soon told. After a. beautiful start, in which the four moved off in perfect line, Reremoana soon singled himself out. and set a fast pace. Glentruin, Grand Knight and Rapine folloxving in that order. At the end of four furlongs, which xvere x-ery fast. Reremoana xvas »eading Glentruin by three lengths, but here Grand Knight took second place from Glentruin and xx T ent in pursuit of Reremoana. His effort failed to make any impression on the leader, who maintained his position, and won by a couple of lengths from Rapine, xvho finished xvlth a great run doxvn the straight and beat Grand Knight by nearly a length for second place. The cheering began

as the horses passed the post, and xx-as renexved as they came back to the birdcage. In a short speech Mr J. C’olebourne, president of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, in presenting the gold cup' to Mr G. F. Moore, congratulated him upon oxvning and breeding such a good horse, and hoped he xvould come over again and bring other good horses with him. Mr Moore, in reply, said he xvas pleased and proud to have won such a fine trophy. It was the first racing trophy he had xx-on, and It. would therefore be understood how much he prized it. He gave credit for the horse's xvin to his trainer, O. Cox, and rider, G. Morris. Cheers were then given for the horse, owner, trainer and rider. Subsequently the Press represen tat ix-es xvere Moore, and the toasts of ** The Press ’’ and “The Trainer. Mr O. Cox," were drunk in champagne. Mr W. O. Nightingale. the senior Pressman, replied on behalf of the Press representatives. When betting opened on the Burke Memorial Stakes. Gaze xvas a hot favourite, but at the finish a lot of hard heads put in on Opa, who was only about 200 behind Gaze when the totalieator shut down. The race xvas run at a fast clip all the way. Wristlet doing nearly all the pace-making until approaching the straight, when Kilceit. Gaze and Opa challenged. A thrilling finish was witnessed. The trio passed the judge’s box in a heap. Opa winning by a head from Kilceit, xvho xvas a neck in front of Gaze. Kilfaire was fourth. Money poured in on Minstrel Boy for the Akitio Handicap as though the race xv&s all over, but backers were singing another tune at the finish, for the well bred. Rapiata, a three-year-old bay gelding by Cynic from High Degree, who was a quiet tip in some quarters, kept with Mlnstfel Boy nearly all the way. and won by a head. ViVo, who finished well, xvas third, another head away, and might, have been second had his rider been able to use his Whip. The bracket, Gauntlet and My Hobby, was most fancied for the Ohiti Welter Handicap, but betting took a xvide. range. and they xvere paying quite a good price, Killoch. Malatour arid Road Hog all being well backed. The race was a good one all the way. Haurangi. Malatbur and Gurnion took turns at leading, but. all gave way to My Hobby. Royal Diadem and Hillation. As the field approached the straight, Perio de Leon joined in, and the four contested every foot of the way, Mr Hobby just lasted long enough to beat Perle de Leon by a nose, with Hillation a neck away, and Royal Diadem fourth. For the last race of the day, Shirley and Automne were equally fancied, Shirley carrying five more tickets than Automne. Shirley. Huikai and Automne were prominent all the way, and the closest finish of the day saw Shirley xvin by half a head from Automne, with Royal Damon half a length away third, and Huikai fourth.