SPLENDID JUMPING CONTEST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19846, 21 May 1927, Page 4

SPLENDID JUMPING CONTEST

CENTURY HURDLE RACE

Result Might Have Been Different The old cry that there is a dearth of good hurdlers is raised every autumn, and is as often disproved when the winter campaign gets into full swing. That the Hawera and Wanganui winter meetings usually reveal recruits possessed of jumping ability is not surprising, and the displays of the fields in Thursday’s events and those to be decided, to-day, will prove that this season will be no exception to the rule.

Perhaps the most interesting of the many splendid races witnessed on Thursday was that for the Century Hurdles, the more so by reason of the fact that were the race to be run over

again the result might very well be different. The race was not without its bearing on the Great Northern Hurdles, to be run at Ellerslie next Friday week. There was some excitement prior to the event, when Day Bell, one of the fancied candidates, indulged in an escapade in the birdcage. Just as E. Warner was preparing to mount the horse was startled and made a break for the fence, stopping dead at it and shooting the jockey astride the wire netting surrounding the enclosure. Warner was considerafj’y shaken, and another rider had to be obtained almost at the last minute, the connections of the horse being singularly fortunate in obtaining the services of E. Stanway. Nearly Missed the Race. All this time Dr W. C. Ring’s horse was in the birdcage, but was then taken across to the boxes, where his gear was again arranged to the satis faction of the trainer. Then Day Be]l went out and cantered to the starting point in time to take part in the contest, the other horses already being there and the totalisator on the point of closing. The horse was made third favourite, but had the unforseen occurrence not eventuated he would probably have been first choice; as it wSs he was entrusted with £234 less than Nukumai, whose solid support suggested that he would be a dangerpus opponent. And so he was. The support forthcoming for Nukumai was illuminating, and on his showing in the Century Hurdles he must be taken into account for the Great Northern Hurdles. The Pace Was On. There have been many fine contests for the Century Hurdles, but none better than, and very few as good as. Thursday’s race. There were only nine runners, Brigadier Bill having been withdrawn the day before, and Euchre and Elvaette were scratched on the course. There was not much delay at tho post, and with the pace on hot and strong Comedy Prince was closely followed by Day Bell and Zircon over the preliminary stages. Day Bell met with trouble at the fence at the five furlongs, after the field had gone a little over half a mile, for when in the van he made a blunder and lost some ground, being lucky to keep on his feet. This left Zircon clear, x but Day Bell joined him again the first mile. The Day Comet horse again jumped badly at the same fence that nearly brought about his downfall the first time, and this so unsettled him at. a time when the pace was becoming even hotter that he was soon last. Over The Last Bit. It was half a mile from home that Ardath came properly into the picture, and he was almost on terms with Zircon at the entrance to the straight for the furlong run to the judge. Nukumai was there too, not far away, and with him was Sottano —these were the only horses with a chance. After having made practically all the running. Zircon finished with a brilliant dash that carried him home a winner by a length, with Ardath making him pull his best. It was an impressive per formance on the part of the winner, who carried 10.5. He was turned out in capital trim by owner-trainer Mr John Paterson, who prepared the chestnut at Ellerslie, and was ridden a confident race by L. Colman, who was also successful on him at Hawera the previous Saturday. So once again has Hawera running proved an invaluable guide to the Century Hurdles. Zircon is engaged in the Great Northern Hurdles with 9.12, and is sure to become greatly fancied on the strength of Thursday’s effort. Back to Form. The pace was on all the way, and since the event has been run over two and a-quarter miles the time has only been beaten twice —by Euripos (4:13 2-5) in 1919, and by Ngata (4:13 3-5) two years later. Zircon cut it out on Thursday in 4.14 2-5. A pleasing feature of the race was the splendid showing of Ardath, who is a good one when right. G. Holland always had him nicely placed, never further back than fifth, and he decided to take him up to the leader three furlongs from the finish. It was only the

superiority of Zircon on the day that kept Ardath out of the thick end of the money. The latter appears to be coming back to that form that as long ago as January caused the writer to rate him very highly as a hurdler, and it would occasion little surprise to find him winning a rich hurdle event this season. Afl’dath is not engaged in the big jumping contests at Ellerslie, but on Thursday’s showing his connections must be regretting the fact. Nukumai’s One Mistake.

The fact that Nukumai was made favourite for the race showed that he must have convinced the stable that he was back to his best, and so it proved, for after running a great race he was perhaps unlucky not to seriously bother the winner. Ho was last over the first mile and a-half, but at this stage there was not very much between him and the leader, Zircon, a matter probably of five or six lengths. Then Bowden made his run, and when he was seen to be going nicely a couple of lengths behind Zircon and Ardath at the turn for home, it was expected that ho would do best in the run in.

This was all the more probable when at the last fence, situated just inside the straight, Zircon took Ardath out a bit, lettiug the favourite through on the fence. It was then that Nukumai made his only blunder during the whole of the journey. Pushed Him Too Much?

Whether it was, as was likely, that Bowden got to work too quickly, before straightening him up for the final jump, or not, the fact remains that Nukumai made a wretched jump, and was down on his nose on landing, only a remarkable feat of horsemanship allowing his rider to keep in the saddle and the horse on its feet. The opening presented itself on the inner, and Bowden at once went for it. That the horse failed was no doubt merely the fortune—or misfortune —of the racing

At the finish Nukumai, who was by no means ridden right out when it was seen that ho could not be deprived of third money —his was a hopeless chance of winning—was going strongly, and so it seems that the public will not have to wait long for Nukumai’s come back. At Ellerslie?

Nukumai must be added to the list of probables for the Great Northern Hurdles, in which he has 11.7, or two pounds less than he had on Thursday, and the extra distance will be all in his favour. It can be said that the Manchinael gelding is far from the has-been stage, and a good race will be got out of him before the winter passes. Will it be at Ellerslie?

That dispenses with the first three horses home in the Century. The erratic Sottano again gave a puzzling display. He stood on the mark at the rise of the barrier, losing perhaps half a dozen lengths, and afterwards jumped better than he had ever done before. Ho made up his ground steadily, and over the last round he was always in fourth place, where he remained to the end, suggesting that with a bit of luck he might have been very much closer to the winner. Did Not Stay.

Koauau found the journey too far, although having had only one run over the sticks over a long period he could hardly have been as seasoned as some of his opponents. Kalakaua ran as well as expected, being in the middle of the field throughout. Had Day Bell not become unsettled through his early adventure in the saddling paddock, he would probably have been more at home at his jumps. Apart from those two blunders at the one fence he cleared his fences better than anything else. Afterwards he came again, showing that he was not bothered by the distance. He should make amends; at pfesent there is no occasion to cross him off the list of Great Northern probables. Comedy Prince ran a good race in patches, and at the end had only one horse behind him, Rangatahi. The Waikato representative went well for y mile and threequarters, and then faded out.

It was indeed a fine race, with all the competitors completing the course, and the hurdles appeared to be a bit more upright than hitherto. Were the race to be run over again, it is quite probable that both Nukumai and Day Bell would finish in front of Zircon. The last-named could do nothing wrong; Day Bell had his«day off, and Nukumai made one fatal mistake.