THE WANGANUI MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 221, 18 September 1934, Page 8

THE WANGANUI MEETING

REFLECTIONS ON FORM. IMPROVEMENT LIKELY. (By “Kestrel.”) The Wanganui Jockey Club’s spring meeting which concluded on Saturday must go down on the records as one of 1 the most successful in the recent history of the club. This is all to the good, for it indicates what can be done when the support of the public and the raci ing fraternity is enlisted. The totalisator turnover last week showed a welcome increase amounting to 20 per cent, on last-year’s figures, but this should not lull the club into a sense of false security. Twelve months ago there was a two-horse race the first day, whereas last week’s fields were excllent. The blue ribbon for the Wanganui Guineas winner was placed round the neck of Pin Money by Miss Campbell, niece of the club’s veteran president. This is the first occasion for many years that the committee has provided a riband for classic honours, and it is hoped that the custom will be retained. • • • • No doubt many good hacks were attracted to the meeting as a result of the trophy offered in connection with the Moutoa Hack Plate on Saturday. The field for that event was particularly strong, and the majority of the contestants had been seen in action on the opening day. Some 43 nominations were received and there were 20 acceptors. The trophy was presented to owner-trainer W. H. Dwyer in the official enclosure after the race. K. Voitre signalised his return to form as one of New Zealand’s leading horsemen by steering four winners at the meeting, while he was a trifle unlucky on King Thomond, who finished third, and also with a little luck Carfex might have won instead of being beaten into second place. Voitre may now do what is known in racing circles as a “trot.” The attendance at the recent meeting was certainly most satisfactory, for it was well above last year’s figures. The weather was no doubt responsible for the increase in patronage, though a cold wind each day made sheltered spots most popular. * * • * Burnish appealed as being most likely of the Guineas contestants to improve. The Pombal—Episode filly had her share of the bad luck in the race, for she got ‘on the heels of Superior running down toward the half-mile and did not get balanced again until the straight was reached. She challenged at the distance but could not bridge the gap to Pin Money, though she almost overtook Mother Superior. • • * • Tt will be interesting to see how Burnish and Mother Superior fare when next they meet, as it is likely that the pair will contest the more important classics at Ellerslie later in the season. The Guineas race, as has frequently been noted, was run at a false pace which may cause the form to prove somewhat deceptive later on. Pin Money just “broke” 1.45 for the mile. The best that has been done so far is the 1.41 2-5 down to the credit of Estland, who won in 1918. Pin Money stayed in front over the last half-mile, but had he been seriously challenged it is doubtful whether he would have been returned the winner. Tiger Gain was better suited by the distance of the Higgie Handicap on Saturday than was the case with the ten furlongs of the Marangai Handicap. He as able to make his own pace throughout and stuck on well when challenged. He is quite a useful sort for minor handicaps. Spiral was perhaps one of the unlucky horses at the Wanganui meeting, for he failed narrowly in each essay. Limbohm just beat him by a head the first day after Tiger Gain had materi-’ ally affected his chances by coming back on him. On Thursday Spiral covered a good deal of extra ground and then finished fourth in a blanket finish. His outings will improve Spiral considerably for his more important spring engagements. :: :• Carfex lost his position at the home turn in the Higgie Handicap, being hampered for room somewhat. Had this not been the case the Nigger Minstrel gelding might have reversed positions with Tiger Gain. Such a success would have proved a popular victory for his lady owner. Lalla Quex was confidently expected to take a prominent part in the decision of the Higgie Handicap, and when she was noticed in the firing-line at the home turn it appeared as if she would fulfil expectations. However, she went under in a fighting finish. It should not be overlooked that Lalla Quex is engaged in the Carnarvon Gold Cup at Foxton next Saturday. Passion Fruit ’s easy win over seven furlongs on Thursday led many to support the Lord Quex gelding for the Higgie Handicfp on Saturday. At the half-mile it appeared as if he was going to maintain his forward position in the running, but he lost his position on the turn, only to finish fast behind the placed four. :: :: <: Korokio disappointed her supporters on Saturday, though after all she was not disgraced, for she was conceding the field many lengths’ start as they ran out of the straight in the Higgie Handicap. When the tapes went up Korokio whipped round sideways and that made the world of difference to her. It was not till the final stages that she appeared in the picture, and she was travelling faster than anything else over the last hundred yards. Korokio is engaged in the Carnarvon Gold Cup and the open sprint at Foxton, and if she takes on the former event she will have many friends. Three furlongs from home in the Moutoa Hack Plate King Thomond was well back, half-a-dozen of his opponents being in front of the Thomond gelding. It was not till the home bend was being negotiated that King Thomond was driven through by Voitre, and at the finish he was only half a length behind the dividend-payers. Had King Thomond been better served at barrier-rise his supporters might have collected a better dividend than was obtained about the winner.

Two hacks that stood out as a class apart from their opponents in the Moutoa Hack Plate on Saturday, Midian and Cyclonic, well earned their position at the head of the field. The handicapper assessed them as being worth a 31b. difference in the weights, with Midian in receipt of that poundage, and only a head separated them at the finish. They started from the outside of the field but managed to secure good positions early and stayed there throughout the journey. Better races still will come Midian’s way, for the Weathervane colt is a classy sort. He is engaged at Foxton in the Robinson Handicap with 7.5 over the seven furlongs. Cyclonic has been consistent in recent months and registered two second placings at Wanganui last week. Headmistress bore out the good opinions formed of her after her first day’s success by finishing on well in the Moutoa Hack. Plate after being badly placed early in the race. In the scramble for positions going out of the straight Headmistress suffered as much as anything else, and that cost her whatever chance she had in the race. Rereatu showed a brilliant turn of speed in the Owen Handicap on Saturday to win with ease after leading all the way from a walk-in start. This full-brother to Pin Money thus broke an exasperating run of four seconds in a row, and the prospects are that he will this season go on to better things. Support for Orapai, Good Hunting and The Tiger enabled backers of Rereatu to secure a handy dividend. Orapai carried topweight in the Owen Handicap and this, together with the torrid pace set, spelt defeat for the Thespian gelding. His supporters need not lose heart for Orapai will be seen to advantage in sprint events on courses where he can obtain a good run at the finish. Twice second in the open sprints at Wanganui, Good Hunting did very well under the circumstances and returned his supporters a dividend in each instance. Conditions should again be to his liking at the Foxton meeting on Saturday, and it would not be surprising to find Good Hunting again sharing the stake-money. The winner of the Debutante Stakes on Saturday, Legatee, was the aristocrat of the field, and he is the first of Posterity’s offspring to have raced, thus giving the Koatanui Stud’s new Son-in-Law sire an excellent start. He is an attractive brown colt, perhaps a trifle on. the leg as yet, but well-man-nered and possessed of an evenly balanced action and plenty of determination. His dam is the brilliant Absurd mare Nfotley, the dame also of Al Jolson, Midinette, and. Variant, and he was one of the high-priced lots at last January’s sales, having been bought by the Awapuni trainer G. W. New for 575 guineas on behalf of his patrons, Messrs. H. and N. Smith, of Gisborne, the owners also of Aiguille. He was also started in the juvenile race at. .Marton, in which he ran a promising fourth. The Tiger showed a great burst of speed in the Flying Handicap on Thursday and was never headed, but on Saturday shaped more Tike a tame cat than his namesake of the jungle. This was not his true form and he may be expected to do much better before the season progresses far.