Red Glare Impressed In Te Rapa Steeples

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 May 1948, Page 3

Red Glare Impressed In Te Rapa Steeples

(Special) Auckland, May 24. Running into the lead six fences from home in the King Country Steeplechase at Te Rapa on Saturday, Red Glare was not afterwards headed and he made amends for his defeat n fortnight earlier by Hunting Dink. He fenced well but for pecking on landing over the antepenultimate obstacle. Bright Fox went with him for part of the journey at this stage but socn retired. It was at the sixth fence from the finish, too, that the favourite, Master Play, blundered, str.-king the top of tne sodwall with his hind feet and sitting down on the other side, effectively out of the con-' test.

This steeplechase was not such a spectacular affair as the similar race a week earlier, and yet it was always interesting, at least until Red Glare asserted himself. Town Survey, well back early, finished very strongly for second, cutting out the much improved Dinkum Pal. Haereatu, Dualin, Bright Fox and Sir Whimai followed at intervals. This event was not very illuminating so far as the Great Northern Steeplechase was concerned. Master Play did not fence with his-customary confidence.

Town Echo did not have much trouble to win the Victoria Hurdles. Sir Jovial went with her and jumped better, and then his condition gave out in the last quarter-mile, although he hung on for second ahead of Wane and Ernada, who may improve. Peter’s Choice was well behind the field as it moved up to the barrier and they left first time in, leaving Peter’s Choice stranded and he took no part in the race. The Taranaki jumper was apparently not in the starter’s line of vision. BEDIVERE CLEARED OUT

Bedivere made no race of the Tyler Memorial once he hit the front nt the five furlongs and over the last bit he simply cleared out. Biack Ace came home at the head of the well-beaten division for second, with Hot Pursuit close to him and Swanee and Silver Lighting next. Gwen Vaals, Honora, Sleepy Fox (last to leave the barrier), and Artificer followed. Bedivere is engaged in the Cornwall Handicap. Likely improvers are Swanee and Silver Lighting. Robin Leigh swamped the opposition in the closing stages of the open sprint to pay a price approaching a score. Contango, having her last race before going to the brood mare’s paddock, came home well for second ahead of Double Chance, who had two horses behind him at the half-mile. Ascot Lad was fifth behind Rozami, who, together with Hunting Camp, compounded. Double Chance enhanced his prospects for the Cornwall Handicap. A feature of the day’s racing was the runaway win by Morocco in the first division of the minor hurdles event. His win by 25 lengths was the easiest ever witnessed by the great majority of spectators and had to be seen to be believed.