Huia Handicap Success Of Demonic At Otaki Was His First In Current Season

Wanganui Chronicle, 14 December 1949, Page 3

Huia Handicap Success Of Demonic At Otaki Was His First In Current Season

(By

“KESTREL”)

Demonic scored his first win of the current season when he beat a useful field of sprinters over seven furlongs in the Unia Handicap at, the Otaki Maori Racing Club’s meeting last Saturday. It should certainly not be his only success this term.

in four earlier starts since he resumed racing after the winter spell. Demonic had twice earned place money, being third to False Step and Pierre in the Solway Handicap at Masterton and second to Pierre in the Wainui Handicap at Trentham.

As a four-year-old last season Demonic won close on £6OOO in stakemoney as a result of five wins and six minor placings in 16 starts. Ttat his claim to be one of the best milers in commission is strongly based is evident from the fact that four or these

successes were registered over this distance at Trentham, where he was meeting the strongest opposition. At his second start he sprang a big surprise in the Flying Handicap at Wanganui, returning a dividend not far short of a century when he won this six-furlong sprint. At his next three starts he was placed, being third at Carterton, second at Hastings to Diana Reynard, and third in a Solway Handicap division at Masterton. Then he won the Wainui Handicap at Trentham. Later he finished second to False Step at Napier Park and went on to Riccarton to finish fourth in the Jockey Club Handicap to Julius Caesar, Citril and Full Play.

Demonic returned to Trentham to be beaten two heads by Voltaic and False Step in the Metropolitan Handicap, but he made amends when he won the Thorndon Handicap on n later day. Reserved for the autumn

meeting at Trentham, Demonic beat Excellency, Voltaic and Gollen In the Thompson Handicap and capped that performance by winning the Hutt Handicap by three lengths with 9.6 in the saddle. Recently, after finishing second to Pierre in the Wainui Handicap, Demonic was tried out over 11 furlongs in the Watkins Handicap, but failed to impress, so the prospects of his developing into a stayer do not appear bright. However, at a milt no is going to be hard to neat, in spite of the imposts he is sure to get. His chances appeared hopeless two furlongs from home In the seven-furlong Huia Handicap last Saturday, for at that stage there were several horses ahead of him. Broughton saw an opening on the rails inside the dis-' tance and sent his mount into it to hit the front. That was the end of the race, for Demonic was being eased at the post, with half a length to spare from Bella Mia and Wild Note, “breaking” 1.27 for the seven furlongs. Bella Mia was a trifle unlucky. The Broiefort mare jumped out smartly and made the pace with Wild Note, but she appeared to meet with interference as the field bunched along the back. Bella Mia came again in the straight but could not pull Demonic back. She was at long odds and her place return was a generous one. Wild Note was the win favourite in a race in whicn the betting was fairly well spread, and the Wild Chase gelding showed that he is well forward by holding on for third place. ‘A win should not be far off for Wild Note. The Stratford-trained Te Hero mare Eireann was always up with the leaders and ran on solidly for fourth, not far behind the dividend-payers. Faultina carried her 9.8 like the good sprinter she undoubtedly is, and she was not disgraced in being beaten into fifth place. The Defaulter mare is well up in the weights, but she should hold her own when the company is not too select. Veiae d’Or was well backed but failed to show up at any stage, and Castlebrae failed to reproduce his Woodville form.