HAMILTON RACING CLUB

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14592, 16 February 1921, Page 5

HAMILTON RACING CLUB

MEETING AT CLAUDELANDS A RECORD CROWD ATTENDS. ROYAL ABBEY WINS THE CUP. Glorious weather marked the opening day’s racing of the two days’ meeting of H\e Hamilton Club, which was commcrH'ed at the Claudeiands course to-day. The Hamilton meeting has of ;flte years grown with astonishing leaps and bounds, and the attendance figures of recent past gatherings have indicated the need for increased accommodation. .The club executive have recognised that this is a demand which must be consummated in the near future, and.with that end in view, have purchased a new property on the main HamiitonNgaruawahia road, ■ just outside the town boundary, where the headquarters of the club will be established in the near future, and the extensive demands of racing patronage adequately met. When to-day’s crowd at Claudolands was at its height, about Cup time, the stands and enclosures were densely packed, and on the scorn of attendance figures it is quite safe to say that the patronage has never previously been so extensive as on this occasion. The two special trains from Auckland were crowded, the support from the capital city being very extensive, while all the districts en route contributed in very heavy measure to the travelling complement of racing patrons. From all parts of the Waikato, Thames and King Country dis--tricts the support was very strong. With the half holiday observed in the town itself, the patronage from the immediate environ was greater than ever before. Allowing for the congestion by the big crowd the racing was observed under otherwise ideal conditions. «*>• There was a light breeze blowing, ■which nicely tempered the heat. The racing surface was on the hard side and in favour of fast tfmes. The fields were good from the numerical standpoint, while the standard of the candidates engaged was above the ordinary. Speculation was very brisk during the day, and the indications are that the volume of speculation over the meeting will he well ahead of the high figures previously recorded. The Band of the 16th Waikato Regiment was in attendance, and enlivened proceedings with a programme of musical numbers. The stipendiary steward, Mr A. W. Gordon, was present in ins official capacity. The management of the meeting was good, the various officials, under Mr O. W. Vercoe, the president, and -Mr E. H. O’Meara, the secretary, performing their duties in a manner that tended to smooth tiie running of the arrangements. Following are the results: — WAIMAI HANDICAP HURDLE RACE, of 300 sovs.; 1 4 miles. Mr H. Swaffiield’s b g Guerre-a-Mort, 6yrs, 9.3 (Preston) .. 1 Mr D. ,T. Hughes b g Banogue, aged, 9.0 (11. Copcstakc) 2 Mr M. Wells b m Shellshock, aged, 9.5 (Rennie) 3 Scratched: Ditto. Signature, Astrap, Romance, Lady Lyddite. From a good start Shellshock went end of half a mile, Gucrre-a-Mort was Tenacious. Passing the stand, at the .end of half a mile, Guerre a Mort was fMie pilot from Shellshock, while Banogue soon ran up to third place. Thrace was racing a long way last. When the field reached the polo stand, Banogue ran up on terms with shellshock. Gucrre-a-Mort still maintained his advantage by a length as the leaders turned to the straight. Down the ■ running the leader stalled off a challenge by Banogue and won by 21 lengths, with Shellshock four lengths further back, and Silver Pine in fourth place. Thrace finished well back in last place. Oaklcigh was favourite. Totalisator investments £473-41. TRIAL HANDICAP of 225sovs. Seven furlongs. Mr A. Hyde’s b g Menance, syrs, 7.11 (Husband) 1 Mr W. J. McLean’s b m Awareka, 4yrs, 8.8 (McTavish) 2 Mr G. L. Stead’s b rn Wanigan, 3yrs, ’ 8.11 (A. Reed) 3 Scratched: The Gleaner, St. Waipa, and Waircre Maid. The big field of 21 runners was despatched with a minimum of delay, Treso, who was ordered behind the field, got left badly at the start. Wanigan shot to the front for half a furlong, but Awareka soon became pilot, and placed a good gap b.ctwcen himself and Ids nearest attendant. He led into the straight with a good three lengths’ advantage, but Menance tackled the tiring leader down the running. and beat him home by a length. Wanigan was third, four lengths further back, and Milesian fourth. Time, 1.29. Wanigan was favourite. Tutaligator investments, £5 417. TAMAHERE STAKES of 300sovs. *Six furlongs. t Mr G. L. Stead’s hr f Mixture, 2yrs, 7.5 (A. Reed) 1 Mr L. Hyde’s b g Peter Maxwell, 3yrs, 7.5 (McTavish) •». 2 Mr W. G. Vincent’s Passionless, 3yrs. 7.0 (L. Coleman) 3 Scratched: Pagoda, Ihapola, Connemara. Miss Beauty, Big Ben. Passionless delayed the start, which was somewhat straggling. Mixture was the first to show out, with Loyal Irish and Unahi in the places. Peter Maxwell was moving up as the field swung to the straight. In the last 100 yards he got clear, and coming with a great rattle, just failed to gel. to Mixture by half a head. Passionless was two and a-half lengths further hack, just in front of Unahi. Time, 1.15. Unahi was favourite. Totalisator investments, £7OOI. HAMILTON CUP of lOOOsovs. One mile and a-half. Mr R. Hannon’s cli g Royal Abbey, syrs, 7.9 (Glover) ) Mr W. Colebourne’s h g Canowindra. 4yra, 6.9 (Wiggins) 2 Mr A. X. Dingle’s b g Forest Gold, Gyrs, G. 7 (Scott) ! .Tlso started; Woody Glen 8.12, Vagabond 8.10, Walton G. 12, Wimicraii Canowindra, who had to be started behind the field, soon went out to make the pace with Windorah. Passing the stand, this was the order, with Forest Gold, Walton. Royal Abbey, Vagabond, and Woody Glen following. The field carried on without material alteration along the back and across the en 1. Canowindra turned into the straight in front of Windorah, while FonWt Cold and Royal Abbey were both handy. Tim latter then put in his run, and shaking off Canowindra, won by half a length, with Forest Cold two lengths further hack. Windorah was fourth. Woody i Gien, Vagabond and Walton following ’ 'in that order. Time, 2.35. The times struck off for the various distances v-ere: Four furlongs 535, five 1.5, six 1 18 3-5, seven. 1.30 3-5, eight 1.43 j and the last half-mile in 525. TotaiisaLor investments, £8895. Vagabond was a slightly better favourite than , Royal Abbey, with Woody Clen also

strongly supported. There was plenty of money for Forest Cold, Walton and Windorah In that order. HAUTAPU HACK HANDICAP of 250sovs. Six furlongs. Mr J. H. Baker’s b g Bang, Gyrs, 7.10 (Glover) 1 Mr H. W. Burch’s ch g Knighton, 4yrs, 7.12 (McTavish) 2 Mr W. T. Burrett’s hr f Jolly Princess, 3yrs (C. Reed) 3 Scratched: Clonmel, Brodrick, Elsie Aroha, Idealogue, Silverlode, Subway, Golden Abbey. St. Waipa, Grey Sapphire Stammer, Passionless and Aquitania. Night Time was the first to break the lino. Bang, who got none the best of the start, ' then, got into a handy position as the field entered Hie straight, where a number of the runners ran wide. up a run hero, but was challenged by Bang, who got the verdict by a neck, Jolly Princess being a similar distance away. Time 1.15 3-3- Knighton was favourite.