RACING REVIEWED.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1156, 6 June 1912, Page 11

RACING REVIEWED.

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB.

NAPPER AND HAUTERE WIN GREAT NORTHERN DOUBLE. WRETCHED WEATHER. The Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting opened with the Maiden Steeplechase, for which there were ten contestants. Tui Cakobau was elected favourite, but with only a slight advantage over Hautere, and the race really resolved itself into a contest between these two. Most of the journey Tui Cakobau acted as pacemaker, but half a. mile from home Hautere went to the front, and, maintaining his position, won comfortably by four lengths. The only other candidate to show at all prominently was Rebel, whom Julian hustled along the back on the last round, but he was never dangerous, and finished a hundred yards behind Tui Cakobau. The race was a slow one, for it took smin 14sec to cover the two and a half miles.

A field of twenty-one lined up for the Jervois Handicap. Sea Pink was installed favourite, with Cloudy Dawn next, but neither appeared to take kindly to the mud. Maui Nina, who was only moderately supported on the machine, early went to the front, and, plodding on in a resolute manner, had no difficulty in scoring a victory over many more promisinglooking contestants. Being in front from the start was naturally a big advantage, and Conquest saw to it that nothing behind him got close enough to fluster the son of Menschikoff, who romped home with three lengths to spare, and paid over a score. Glenfern was second and Ruatangata third. Idealism was made a warm favourite for the Maiden Hurdles, which attracted a field of fifteen. Before half the distance was covered Julian had Idealism going along comfortably in the lead, and as the Kauroa representative was fencing faultlessly the public were duly rewarded for the confidence placed in Idealism, for he won with the greatest ease, with Rutter, who finished fast second and the unlucky Seaman third. Bonny fell opposite the stand, while Penfold unshipped his rider at the back of the course. The Great Northern Hurdles was an excellent betting race, as £SOOO went through the totalisator on the event. Napper and Darby Paul were selected as first and second fancy, with £350 advantage to the former. There was then a drop of £SOO odd to Presently, with Gaelic a poor fourth favourite. The rest of the field were comparatively neglected. From a poor start Surplus was the first to set out as pacemaker, followed by Bully and Presently. Gaelic, Waterworks, and Darby Paul were all slow in leaving the mark. Going along the back the order of the leaders was Bully, Surplus, and Napper in- close company. Along this stretch Gaelic and Dunborve fell, while a quarter of a mile further on Mildura came to grief. Passing the stand for the second time Bully led Napper by a length, with Lloyds, Waterworks, Presently, Coronetted, and Darby Paul following in the order given. As they turned into the back stretch Napper ran to the front, but Bully kept close up, and in this position they were still going when the straight was reached. Coming to the last fence, Julian eased Napper up, and took the jump carefully, which he cleared with about a length’s advantage over Bully, but once clear of the jump Julian let Napper out, and he simply romped home, scoring an easy win by five lengths. Lloyds was ten lengths away third, with Darby Paul and Presently next in order. This made “Tartar” Julian’s second successive win on the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s jumpers. Aliscount, another Ormond representative, was installed favourite for the Cornwall Handicap, but here the cerise colours had to be struck in favour of La Reina, the consistent little roan daughter of Soult, who won a good race from Gloy and Sir Artegal, both of whom showed a partiality for the wind and plodded round in good style, but the minimum weight gave the victory to La Reina in the run home. fl’he Hunt Club Hurdles resulted in a win for Dunrobin, a six-year-old son of Westmere, with Forward an Advance —Sou’-wester mare second.

In the Alembers’ Handicap, the Menschikoff gelding Maui Nina again showed his partiality for the wind, because he came out again and won easily from a field of twenty-one, which included such sprinters as Naumai and Crown Pearl. Strange to say, Maui Nina was allowed to again pay a handsome dividend of more than a third the value of his first score. Tangawai, a most promising Gluten-Marjorie mare was second. The favourite for this race was Altcar, making the fourth representative of the Hon. J. D. Ormond to start favourite on the day. The two jumpers, Idealism and Napper, won handsomely, but on the flat the cerise bearers were badly beaten. It is gratifying to record that although the course was treacherous there were no accidents of any consequence. Half, a dozen horses fell, but no harm was done to them or their riders. STEEPLECHASE DAY. Racing on .'the King’s Birthday, which happily was a somewhat better day than Saturday, although, if anything, the going was worse, was full of interest, and some fine racing was witnessed.. The Orakei Hurdles attracted eleven starters, and the unlucky Seaman was selected as favourite, with Rutter and Surplus next in order. The race was a poor one, as only four horses completed the race, and the victor (Ambergris) was the biggest outsider on the field, who paid his supporters just short of a quarter of a century. Rutter and Uranium filled second and third places. Napenape came down at the seventh jump. For the Ranfurly Welter, Draft was made a hot favourite, being backed down to nearly even money, but he gave a most disappointing display. The finish was a desperate one, and Watch Chain, under heavy punishment, secured a narrow victory by half a length over Ruatangata. Only eight lined up for-the Remuera Hurdles, and Idealism was installed favourite on his running the first day. This time, however, Julian’s best exertions were beaten by a wellsustained spurt put in by Black Northern over the final distance, which gave the Salvadan gelding a meritorious win by a bare length. This result was somewhat of a surprise, and benefited Black Northern’s backers by returning a double-figure dividend. The Great Northern Steeplechase, which a week ago promised to provide a big field, was reduced to ten when the final scratchings were announced. This, however, did not detract from the race, because it w&s full of interest from first to last, although only five horses actually finished the course. The actual favourite was Paritutu. Napper was very close up; but Williamson’s bracketed pair (Okaihau and Hautere) carried between them slightly more than eithei’ Paritutu or Napper. Sol was next in order of favouritism, and the remainder of the field were all much on a par, dividing between them about a quarter of the £7OOO odd that the race represented in totalisator investments. When the barrier lifted Paritutu was the first to show out in front, but soon eased up to allow Tui Cakobau to fill the role of pacemaker, but this was not for long, because he made a faulty essay at the first jump and unshipped Rae. Paritutu and Dorando led the way up the hill, with Okaihau and Blue Mountain in close attendance. By the time the stand water jump was reached Okaihau was pilot, with Paritutu, Blue Alountain, Dorando, and Glenmore well bunched, while Hautere was acting as whipperin of the field. Going along the back Blue Alountain went to the front and led up the hill, with Paritutu and Okaihau close at hand. Blue Afountain lost his position coming down the incline, and Okaihau once again led past the stand, but had Paritutu, Glenmore, Blue Mountain, Hautere, and Napper following close up in that order. At this stage Hunakaha refused the double, and pul’ed up. Going along the back Napper put in a strong run; and ran through the field, so that by the time the hill had to be again negotiated Julian had got Napper in front, with Glenmore, Blue Alountain, and Paritutu following in close order. Paritutu fell at the second brush fence, and coming down the hill a dog interfered with Napper,

who appeared to falter. Hautere here put forward a splendid effort, so' that when the stone wall was reached the order whs Napper, Glenmore. Hautere ' and , Mountain. When the last obstacle was cleared Hautere was in the lead and going on in resolute style won handsomely by half a dozen lengths, from Blue Mountain, who also finished fast. Napper pulled up as soon as the last jump was negotiated, while Glenmore thoroughly done up, had to surrender third honours to Dorando, who ' also very tired. Okaihau was the last to finish —the distance had proved to be too far for him. Sol came hack a sorry wreck, having broken down Iv on- the last round, while Napper was found to have a broken leg and was destroyed. The time for the race was Bmin. 30sec. ' Of the eighteen horses that saddle up for the Prince of Wales’ Handicap’ Plantation was best supported, bu at no period of the race showed any signs of rewarding his backers. Wee Olga and Sir Artegal were also well backed but failed to secure places. The winner turned up in Salute, who Scored fairly comfortably from Gloy and Waimangu. The Jumpers’ Flat Race resulted m Coronetted beating a field of sixteen. Tui Cakobau was responsible for most of the running in the early stages, but when the distance was reached he had not pace enough to see it out. Bollin, who was favourite was runner up, while old Bully ran into third place. . , The Ladies’ Bracelet once again demonstrated Maui Nina’s liking for the mud, for he notched his third win of the meeting in this event by defeating The Native and Ngatimuru. The public were partial to the plodding son of Menschikoff, for he was made favourite.