RACING REVIEWED

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1294, 11 February 1915, Page 38

RACING REVIEWED

GISBORNE RACING CLUB. SUMMER MEETING. ILIAD’S HERO WINS CUP. The Gisborne Racing Club’s summer meeting was opened on Thursday under most favourable auspices, the weather being perfect, the course good, and the attendance large, and with everything conducive to brisk speculation the totalisator investments showed a substantial increase on the amount handled on the opening day of the 1914 summer gathering, £13,808 being passed through the machine as against £11,266. The starting was in the capable hands of Mr. R. H. Skipwith, who despatched his fields in a manner which left no room for complaint, while Mr. R. B. Lusk fulfilled the duties of judge with his customary promptness and accuracy in announcing the decisions. The arrangements in connection with the gathering were particularly good, Mr. H. E. Dodd, the energetic secretary and the other officials of the Club sparing no effort to ensure the comfort and convenience of patrons.

The racing was of a thoroughly interesting character, though four actual favourites prevailed during the afternoon, these being Chatmos, Rewanga, Multikoff and Mummer. In the opening event Chatmos was a strong favourite, with Bravest and Soultie best backed of the other halfdozen starters. Soultie led the field for a m.le, when Chatmos and Bravest made a forward move, and the former had command entering the straight, eventually winning by four lengths from Soultie, with Bravest three lengths away, third.

Rewanga was the elect of backers in the Maiden Scurry, in which there were a dozen starters, King of Athol and Falstone also claiming fair support. The favourite got away nicely, and King of Athol was the only contestant to trouble the son of Marble Arch, Rewanga winning an exciting race by half a length, Potentiality being a nose away third. The Flying Handicap was regarded as a good thing for Raupani, only two contestants, Evadne and Lord Possible, coming out to oppose Mr. F. Hall’s speedy representative. The latter, however, failed under his impost of 9st., Evadne winning comfortably by three lengths from Lord Possible. Seven started in the Te Hapana Handicap, Nightshade being the actual

favourite, with Multifual and The Summit both well backed. The windier turned up in Multifual, who won comfortably by a length from an outsider in Glouria, with the favourite half a length away, third. The Gisborne Cup produced a field of eight, Multiply being a solid favourite, while good support was forthcoming for Tatimi and Iliad’s Hero. The race proved an excellent one, a stirring finish resulting between Lady Alicia and Iliad’s Hero. The former led from the barrier rise, and in the straight her victory was loudly proclaimed, but her rider, C. Sinclair, had the bad luck to break a stirrup leather at a critical juncture, and Iliad’s Hero succeeded in gaining a half-length advantage during a gruelling finish. Despatch Carrier was a similar distance away, third. The favourite, Multiply, ran disappointingly, being the last to finish. The winner was paraded on the lawn in front of the grandstand, and Mr. G. Matthewson, president of the Club, presented the handsome cup to the trainer, Mr. Neale, on behalf of the owner of Iliad’s Hero, Mr. J. Armstrong. The president expressed pleasure at handing the cup over to Mr. Armstrong, whom he congratulated upon his win. Cheers were given for the owner, trainer and jockey.

The public were correct in their choice in the First Welter Handicap, for which they made Multikoff a strong favourite, with Lord Possible and Rock Ferry next in request. The Summit was first into the straight, but Multikoff threw out a strong challenge in the run to the judge’s box and won a good race by a neck, with the fast-finishing Lord Possible four lengths away, third. Fourteen saddled up for the Railway Hack Handicap, in which Multiplicity was a staunch favourite. An outsider in Rupahu, however, managed to get the favourite’s measure in the straight and gain a thre lengths’ victory, with Brunswick a length away third. A quartette faced the starter in the Park Stakes, Mummer being backed down to odds on, and the Gazelej gelding fully justified the confidence reposed in him by winning by three lengths from Waiorewa, with Birkline a similar distance away, third. J. Jones and W. Smith were the most successful trainers, with two winners each, while J. Lyford, P. Malone, A. E. Neale, and M. Chaafe each trained one winner. J. Buchanan, C. Stowe, and W. Ryan were the most successful jockeys, with two wins each, whilst F. Flynn and R. Hunt each placed a victory to their credit. CONCLUDING DAY. The meeting was concluded on Saturday in ideal weather and in the presence of another large attendance. Bettmg was brisk, and no less a sum than £14,988 was handled on the totalisator as compared with £11,704 for the concluding day of last year’s summer gathering, making a total of £28,723, as against £22,970. Chatmos was again a solid favourite for the Second Hurdles, but he came to grief, Bravest winning from Ambergris. King of Athol was allowed to pay a false price in the Maiden Scurry, which he won by half a length from Te Araroa and Potentiality. Multikoff and Perhaps shared favouritism in the Tahuheru Hack Handicap, the latter winning by a length from Multikoff, with The Summit a neck away third. The Second Welter was contested by a field of seven, Rigo Park being favourite, with Lord Possible and Master Timi second and third choice respectively. The race resulted in a victory for Glouria, who won by a length from Master Timi, with Caher Davon third. The surprise of the Racing Club Handicap was the improved form shown by Multiply, who won by a length from Despatch Carrier, with Lady Alicia a head away third. The favourite, Iliad’s Hero, was the only other starter. Multiply was distanced for interference in the straight and the race awarded to Despatch Carrier. Favourites prevailed in the three remaining events on the programme, Multiplicity winning the Electric Handicap, Multiplication the Awapuni Handicap, and Mummer the Final Handicap. Mr. Frank Marshall had a fair offer for Bedford some time after he ran at the spring meeting at Avondale, but stated to his would-be purchaser that he wished to give Paddy Jones, his trainer, a chance with the colt, as he thought a good deal of him. Mr. J. Geddes, owner of Bunyan, has always had that horse well patronised by breeders, but only a few Stud Book mares have been to him each year, and only two or three of the youngsters have been put into work so far. Bunyan is one of the few sires by Pilgrim’s Progress at the stud, and is bred to leave stayers. Fred Tilley, who trained him, always claimed him as a good horse. Mr. W. G. Stead, of Flaxmere, Hawke’s Bay, is negotiating for the purchase of four fillies from the English owner and breeder, Mr. J. B. Joel. Two of them are by Sundridge, and should the deal eventuate the batch will be mated with high-class sires prior to their departure for the Dominion. The public must now be convinced, as well as handicappers, that they are overrating Te Onga. He has cost the B.P. a lot of money since he won the Great Northern Hurdle race over the two and a-half mile course, and fluked the two miles hurdle race on the second day through accidents to others that competed. There are still some people who think that he would have got near the front at Takapuna but for striking a hurdle. He had as much chance of winning as of flying.