TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1502, 6 February 1919, Page 12

TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB.

SUMMER MEETING. WINDORAH WINS THE CUP. The Takapuna Jockey Club held their summer and spring meetings together last week, commencing on Wednesday (Anniversary Day), and, needless to say, with a fine day for a start and the regatta on at the same time there was a very large exodus from the city and suburbs of Auckland to the North Shore, and hundreds came from the country districts north and south —indeed, from all parts of the province, as did the majority of . the horses, while there were a few from outside. The luck in the matter of weather was with the club, and the splendid rains which fell the day before were really welcome, benefiting the course very materially. It looked beautifully green on the running ground itself, that portion of the course proper next the rails, and for more than half the width of the well-graded track, not having been raced over since last year. A fine sole of grass has taken possession, and the course was entirely free from dust. Amongst the visitors present was Mons. H. Corbiere, one of the French Mission, and that sportsman and breeder took a keen interest in the proceedings during part of the afternoon. Owners of some of the horses competing were in evidence, but others were unable to attend. The crowd reached to dimensions not previous reached in the estimation of some who are qualified to speak with authority. As the totalisator investments reached the sum of £48,754, and the charges for admission and the trip to and from the city were increased fifty per cent, after the war started, both the Jockey Club and the Ferry Company would have highly satisfactory returns. The Jockey Club find much difficulty, and have done for some time past, in accommodating their patrons, and many complained that they did not see some of the races at all, so crowded were the only available positions. This will, it is hoped, soon be remedied. The Ferry Company handled their service very well. It was an hour and a-half after the last race before the last of the racegoers and holiday-makers were back in the city. Needless to say, the trams were heavily taxed getting the people to their homes. It was a great day. Rain held off well, and it was only after the bulk of the excursionists and racegoers were back in Auckland that a shower or two fell. The committee and executive members ./if the club, the stewards, secretary (Mr. R. Wynyard) and staff, judge, starter, clerk of the course, clerk of the scales and totalisator workers all got through their allotted tasks very well, and the handicapper (Mr. F. McManemin) had the satisfaction of seeing some good racing, some of the finishes being close, while a number of good dividends were paid when horses at outside prices beat the favourites. The class of horses racing constituted the best we have in Auckland — some good, some moderate and the bulk of thirdrate quality, just as appears to be the case on other courses. The visitors got a fair slice of the prize money. The honours of the Takapuna Cup were with Teka, from Hawke’s Bay, who carried 9.1 into second place., and after a great race only got beaten a neck by Windorah, who is owned by Mr. G. M. Currie, of Wanganui, and who carried the minimum weight (6.7) and got up in time to wrest the lead from the older gelding. This made Windorah’s fourth successive win, and as Mr. Currie bred the gelding and he is trained at Ellerslie by J. Williamson there is a certain amount of satisfaction, as local stables have not been in great luck for some time. Windorah is a three-year-old by King Rufus from Condamine, and will improve. The evergreen Stepniak mare Tinopai, who was responsible for the running, got third and ran a good race, as did Uncle Ned, who carried top impost, which, however, beat him over the last quarter of a mile, up to which stage he was fairly well placed. All Over found his impost with the 71b.

penalty for winning the Foxton Cup too much, and may have done better if he had not travelled so far on the eve of the meeting. All Talk ran fourth, again showing his consistency, but the distance was too far for Kiilard. Form Up ran fairly, but others did not run up to their best. Housewife and Royal Irish were too that misbehaved themselves, and were left badly at the start through their vagaries. The race was run in 2min. 38sec,, which is islower than last year, when Glenopal won with the same weight as she failed badly under this time. A good dividend was paid on Windorah, whose rider, Downing, was only secured on the morning of the race, and for an apprentice and a rider at 6.7 did very well. He, however, lost a stirrup leather after passing the post. H. Gray, rider of Teka, had his riding challenged by Stipendiary Gordon, the stewards’ finding being a caution. Gray’s mount tiring under his weight and the severity of the pace, after striking the front shifted his ground a bit and certainly did check the progress of Windorah. but to assume that the act was intentional on the part of Gray would have been unfair. Had Teka won under the circumstances he might have been deprived of the stakes. So far as other horses in the race were concerned it made no difference.

The Wanganui Cup winner and a good flat performer, Master Lupin, who also had run third three years ago in the N.Z. Grand National Hurdles, and had shown really good form on occasions up to the time of starting bleeding, came out after a long spell and showed all his old dash, his only start this season —and he did not run last —being at Foxton the previous week. He won both hurdle races very easily, the only good one he met being Thrace, who ran second to him in the open event. Thrace was not seen quite at his best in that race, as he was kept too far out while the others were stealing away. Master Lupin jumps well and gets away quickly, and his pace is good. He and Thrace showed the poverty in class of our jumpers. There is no reason to suppose that the horses that fell would have had any chance of beating either. Amongst the Trial Handicap horses General Stephen, by General Latour, was about the best, though he only got third to Rangi Aroha and Mary Bruce, who fought out a good finish. The last-named is a three-year-old, and was thus at a disadvantage with Rangi Aroha, who is by Elysian from Te Aroha, who was useful when racing.

In a field of seventeen for the Zealandia Handicap Taiamai, Munster and Gold Kip had more friends than Mill o’ Gowrie. The last-named was leading coming to the turn into the straight and for a little further on, but then Hyllus, Kereone and Stilts got up and fought out a good finish, Hyllus winning by a short neck, with Stilts a head away, third, and Mill o’ Gowrie handy. There were nineteen in the Ferry Handicap, the (four-year-old Actrice being made favourite. Rangi Aroha with a 71b. penalty was saddled up again and was second in demand, then came Flowing Bowl, Formalin and Ohinewairua, the last-named by San Fran from Maid of Astolat, not Maid of Athol, as appeared in the card. Victory, and a rather easy one, rested with Ohinewairua by half a length from the Pukekohe representative, Flowing Bowl. On some of her previous form the winner, who hails from Hawke’s Bay, would have been more fancied, but she has been off the scene some time. Monocrat ran fourth and Miss Ellice, who showed lots of pace over three furlongs, was fifth.

The Hawke’s Bay-bred colt Hetaua, by Demosthenes from Fairy Gold, started a very hot favourite and won the Calliope Handicap easily from Mistress Biddy, the biggest outsider and lightweight, who was receiving just on 3.0 from Hetaua. Heathermoon was a close third and Princess Charming fourth. Canowindra, who was second favourite, did not act well on the course, and perhaps has had too much racing for a big, growing gelding. Spanner was made favourite for the Stewards’ Handicap, but King Abbey had also a ‘strong following, and Downham and Mossman were each more solidly backed than Lightning. Spanner and King Abbey were leading from the start, when the firstnamed drew out and Lightning went on in second place, Spanner coming away again in the straight. Then Downham, under pressure, drew up and headed Lightning, but Spanner

went sailing home two lengths to the good, Lightning the same distance behind Downham. Spanner has now won three races on end, and his abilities have been much underrated. He was superior to King Abbey as a two-year-old, and is still so, but the last-named is hardly racing up to his best form. Downham seemed a bit sore, and Lightning appeared to want a race. Six furlongs appeared too far for her. The results were: — TRIAL HANDICAP of 200sovs. Seven furlongs. 3—D. Jackson’s b m Rangi Aroha, aged, by Elysian—Te Aroha, 8.0 (Cotter) 1 2— W. Kemp’s br f Mary Bruce, 3yrs, 8.0 (Rennie) 2 I—J.1 —J. Twohill’s b g General Stephen, 4yrs, 8.13 (Gollop) 3 Also started: 6 Golden Petal 8.3 (Gussey), 5 Whitehall 8.3 (Sinclair), 4 Mountain Gold 8.3 (M. O’Shea), 8 Lady Rouge 8.2 (Downing), 10 Lady Bunyan 8.2 (Rowe), 9 Whitford Belle 8.2 (Preston), 7 Kumara 8.0 (Gosper). Won by a head, a length and threequirters between second and third. Golden Petal was fourth. Time, Imin 32M6c. ZEALANDIA HANDICAP of 250sovs. Seven furlongs. 8— W. J. Irwin’s ch h Hyllus, syrs, by Hymettus — Marty, 7.9 (R. E. Brown) 1 7— J. Hanks’ b g Kereone, aged, 7.11 (Goldfinch) 2 9 — A. J. Teague’s ch g Stilts, 6yrs, 7.11 (R. Reed) 3 Also started: 5 Waiuta 9.0 (McFlinn), 4 Mill o’ Gowrie 8.9 (Rennie), 6 Loyal Arch 8.4 (B. Deeley), 2 Munster 8.4 (Gray), 11 Madam Ristori 8.1 (McCarten), 3 Gold Kip 8.0 (Emerson), 12 Fabriquette 7.13, inc. 31b over (W. Ryan), 15 Winning Shot 7.12, inc. 21b over (Chaplin), 14 Alf. Delaval 7.5 (McCurdv), 13 Revenue 7.10, inc. 111 b over (Husband), 1 Taimai 6.13 (M. O’Shea), 10 Principal Lady 7.0, inc. 51b over (L. Morris), 17 Step 7.2, inc. 91b over (C. Reed), 16 Lady Glen 6.10, inc. 31b over (Burgess). Won by a neck, a head between second and" third. Mill o' Gowrie was fourth. Time, Imin 30 l-ssec. FERRY HANDICAP of 200sovs. Five furlongs. s—w.5 —w. J. Irwin’s ch m Ohinewairua, aged, by San Fran — Maid of Astolate, 8.6 (Gray) 1 3 — Roulston Bros.’ b g Flowing Bowl, 3yrs, 8.3 (L. Morris) 2 I—A.1 —A. Sadler’s, b m Actrice, 4yrs, 8.5 (A. McFlinn) 3 Also started: 14 Cordite 9.0 (Buchanan), 11 Winning Lass 8.11 (Emerson), 13 General Advance 8.8 (McCurdy), 7 Newlant 8.8 (R. Reed), 12 Elyan 8.6 (Rennie), 18 Ohaupo 8.6 (R. Preston), 17 Erinagh 8.5, inc. 21b over (Roach), 2- Rangi Aroha 8.10, inc. 71b pen. (B. Morris), 10 Danseuse 8.3 (H. Goldfinch), 16 Sans Gene 8.3 (Ch’aplin), 8 Hessian 8.3 (Hewitt), 15 Monocrat 8.3 (Warner), 6 Miss Ellice 8.3 (Husband), 19 Lady Petain 8.3 (C. Reed),. 9 Golden Petal 8.3 (Ayres), 4 Formalin 8.3 (M. O’Shea). Won by half a length, a length and a-half between second and third. Monocrat was fourth. Time, Imin 4sec. CALLIOPE HANDICAP of SOOsovs. For two-year-olds. Five furlongs. 1 — Exors. W. J. Douglas’ blk c Hetaua, by Demosthenes — Fairy Gold, 9.6 (Gray) 1 8— H. Homer’s b f Mistress Biddy, 6.7 (Gussey) 2 4— H. D. de Latour’s b g Heathermoon, 7.1, inc. 21b over (C. Reed) 3 Also started: 2 Canowindra 8.4 (McFlinn), 3 Princess Charming 7.11 (C. Emerson) and Dixieland 7.0 (M. O’Shea) bracketed, 7 Emerald Hill 7.7 (Downing), 6 Navana 7.7 (L. Morris), 5 Melting 7.4 (Raynor). Won by a length, three-parts of a length between second and third. Emerald Hill was fourth. Time, Imin 3 4-ssec. HAURAKI HANDICAP HURDLES of 200sovs. One mile and a-half. 2 — J. Bull’s b g Master Lupin, aged, by Lupin-—St. Lyra, 11.2 (McDonald) 1 I — C. Machell’s br g Notability, 4yrs, 10.0 (Warner) 2 ll— G. Courtney’s br m Lady Lyddite, syrs, 9.0 (Copestake) .... 3 Also started: 3 Pendoon 10.0 (Keepa), 4 Golden Grafton 9.11 (Tutchen), 8 Keystone 9.7 (Ross), 10 Makarama 9.7 (Mulvihill), 5 Manukau 9.0 (Callum), 12 Orpheum 9.0 (Ericksen), 9 Totara Jack 9.0 (Preston), 6 Signature 9.0 (T. Chaplin), 7 Goldmount 9.0 (Lorrigan). Pendoon, Golden Grafton and Goldmount fell. Won by seven lengths, 15 lengths between second and third. Keystone was fourth. Time, 2min 51 sec. TAKAPUNA CUP of lOOOsovssecond 200sovs, third lOOsovs. One mile and a-half. 10 — G. M. Currie’s br g Windorah, 3yrs, by King Rufus — Condamine, 6.7 (Downing) 1 I—J'.1 —J'. Hart’s b g Teka, 6yrs, by Mystification—Tattle, 9.1 (Gray) 2 4—R. Hannon’s br m Tinopai, aged, by Stepniak—Mignon, 8.4 (Rennie) 3 Also started: 3 Uncle Ned 9.4 (Emerson), 7 All Over 8.11 (B. Morris), 4 Glenopal 7.2 (McCarten) coupled with Tinopai, 6 Cynic 7.9 (R. Reed), 12 Royal Irish 7.7 (Raynor), 5 Form Up 7.10, inc. 31b over (Deeley), 11 Housewife 7.7, inc. 41b over (Ferguson), 9 All Talk 7.2 (L. Morris); 2 Killard 7.4, inc. 21b over (C. Reed), 8 Blue Cross 7.2 (M. O’Shea), 13 Marble Star 6.9, inc. 21b over (Burgess).

Won by a neck, a length and a-quarter between second and third. All Talk was fourth, with Form Up and Cynic next. Time, 2min 38sec.

OREWA HANDICAP HURDLES of 250 sovs. One mile and three-quarters.

1— J- Bull’s b g Master Lupin, aged, by Lupin — St. Lyra-, 11.1, inc. 71b pen. (McDonald) 1 4—E. J. L. Rae’s b g Tenacious, aged, 9.8 (E. Rae) 2 2— E. W. Alison’s br g Thrace, aged. 11.10 (Stan. Reid) 3 Also started: 5 Otter 10.10 (Copestake), 3 Mahzoltov 9.0 (J. Roach).

Otter came to grief. Won by two lengths, three-quarters of a length between second and third. Time, 3mm 22 2STEWARDS’ HANDICAP of 450sovs. Six furlongs. I—E.1 —E. W7 Alison’s b c Spanner, 3yrs, by The Nut —Dudu, 7.11 (Deeley) 1 3— f e. Loomb’s ch g Downham, aged, 8.3 (McFlinn) .......... • - 5—J. C. Lambess’ b m Lightning, 6 yrs, 7.13 (R. Reed) 2’; ' /T d Also started: 2 King Abbey 7.4 (L. Morris), 4 Athens 11. 7.9, inc. 31b over (Emerson), 6 Mossman 7,4 (Raynor), 7 Lord Kenilworth 7.3 (M. O Shea), 8 Cyrisian 7.3 (McCarten). . Won by two lengths, a similar distance between second and third Athens 11. was fourth. Time, Imin 15 3-ssec.