Lo Night Decisively Wins Kildare Hurdles

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 4

Lo Night Decisively Wins Kildare Hurdles

Lo Night shaded Native King for finishing speed in the Kildare Hurdles at Riccarton yesterday, beating the top-weight fairly narrowly but quite decisively. Native King made a sharp run up to the leaders early in the run home and held a short, lead at the last flight, which he did not jump straight. But he held his lead for a little time longer, only to be worn down inside the last half-furlong. Argive took over the pacemaking early in the race. Though he got in close at the jump near the six furlongs, he led on to the half-mile, where Walkova and Flying Doctor were closing on him, just ahead of Sir Gerald, Native King, Brown Baron, Milling Bay, Escalado, Lo Night, and Royal Display, which were bunched. Native King had the measure of Argive and Walkova on the home turn, but Lo Night gave strong chase after the last hurdle and steadily wore the favourite down. Sir Gerald was three lengths back third, outstaying Escalado by a length. Brown Baron was a length and a half back fifth, and Bosky, Royal Display, and Walkova were next, ahead of the weakening Flying Doctor. Won With Ease Holman, an odds-on favourite, led all the way for an effortless win in the Tasman Handicap, giving Mr J. G. Alexander his third success at the meeting. Holman was clear in the lead for the first two - furlongs, but Heath joined him at the five furlongs, where Packwood, Tamarisk, and Aquarius were in line just behind and clear of Tarbillon, Dulcet, Brookfields Lad, Gay Tommy, and Tripped. Except that Brookfields Lad worked forward slightly on the outside, there were no changes on the home turn,, but Holman quickly left Heath and did not have to give one of his best gallops to win by a length from Tamarisk, which beat Aquarius by a nose for second. Gay Tommy was running on for fourth, but two lengths back. Dulcet narrowly beat Tripped for fifth. Then there was a length to Tarbillon, followed by Heath and Packwood. This was Holman’s third successive win, and he is good enough to improve that sequence. At Good Odds Expedition made a successful start for the season by winning the Christchurch Handicap with ease for Mrs J. W. Woodhouse. The four-year-old Treasure Hunt gelding was at the girth of the pacemaking Pickard from the half-mile to the home turn, and a furlong out he was going away with a lead none of the others could reduce. Arctic Sun and Port Lanyard, both Orari-trained hacks, led the vain chase after Expedition, and had a tough battle for second, a nose separating them in that order. Arctic Sun and Port Lanyard were together about five places back at the half-mile, but Port Lanyard was behind the Tormie gelding at the furlong and finished faster. Uproar, the top-weight and the favourite, was an unlucky fourth, a length and a half back. He had trouble working clear on the inner in the straight, but he galloped fast when he found a gap to shade Porcelain Prince. Porcelain Prince became awkwardly placed on the inner about three places back near the halfmile, and ran on when he was taken wider out for a run. Golden Demonic and Glen Carron were in line behind Porcelain Prince, just ahead of Asunder, Egotist, Gold Flame, and Every Right, which were almost abreast. Bold General was last away. Ditched Not Extended Ditched gave Riccarton apprentice B. S. Dodds, a newcomer to race 'riding, a comfortable win-

ning ride in the Wigram Handicap. Mr J. B. Douglas-Clifford’s Royal Commission er. tire galloped powerfully in the lead all the way, and won under a hold by six lengths from Serang, which shaded Red Elm and Iroquoi in a battling finish for the minor places. Ditched led into the last halfmile by a length from Almay. Serang and Iroquoi were galloping on terms two lengths behind, with Red Elm following in a short gap. Ditched was quickly beyond challenging range of the others in the straight and won at his leisure. Serang was hard ridden to beat the top weight by a nose for second. Iroquoi was half a length back fourth and a length and a half clear of the weakening Almay. Almay narrowly beat Beau Chat, but the others were beaten off. Solstice took charge* of his rider in his preliminary and galloped a round of the course. He finished at the rear. Best Hack Stayer lone delayed the start of the Shirley Handicap by breaking through the tapes, and started slightly behind the others, but a long run from the tail of the field carried her to a narrow but decisive win from Masai, Dart Away, and Maracaibo. Maracaibo, the win favourite, pulled his way to the front inside the first furlong, Dart Away and Cass following him to the five furlongs, ahead of Santee, Sun House, Seascrape, and Masai. lone, last then, started her run from the half-mile, and followed Dart Away, Maracaibo, and Sun House to the furlong, where Masai was also moving forward. lone had the strongest finishing run, and it gave her victory by half a length—her second success this searson during a campaign marked by several minor placings. Masai's late run carried him up for second by a head from Dart Away. Maracaibo was another head back fourth, and then there was a length to Seascrape and half a length to the weakening Masai. Santee was the best of the others, but was three lengths back.