First Days Form at Manawatu

Chronicle (Levin), 27 March 1946, Page 6

First Days Form at Manawatu

Honours to Financial Favoured wiili perfeet weather aad a good traek, tlie opening day of the Manawatu Racing Giub 's autumn meet at Awapuni last Saturday was a big .■mecess. Tlie introduction of win-and-piace wagering proved popular, and the oetting ligures were only £4311 .10s beiow tne record day's turnover estabiished on the first day of the Summer meeting in 1943. In spite of the improvised totalisator facilities the worTtuig of tlie new systeni went smoothh and tliere- was surprisingly little time iost between races. Fndoubtedly the higlilight of the day was the success of Mr. H. E. Edmunds' hue -galloper Financial in the principal event, the King George Handieap. rhose who had seon the lnflation horse galloping prior to the meeting were conlklcnt that he was back to the form .vhich enabled hini to capture the Wairarapa Cup, the Manawatu Cup and the Louisson Memorial Handieap at Christmasj.and liis pert'ormance last Satuyday thoroughly proved their contention. More merit can be credited to his perforinaiK'c by the fact that he suffered a had clieclt at the half-niile, but once iie bccame properly balanccd in- the .■it.ratght and was asked for an cfforfc he q uite definitely overshadowed the opposition. liis next appearance will be in the Awapuni Gold Cup 011 Saturday, and tlie clash between him and the Waikato champion Exeter vviil be eagerly awaited. Victory for the Awapuui-t rained galloper wouhl be very popubir, for his owner, a steward of the elnb, laces merely for the sport.

On tlie strengtli ot his success at Trent luun, Koyal Victor was solidly suppeiled in ihe King' Ge'orge Handieap and, although beaten iuto third, was by 1111 means disgraeed. After losmg se\ eral lengths at the start, he was t'orred over considerable ground when making his eft'ort. from- the half-mile, and was set a hopeles task of overhuuliug Ihe two leaders in the slraight. Wii h 8.2 in the Tamateto Handieap on Ihe second day he is entitled to again be oue of the favourites. Hv outclassing the juveniles in the Manawa lu Sires' Produce Stakes, Rtdiin's Reward scored his iiftli success tliis season. A heavily topped colt, he displavs botli hrilliance and stamina and is likelv to go a long way. He is engaged in the Cliampagne Stakes at Ellerslie at Easter and judging by his recent performanee should be cpiite capable of extending the northevn craeks. Majestv and Barwon. Tribute proved a disappointment and failed to put any dash into his finishing efl'orl. However, he is a much better colt tlian he showcd on this oecasion and liis liard races at Trentham 111 ay hnve aceounted for this temiiorary lapse of form. The Wa nganu i-trainod Derrvogue has [ireviously showli her abilty over sprint 'listances*. but judging by the manner in which she came away from the field over the concluding stages of the Adderstone Handieap, a middle distance is now quite within her capabitities. Tn her previous start she had fiuislied a good hfth in the Stratford f'np ai dher eonnections were not unprenared for success. She is bred on the'right lines being by tlie defunct Foxlight from King's Choice, a daughter of Morganaiic, who deseends from a successful, staying family which has produced Kick ()ff, Eennanee and Talisker.

Tiider of the favourite Endurauce in the Handieap Hurdles, .Toclcey N. Lvnch suffered an uncotnfortably journey when he lost an iron with a little over a mile to go, and his perserver once and gameiiess was deserving of great credit. But for the mishap, Endurance would oerainly have proved much more ditficult to beat. The Tractor gelding is a splendid jumper and should have plentv of opportunities to make amends. The two-vear-ohl Patunui came in for solid support in the Stonyhurst Handieap, but she failed to begiu smartl.v arul was always in the ruck. The Goronach filly looks very well and mav sliow to better advantage in the Cloverlea Nurserv Handieap next Saturday. Although lie had no chance- with the f winner, Gigli looked unlucky not to gain a place in the J. M. Johnston Memorial Handieap.. He was a fair way back in the early stages, but was within striking distance at the tuni. When his rider attempted to go through 011 tlie inside in tlie straiglit he was disa])[)ointed more tinui once and over Ihe last bit was hopelessly pocketed in I fiftli ])lace. Poi- a horse that looked niuch above liiniself, tlie Feilding owned-and-trained Batlle Dance went a finc race in tlie iprint, to finis]] tliird, after always being in Ihe ])icture. The Battle Song gelding has usually been seeii to b.est. advantage over a slightly longer journev and lie should be worth bearing in mimi in future. Tlie Oraki novice Culloden Moor finished very fast into third place in the second division of the Woodhey Handi- '•;)]> and it was easily his best effort to date. A patient poliev has been adopted with him aml he is not- likelv lo lack friends if produced in the. \11tumn Plate on Saturday. He is a 1 hree-year-old by Solicitor-Geueral from Pisguise, by Lord Quex from First Class, a half-sister to noted performers in B011 Ton, Eligible and The Toff. Gardane, winner of the long hack race at AAvapuni, inlierits a Avealth of stayer blood from her dam. She is by Christopher Robin from Evasion, aa'Iio was sired bv Night Raid (sire of Phar Lap and Nightmarchj from Mandane 'winner of the New Zealand Oaks), by J'anmure from Cherrv Mart, by Birkenhead from Martia, by hfartian from Perolinn, an imported lirare bv Persim111011. Prior to Saturday Gradane 's form was not attractive. Gardane Avas bred bv tlie late Mr. N. Blackmore, who raced her. Her present owmer is Mr. C. A.- Maidens, and her trainer is W. Jenkins, a\-1io only recently took out a trainer 's licence. The Trentham mare Tuis caught bettors uapping on Saturday, and Avhen she won she paid a dividend running Avell into double figures, a grcat price in moderate company for a niare avIio had run second in fhe C.J.C. Stewards' Handieap and won tlie Auckland Rail wav Handieap. The reason, of eourse, is tliafc Tuis is suspccted of icspivatoiy

trouble and had been beaten several times since Avinning at Ellerslie. Her record this season is three Avins in niue . starts, and 111 addition three niinor j placings. Sanuy Cape is no champion. lie Avas fancied 011 Saturday and rau a fair race, but Avould need to improve a deal to liold his OAvn when the main army of junipers emerges for the winter racing. Lt is quite likelv the race lie had last week Avill benefit him. Fp to the present none of the produce of Rapt has earned fanie on the turf, and there is little doubt that the best of the family is the tAvo-vear-old Robin 's Reward, avIio avoii the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes convineingly 011 Saturday. Robin 's Reward is by Robin GoodfelloAV and his dam, Rapt, was by Warplane from Rapture, by Kilbronev from Anibrosian, by St. Ambrose from Neva (dam of the Derby Avinner Danube), by Stepniak. Warplane Avas by Martian and avus oue ot the best liorses of his time. Hc beat All'ectation at Trentham . 011 the day that Gloaming fell at tlie barrier, and lie avoii the Taranaki Cup from a field Avliich included Surveyor and MarI queteur at a time when he Avas too sore | to train 011 the tracks and had to be exercised in the sea. Robin 's Reward failed Avlien pitted against some of tlie, best two-year-ohls at Trentham, but lie avou at Stratford recently Avhen carrying 9.8 and his Avin in the Sires' Produce Stakes last week-end avhs impressive. He migljt not be top-class, but is good aiul should do Avell in his second season.

Prior to the racing at Aivapuni on Saturday Fl.ving Robin had galloped well enough at Trentham to encourage Ihe belief that he aa'ould give a good aeconnt of himself in the ManaAvatu Sires' Produce Stakes. He finislied fourth, but his showing was merely fair and it is possible A^Te niay not see the best of this promisiug young horse till later. Although Gav Stroller was not equal to the oecasion when he contested the Adderstone Handieap ow Saturday he should yet make good. He has not been thoroughly seasoned by racing and that Avould acfiouut for his tiring toaarard the finish. Gay Stroller should eome into his own in due course. SomeAvhat surprisingly, Caithness and Master Dasli were botli very well supported for their engagements at Awapuni. It is diffieult to see why Caithness should have been eonsidered a good investment, and although Master Dash is very good his big weiglit mi.ght liave beeu eonsidered a factor Avhieh aa'ould deter most people. ATaster Dash, as might have been expected, ran a fair race but found the task too grcat.