MISS DELAWARE'S SUCCESS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 June 1946, Page 6

MISS DELAWARE'S SUCCESS

SHOWED DETERMINATION AT ' OTAKI The way in which -Miss Delaware' snook off challenges from Peter'sj Ghoice and Second Seal at Wanga-i nui, and the way she defeated Hakim and Second Seal at Otaki on, Saturday, showed great determina-! tion as well as courage. This brought back memories of a ship wreck about 60 years ago near Nelson. The ship, Delaware, was driven on to the rocks in a storm, slowly breaking up and! watched by the Maoris from ai near-by pa. Many attempts were] made to send out canoes, but all were washed on to the beach by the heavy seas. Then ar young Maori woman oifered to swim out to the doomed ship with a line. Aithough it seemed nothing short of suicidal, the Maoris were unaoie to stop her, and after a hard struggle against the waves she; reached the Delaware, where the' line was made fast. With this assistance all of the crew reached shore safely, and in recognition oi ihe woman's bravery she was named Miss Delaware. It is from this name that thc Lang Bian mare was called. Owned by Miss Delaware's scn, Mr. R. Stevens, and trained by Mr. H. Hakaraia. Miss Delaware commenced hei racing as a two-year-old, but failec to register a success. She was ther put away and did not race agaii: until this season. At her third stari; this term she defeated Don Mac by a nose in a seven furlong event at the Levin meeting at Otaki. At the. New Year she ran second to Galc Song at Tauherenikau, and won ot| the second day by defeating Pink Bonnet. She did not race agair until Easter. when she finisned £ ciose third to Barrage and Lady Spiral in the Wairarapa Eastfe^ Handicap, and improved on this by winning the Easter Handicap frop Lady Spiral and Barrage by twq and a-half lengths. She then wenr lo Nelson to contest the Nelson Cupj' where she was a hot favourite, bui she failed to secure a plaee. Shd failed again at Otaki, but at Woodj ville, where she was ridden by H Pearce, she won like a stayer. Sh| ran up to form on Saturday anq was always prominent till tKj straight, where she came on wiuju a good run to win, not easily, bu) convincingly. She was bought at the 1942 National Yearling sale for 70 gnc, and is bred on sound lines. Likj most of the Lang Bian stock, Mist Delaware handles the bad goinl well, and at present form is dangerj ous for future events. 1