SONERI TRIUMPHS

Chronicle (Levin), 29 October 1946, Page 6

SONERI TRIUMPHS

Harcourt Stakes At Awapuni FIVE FAVOURITES SUCCESSFUL Highlight of the second day of the Wellington Racing Cluh's spring meeting at Awapuni yesterday was the briiliant victory of Soneri in the Harcourt Stakes, the Otaki-trained mare thus scoring her sixh successive win. Backers fared better than on Saturday, five favourites being successful, while other weil f ancied candidates took the remaining events. The weather was fine early, but became showery later in the afternoon. The track was heavy. There was a very iarge attendance and the totalisator eclipsed the record hy handiing £113, 85o 10s for the day. The total for the meeting was £225,875 10s compared with £362,222 for the two days at Trentham last year. An Easy Win. The Feilding owned-and-trained Abdr 1 cate, wlio was passed in at auction last week for 585 guineas, scored a very conifortable wm in the Rimu Hurdie Handieap for which he was installed a iirm favourite. Nanook took over the role of pacemaker conimencing the last mile, being attended by Oid Red, Tid-Apa, Greek Dancer and Hasten, the rear being brought up. by The Monareli. Abdieate moved up sniartly along the back and closeiy followed Nanook, wiLh Tid-Apa and Greek JDancer closest of the others Racing to the Lum Abdieate liad no difiieuity in running to the front, and he came avvay at the end to win with a lot in lntnd froin Nanook, who battled on gaineiy to stali oft" Greek Dancer. Hasteu was a poor fourtli, followed by TidApa, Red Glare and Old Red. Finalist Improves.

Improved by his race on Saturday, Finalist earried his supporters through in the Spring Handieap, but he had liltle to spare at' the iinish froni.Wiuning Tieket and Carnielita who rau right up to their iirst day 's form. Froin the outside Czarina was ridden to get the front, and passing the haifmile was just showing out froin -Ko L'ka, Finalist, (Joronara, Mr. Pym and Haleherrie, the field being closeiy bunehed. Finalist moved past Czarina rounding the turn and eoinmencing the run lionie appeared to have the issue weil in liand, but Winning Tieket then eanie very fast and just failed to cateh the favourite. Carnielita, not weil plaeed early, also eanie houie weli to be aimost in line third, with Mr. Pym, Baieherrie, Jasper, Cmcture and Weicome Guest next. High Class Performer. The llareourt Stakes proved the best of good tliings for the odds-on favourite Soneri, who had the race won froin. the top of the straight. Although obviousIv above himself, lvindergarten finislied ganiely to l>e a poor tliird, but he was never going right at any stage and was lame 011 puliing up. On settling down Typhoon and Soneri were disputing th'C lead, and turning into the back stretch the two pacemakers were followed by Pahu Bearer and Longsword, Langue d'Or and lvindergarten being a eoupie of lengths away. There ' was no change in the running passing the lialf-inile, but approaching the straight entrance Soneri worked clear, and once straightened up she quickly rau into a clear lead. Although l.ongsword iinished in hue style, the favourite was holding him comfortably at the Iinish. lvindergarten finislied over the others to take tliird froin Typhoon, who weakened badly, Palm Bearer and Langue d'Or in that order. A Solid Finish, The third fancy Incline scored a weil deserved success in the Heretaunga l-iandicap, iinishing in charaeteristic stvie from the rear to get up and win in" the last stride. The early leaders were Rosswood and Blue Moon, and they showed the way into the back from Matawene and Top Shot, the rear being brought up by incline. Passing the haif mile Blue yioon drew clear of Rosswood, with Hatavvene heading the others. Rounding the turn Incline began to iniprove his pofcjiU011 and, after Matawene had taken the ineasure of the leaders, hc joined issue at the distance and gradualiv gained the upper hand to win narrovvly. Blue Moon struggled on foi third, ahead of Buddy, Prince Wanaka and Rosswood.

Another For Riccarton. After losing several lengths at the start Sir lioyal looked uniucky not tu win the Karitane Handieap, which resultod in a narrow victory for the weil backed Riccarton candidate Zorro. Rcnowned and Sir Royal both lost ground at thc barrier rise,, Blithe Spirit showing out iirst from Carry On, \'cine d'Or, Zorro and Roblyn. Racing to the turn Blithe Spirit and Carry" On made play i'rom Veine d'Or and Zorro, with Erinmore showing up at the iiead of the others. Ou straightening up for the *run to the judge Zorro rau past the leaders, but Sir Royal then came fast and in a desperate iinish from the distance just failed to overhaul the soulherner. In a close tussle for third Carry O11 held on to beat Veine d'Or, Renowned, JDistinction and Erinmore who iinished in that order. A Fine Effort. C'ompensating for his bad luck the iirst day, Young Trent iinished with an ii'resistible run rbund the field at the home turn to win the Pearce Haiidicap very decisively. Eord Hafniey adopted his usual role of pacemaker, a'nd turning into the back straight was closeiy followed by Delinquent, Black Plato, Eord Elgin, Barrage and High Order, the rear being brought ux> by Young Trent and Singing Hills. Passing the haif -mile 'Delinquent was hotly disputing the lead with Lord Darnley, with a break of two lengths to Eord Elgin, Black Plato and High Order. The field closed on the leaders rounding the turn, where Young Trent was becoming prominent wide out. Imperial shot through on the inside soon afteT straightening up, but was immediately ehallenged by Youug Trent, who finisheid mueh too weil for the Awapuni candidate. Barrage ran 011 best of the others to be a moderate third ahead of Bridge Acre, who also

came home strongly. Hakim, Lord Elgin, Sihging Hills and Royal Victor were next to finish. Outclassed Field. Backed dewn to odds on, Leigh Barton scored a runaway win in the Awatea Handieap and he gave L. J. Ellis his second success in as niany mounts. Peter Theio and Big Money were siow to niove, and Robin's Reward was the first to show' out from Specialist, Royal Heir and Opulent. At the halfmiie Robin's Reward and Specialist were setting a merry pace from Julius Caesar, Sir Bradbury, Leigh Barton and Royal Heif. . Rounding the turn Leigh Barton made a fast run rounu the outside, and was actually. first into the straight from Robin's Reward anu Sir Bradbury. The favourite came right away over the final stages to win by a wide niargin ffom Lady Chips, who fiuished weil from the rear. Big Money also made up considerable ground to be third ahead of Sanskrit, Sir Bradbury, Robin's Reward and Opulent.

A Poor Contest. Only four runners lined up for the concludiug event, the Belmont Handieap, and the favourite Tremello did not give his supporters any cause for anxiety. He trailed Haere Huku untii five furlongs from home when he ran past the leader and- from then on was never seriously ehallenged to win easily. Sergeant Jack followed the winner into the straight and had no diificulty in. holding oif Haere Huku for second. Lord Bradbury was always in the rear. Results: — RIMU HURDLE HANDIGAP, £350; 1$ niiles. 1-1 — ABDICATE, 9.12 (F. Buelianan) 1 7-7 Nanook, 9.13 (T. Reid) 2 6-6 Greek Dancer, 10.2 (N. Rouse) 3 Also 5-5 Red Giare, 2-2 The Monarch, 3-3 Tid-Apa, *1-4 Hasten, 8-8 Old Red. Three lengths; two lengths. Hasten fojirth. Time/3.26 2-5. (Traincr: Owner G. W. Clarke, Feilding). SPRING HANDIGAP, £300; 7 furs. 1-1 FINALIST, 8.11 (W. J. Broughton) 1 5-4 Winning Tieket, 8.12 (V. Sellars) 2 4-5 Mr. Pym, 7.11 (Iv. Chote) .... 3 Also: 2-2 Czai'in^. 3-3 Carmelita, 6-6 Balcherrie, 8-7 lvo tluku, 7-8 Gincture, 16-16 Gommercial, 11-11 (Joronara, 1,4-14 Ecstasy, 18-17 Flying Drake, 13-12 Green Valley, 9-9 Jasper, 17-18 Prince Alchemic, 15-15 Red Poil, 12-13 The Reiver, .10-10 Weicome Guest. Haif a liead each way. Carmelita fourth. Time, 1.33. (Trainer:. G. Ridgway, Riccarton). HARCOURT STAKES, £1000; miles. 1-1 SONERI, '8.9 (W. J. Broughton) 1 5-5 Longsword, 9.4 (J. C'ampbell) ' 2 2-2 lvindergarten, 9.4 (V. Sellars) 3 Also: 4-4 Langue d'Or, 3-3 Typhoon, 6-6 Palm Bearer. Leugth; four lengtlis. Typhoon fourtli. Time, 2.16. (Trainer; D. J. Burgess, Otaki).

HERETAUNGA II ACK HAND1CAP, £400; li miles. 3-3 INCLINE, 8.5 (A. Johnson) .. 1 5-5 Matawene, 8.2 (W. Boreham) 2 4-4 Blue Moon, 8.0 (J. McFarlane) 3 Also: 1-2 Rosswood, 2-1 Prince Wanaka, 6-6 Buddy, 7-7 Top Shot. Head; lialf a length. Buddy fourth. Time, 2.16 2-5. (Trainer: Owner, E. H. Robinson, Foxton). KARITANE HANDICAP; £500 5 furs. 2-2 Zorro, 7.10 (L. J. Ellis) .... 1 8-9 Sir Royal, 7.10 (V. Sellars) .. 2 9-8 Carry On, 7.10 (A. Stokes) . . 3 Also: 1-1 Soar, 5-5 Erinmore, 3-3 Veine d'Or bracketed Deep Sea, 10-10 Bo Tez, 13-14 True Chum, 4-4 Distinction, 12-12 Marabeau, 11-11 Blithe Spirit, 6-6 Renowned, 7-7 Roblyn, 14-13 Meteorina. Neck; length and a haif. Veine d'Or fourth. Time, 1.5 3-5. (Trainer: F. D. Jones,, Riccarton). PEARCE HANDICAP, £1000; 1-| miles. 2-2 YOUNG TRENT, 8.9 (W. Carter) 1 7-9 Imperial, 7.9, car. 7.10 (V. Sellars ).... 2 5-0 Barrage, 7.8 (Ford) 3 Also: Bridge Acre, 9-8 Black Plato, 4-3 Royal Victor, 1-1 Hakiui, 8-7 Lord Elgin, 6-5 Lord Darnely, 10-10 High Order, 11-11 Smging Hills, 12-12 De1 linquent, 13-13 Lady Scholar. Haif a length; two lengths. Bridge ^.cre fourth. Time, 2.15. (Trainer: Owner, G. H. J. Hill, Stratford). AWATEA HANDICAP, £700; 7 furs. - 1-1 LEIGH BARTON, 8.12 (L. J. Ellis) 1 6-4 Lady Chips, 7.10 (C. H. Mackie) 2 7-7 Big Money, 7.1 (A. Messervy) 3 Also: 2-3 Royal Heir, 4-5 Sir Bradbury, 11-11 Specialist, 8-8 Opuleut, 10-10 Robin's Reward, 3-2 Julius Caesar, 5-6 Sanskrit, 9-9 Peter Theio. Five lengths; neck. Sanskrit fourth. Time, 1.32. (Trainer: F. D. Jones, Riccarton). BELMONT HANDICAP; £350; 9 furs. 1-1 TREMELLO, 9.3 (W. J. Broughton) 1 3-3 Sergeant Jack, 8.2 (S. Farland) 2 2-2 Haere Huku, 7.12 (J. McFarlane) 3 ,Also: 4-4 Lord Bradbury. Four lengths; three lengths. Time, 2.3s. (Trainer: G. W. New, Awapuni.)