NOTES ON THE RACING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1633, 27 December 1912, Page 6

NOTES ON THE RACING.

T Masterton, December 26. In the Trial Plato Hatch, on Merry Vale was first away, but Astral soon took charge, and, cantering in front, she won. very easily. Muscadine . was second—a head clear of Elevated—and then came Borsil and Knightly. Merry Vale was tailed oil last, and Listen was left at the post. there were only four runners in the Belvedere Hack Handicap. On form, the race looked tho best of-good things for Amber and White, but a good many followed the grey mare Field Fare, and she started nearly as good a favourite as' Amber and-White. The latter was quickest to begin, and led the wholo way, while lield Faro gave a wretched exhibition, and was in the rear the whole way. Miss Vera got within a length of the favourite, but it was on sufferance only. Mediterranean was far back. The Clip was generally voted a duel between Undecided and Sir Knox, and so it proved, a head only separating them at tho finish. Beacon and Bally Shannon, tho. other starters, were in trouble half a mile from home, and finished a Ion" way in the rear. Both tho favourites wont sore m their preliminaries, and this circumstance caused a lot of money to go on Beacon. The latter and Bally Shannon led till the half-mile, where Undecided went to the front, followed by Sir Knox. The former was well clear entering tho straight, but Hatch seemed overconfident, and Sir Knox, ridden hard and after being pulled out from the fence), got up and beat him by a head. The timo (2min. lOseo.) indicates that the pace was on the whole way, but there • is no doubt that on tho day, Undecided should have won by a narrow margin. The win of Sir Knox wits received with loud cheering, which was renewed again when Watson brought him back to weigh in. Beacon broke down badly in tho race. There were eight runners in the Taratata Hack Handicap, the chances of Merry Guy and Runaway, Girl being most preferred. They finished in that order with Sir Saracen a poor third, and Ladino next of a strung-out lot. The two favourites had the race to. themselves from the barrier rise, as both began much more smartly than tho others. The winner scored most decisively, and it is difficult to say how much ho had in hand at'the finish. On Woodville form.Negative looked the best horso for tho Railway Handicap, and he duly won, but only by a narrow margin. Still, he would have been unlucky if ho-had lost, for, after covering two furlongs, he was chopped back to last place, and then had to como on tho outside of the field. With Longstep, Full Rate, and Naumai in the race, it was only to be expected that there would be trouble at the barrier, but, after some delay, they moved off on fairly even terms, with.Longstep in the rear. Across tho bottom she was taken to the front, but was under pressure a furlong from home, and, over the last fifty yards, both Negative and Full Rata headed her. The last-named is again very well, and may shortly be looked for in front of the field. Naumai looked well, but he has lost his pace, and at no time to-day was ho out in front.

Nino runners—the biggest field of the dny—went to ,tho post for the Hack Welter Handicap. Bin Blast was at a very short price, but Overrate repeated his performance of two years ago by hopping out iii. front, and leading the wholo way. Tho favourite did not begin very well, and Hatch wns never comfortablo on hor, though, threo furlongs from homo, <sho was in second place. She then finished on well, but could not extend thoOpaki gelding, which won very comfortably'. Royal Maid was a length away third, aiid thou, camo Lord Palmer, with Aborcoed last.

A big field wont to tho post for tlio Dash Handicap, Mid, after a Rood race, War Queen won nicely from Otter. Miss Augusta and Morrio Land were tho first away, but tho former, as is her wont, ngain rnn oIF tho course at tho turn, and look nearly tlio whole field with her. Hatch, on AVar Queen, who had been lying in behind on tho rails, then went to tlio front, and won by a couplo of lengths. From tho stand it appeared ns if Runaway Girl was third, but the judgo placed Mcrrie Land.