BIG STEEPLECHASE WON BY MASTER STROWAN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 251, 11 July 1918, Page 7

BIG STEEPLECHASE WON BY MASTER STROWAN

GLADFUL'S WINTER HURDLES PARLIAMENTARY HANDICAP WON BY BAGDAD, It can l!o Efifcly said that tho Steeplechaw Meeting o( the Wellington Haciilg '.Utib, which opened at Trcntliain yesterday, was tho most miucesafiil day's sport yet held by Uk: Wellington Jtnciiis Chili. Visitors were present from nil parts of the Dominion, unci they v.-el-o rewnrilprl with racing oC tlia most intercfitini; <to(■criiitioh. Tho Weather whs line ovprliend, but the Koine was on thu heavy fiide. The Mr Stoenlrelir.se. wus icuncrttliy regarded a.? a. National, and Ilio e*hibilions by tho various rmtlicri! wero si. long way above nnylliiu? previously seen on tho course. Master fitrqwan—always ft Croat public favourite—was ajalu entrusted with most support, and ho and Jt'Sevoney onco more proved n.happy combination. Tho Foxton horse is without, doubt the best 'steeplechaser in New Zealand to-day, nml there are those who claim that ho has no cn.mil in Austrnliisla. Ho, of course, ivill l>i: top weight in the National Steeplechase. Ho ia n« sound as the day be was foaled, iiiid there is no doubt aljoat him Eettine to the post. Durini? the day the miii'liitic halidlcd £42,306, as against .£11,284 on the opening day last, year. Tho Judicial Committee met to go Into the question of some bumping in iho 'Steeplechase, but they decided that it was accidental. ■ Sredown, Giinlda. ami Undecided wore mlssinß when the field paraded for the Vittoria Hurdles. KahumaiiL'tl had most supporters, with Otara and llcl'orinalion well fancied. Deluge iniidr: the early runnine; from Information. Black Heath, and MeltchikoiT. The two former cleared out down the back, and had a hk break on tho Rtrung-ou't llclil. Kahumancu ran to them and easily beat them from the lust fence. Delano was more seasoned than Reformation, and gained, second place. Mcltchikolt. Parky, (Iwviiiie, and l'.-itepja wero the next to finish. There were several swatrhiiigs In the Stewards Handicap. The bracketed pair, Glenrpy and Alteration, was the favourite selection of backers, but the . race was regarded as open. A bie surprise resulted, and niter a fine finish a, rank outsider in Rtirnsdalo beat Sardinia by n, neck, with Hyllus a length away, followed by Merrio Poto, Glenroy, and Multalne. Multainc, Glenroy, and Hawakoro wore prominent into the straight, but then Sardinia took charge, and after shakiutj ofl Hyllus. Bairnsdalc came fast on tho outside, and won by n neck. Arlington. Ormesby, and Master llarailtou wero tho only ones ccriously backed In the Hack Steeplechase, and there was not much diflorenco between them when tho machine closed. The Jirst-nauied was badly hampered by the weight in the heavy goinc;, and was lucky to get second. Ormcsby ami Master Hamilton wero in front practically 'he whole way, but at tho last fence, when winning easily Ornicsby ran ofl. This allowed Master Hamilton to come in alone. Hidden out, Arlington just beat Advancer, but tho pan- wero a long way back. Silver Tim was the only other horse to complete tlie course. Mandrake, a gqodJooking two-year-old, by Hymettus, was the best backed of the Trial Plate field. The race proved the best of (rood tliinjrs for the Avondalctrained Royal Prince, who made a Kood showing, at Hastings last month. Ho took charge- after entering tl'e flrnMit and ran in a, 'comfortable winner Flcelhani iluishcd well, and beat ])ick for second place. The two-year-olds failed badly at tho finish of the race Merry Lad wttß the only scratching for tho big Steeplechase, which on all sides was voted tho best race ever seen .on tho course. Throiiulioiit the contest, the .lumping-was perfect, and when the crowded. Held successfully negotiated the double in front of tho stand the crowd ghecred lustily. Master Strowan stripped in excellent, condition, and the public would not be put ofl the Foxton horse liis owner wan very confident, and tho norso carried more money than any of the others. Diavolo set Hie pace for a, I'flund, with Sleight or Hand milling hard in second ■place, and the favou-ito in tho rear with Bon Kcve and Zarkonia, Crib and Moddite were the ino«t prominent of the others. The order was much the same till tho last milu was entered, whoro Eiavolo fell, and Collector came down over him. Sleight of Hand and Coalition were now in charge, but the former was in trouble at the half-mile, and jpalition was left in front, with St .JJum.iicxt. Jtauini; to the last fence the' lavourite. appeared on the scene, and the crowd nroclai-ed him a winner. Coalition and ho eannuiicd. but it was and aflected. neither of the nair The favounto rose first at tho fence' in 1 jumping safely, ho ran in .1 comfortable winner from Coalition, who had to he nddeu out to beat .St. Elmn Moddite ran a, KO od race, and-Jimahcrt 'fourth Sleisrht of Hand and Bon"Rev» fell at the last fence, and Nilu nui.sJifd rcll back.- Tlie winner got a great reception from ; the crowd, and after the raeo his performance was regarded as the equal of anything in the Dominion Despite his poor eh Hops on the trart the public stuck to White Blase, and <ent him out a better favourite iii au Orleans in the Parliamentary Handicap. Sir Agnes led till well into tlie straieht where Bagdad and Detroit took chaw' and the three-year-old won liy a length while Detroit got second'pi;:*'!! bv a neck' ilydrus and Orleans were close up to tho placed hemes. I'olydanioii and V) r }iit:c> Blaze both shaped badlv in the Koin"' and Ruuianiii was tailed oil when the post, was reached. Kpr the Winter Hurdhs Sir Fisher was a slightly better favourite than the brack oted pair (Wishful and flladful) and :hraco. At the start Wishful iind Crown Pearl led from Seiidown. with Glailful well back, and Pureefiller tailed oft. Wi«hfu was first into the straight, but then Gladful and Sir Fisher ran through and the pair jumped the last fence clear of Thrace. Gladful held hi, n« n in the rim home, and beat Iho top-weight by a

couplo of lengths, Thraco was close up third, and then oii':ie. Wishful. Pursehller lost her rider two fences from home. Nanpata, ran badly in the Koiutr. n liiro carried most money in tho concluding event, but ho shaped badly, and was one of the last to finish. Thrco wellliackcd ones in Hoynl I'ark, a winner at Nainer. Priinalo, and flluc.laii filled tlie Places Occasion led till well down the fltraight, but she aave way to lloyal I'arlt, who appears to bo a tißCful hack. r. After goinu' a furlong Mill Queen and Love 3 Token fell,