EGMONT RACES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 119, 13 February 1919, Page 7

EGMONT RACES

GLOAMING BEATS- DESERT GOLD. (By Telegraph-Special Oa'rre'Bpo'n'denM. Hawera, February 12. The Egmont Club- enjoyed splendid weather for its opening day, ami the attendance was a record. An -accident in the bis event was regrettable, and keen-disappointment was felt at such an unsatisfactory ending to the race. All started in the Ohawe Hurdle*, I araon being. favourite with .Lord Ne so eecond choice. Sweet T.pperary i ind Simple Sam led for a mile whert he favourite appeared, and, taking charge conung tV tho last fence, he fan home coKablv from Golden Grafton and iX Nelson. The ■.tot-named bred in the straight, but Golden Uraiton finished well, and may do better' to-morrow; ; . I 80-Peep and Inali were equal fovouittes for the Flying Handicap. who was sold -ust before the start of the race, went out first with Inah, and the pai! : led down, the back. Across the bottom 80-Peep'and Tirana became prominent behind the leaders. Inah was done with enterin S/ the stol* where 80-Peep,- Tirana, and Si mmides put in challenges. In a good finish Birkonvale held bis own l S b Ld longth. - Tirana was a neck awa-), and close up came Simdmdes. Tirana got oft' badly, .and then, had to. cover .a I it of extra ground. The wjnner ran in the colours of Mr. N. Nash,'who used to race Miss Station. ■ . • ~ Fulica,- Cotillion, and Queen Victoria were withdrawn. from the Mere Mere Handicap Flat, and Hal ow was made a solid order on the machine, with Metal-, um second choice. : The last-named begin with the field, and soon had a break. Minding .the bend Kcopai• ami War the leader, but Ha - low, who M off badly, was coming fast However, "the leader held -her own, andwoiv by a length /from the' favourite, with Keopai two. lengths .aSvay.Athlon* fell' at the turn' into the straight. Ue Judicial Committee held an inquiry into the accident.' '•'.'• ■ :, ... '.„ '.' - All the acceptors started -'for. .the -.Up, and the field was Well backed. .Afterglow and-Dusky Eve : were-equal fav ourites,' and' there' was bis money for ltewi Poto, Alteration, and lultal. At the start Form Up led from/Afterglow, Bhigham, and Ladogeur. Going out of tho straight Alteration took charge and Form Up was steadied, while Afterglow was knocked back to last. • Down the back (Alteration:was joined hv' Ladoguev, while 'Bingham, Dingle, - and Form -'Up . were close up. Hounding the, bend the -last-namedamoved up,,, and: Afterglow •made up her ground on the. outside. Alteration was first into the straight,, but Afterglow soon had his measure. Dusky Eve then got cleat, and .set Out after .'the leader. A good finish saw the-filly win by a bare length, while Depredation finished well in third place, lorm Up was fourth, and then came Eewi Poto and Ladoguer. Killard ran a good race to the home turn, but he was then done with. Ladoguer also did well, and ridden behind he should be' -'very hard to beat over-ten" furlongs; -' Dingle was hardly class enough, but Form' Up. ran a surprisingly good race, as did Depredation. Dusky Eve did well, and should win a good handicap any day now: Kewi Poto as usual lost ground at the start, but there was no pace-on; and he i soon got 'a .position, Mr;-tho. •weight beat him at the finish. Spinifix,' a half-brother .to- Smilax, scored aft easy win in the Ladies' Purse. He and the favourite, Te ;Toa, were in. the- run 4ill :tho'i'Strtfight: was entered., when-Spinifix-, went oh by himsolf, ami won comfortably. ' Khartoum/ just beat Polthogue for second place. • Backers of tho last-named were unlucky as he was tailed off last for most- of the journey. Te Toa pulled :vcry hard over tho first half, and this stopped him from seeing out the finish. • — Next came the star event of. the day. Croesus was the only, one to oppose the redoubtable pair. Gloaming and Croesus came into-the birdcage together. A little later, the mare-appeared, and was_greeted by a .round of clapping. .In the bird-, cage" Desert Gold .still, looked, a.bit above herself, .but she .was niore nippy, in. her action. . Gleaming stripped well, arid so did Croesus. ,Desert Gold led off the - preliminaries, and she moved much more freely than she .did at 'New Plymouth. Croesus was cantered and Gloaming was led to'the'post.' At the. machinO it first looked as if Desert Gold '-would be at a very short price, -but .'supporters of .Gloaming rallied'round him; and when the' machine' closed there was" only ',£2OO difference between them." The 'mare was favourite. Mr. O'Connor got' them oft to a splendid start. Gloaming On the in- , side beginning, with 'Croesus and Desert .Gold on the. outsidejbeing content ■ to race in behind. At the end of two furlongs Croesus , :had a length's allvantage, but he could hot get the rails.

Then Gray took the mare up on the outside, but Deeley was awake to the situation, and he moved In the front. With « liftle more than two furlongs to go Gleaming was half a length in front of Croesus,' with Desert Cold on the hitter's tail. Suddenly Croesus fell, and Desert Cold got: mixed up with him. This'left Gloaming with a four-length advantage, and he then cantered homo ah easy ttinner bv two lengths and a half. Tho clerk of Hie course led Croesus back, and.liewa.s remounted and finished the >course, getting third money. On returning to the'birdcage Gloaming, got a good reception, though on all sides the accident was regretted. If. Gray (rider of Desert Gold) remarked'after the race, that.he would like.to have it over again. B. .Declev (Gloaming's rider) said the. fall did not affect him, and Morris (on Croesus) said that Croesus seemed 16 lose his feet in some false going, and this brought him down. The stewards inquired into the accident and inspected the track, but the riders were unanimous that no one was to blame. Desert. Gold opened up a couple of the old knocks, she got on the beach at-.New Plymouth,', but she ivns not apparently sore. The pair will meet -again tomorrow in the llawera .Stakes., one mile. The time, liiiin. : itsec.', shows what.a good gallop would liii've been put up but for the accident. Hallow, Piraeus, Egmont Park, and Yagrance Piece were missing when tho numbers 'were hoisted for the Waipapa Hack Flat, . Philomela iyas at a short price on ' the: machine. At the start Tiranga and Philomela led a strung-out field. Down .the back Perfect. Day was taken to first place, and round the turn ho joined Tiranga and Philomela, i'he last-named then began to feel her weight mid gave way'. "Perfect Day soon sett ed l Tiranga,'and won by a bare length. Philomela was two lengths away, and then enme Pomeroy and Rajput together. Tho iatter came, from A long way back, and should do better next start. Active was strongly supported for the concluding event. He appeared to havo (ho race won in the straight, but.Gray was taught napping, and Paddington Green, finishing fast, beat-him on the post. Hushman and Madam Ristori led into tho Straight from Hygmas. 1 hen tho 'favourite' appeared, but Paddington Green' came with' a '"ivet sail and -beat him in the last stride.. The totalisiitor registered .£32,9.8, as against .£29,033,0n the corresponding day last year.