OTAKI WINTER RACES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 194, 15 May 1944, Page 7

OTAKI WINTER RACES

Raukawa Handicap To Lady Spiral

FOXCATCHER’S SPRINT

(Bt

St. Simon.)

The finest of summer days and fields of fair average size contributed to the success of the Otaki (Maori liacing Club's winter meeting on Saturday. It Is many years since a winter meeting was, held anywhere under more pleasant conditions. Backers were well astray all day, tbe only favourite to succeed being the consistent Spiral mare, Lady Spiral, who won the Kaukawa Handican from barrier rise to post, setting her opponents a pace they were unequal to matching. Lady Spiral was bred at Koatanui by Mr. Currie, and has been raced throughout her career by Miss J. 'L. Hower, Palmerston North, for Whopi she is trained by J. J. Waller. Otaki stables won three races with Palanul, Po-iHuka and Lady Nahleen, and Trentham scored two wins with Moutoa Lad and Foxcatcher, the last-named taking the main sprint race. At the finish of the second maiden race Sir Baleigh wa.s crowded and fell and brought down Kockaniit. Both horses and their riders, W. L. Aitken and H. J. Lunn, escaped serious injury. In the following race, the Otaki Handicap, Latin Bay, ridden by J. Garth, broke a shoulder and fell as the field was turning into the straight. The horse was destroyed. Garth escaped with a shaking. , , „ There was a good attendance and the totalizator handled £38,322. There was no winter meeting at Otaki last season. At the spring meeting the investments were £32,122/10/- and £27,281/10/- was handled at the summer fixture. Making his first in public for four yeans, Malik Kafur easily defeated four opponents of moderate class in the Tararua Hack Steeplechase. He trailed along behind First Role and Coaster for two miles, then took the lead and won easily. He jumped slowly, but correctly, and should do better in Stronger company. First Role and Coaster filled the minor places. Both jumped poorly and hit nearly every fence. Acrobat was almost distanced in fourth place and the only other runner, Nisus, dropped his rider half-way through the contest. Palanul nut up a good performance to win the first Kuku Maiden. She drew 18 and had to be ridden hard early to take up a good position behind Te Ao, Hine Rei (who also drew wide) and Siva! at the half-mile. Day Lighting joined the leading bunch crossing the top, and soon after entering the straight Palanul and Day Lighting got to the front to fight out the issue, Palanul winning by half a neck. Sival struggled on for third and Toa-itl came home well for fourth. Arctic Night, Glen Urquhart, Grey Donne and Te Ao were ih line just behind the fourth horse. Hine Rei, the favourite, was handy enough at the distance, but could not hold her place. , Ladv Spiral led all the way in the Raukawa Handicap and won well. She was followed along the back and toward the straight bv Kanul te Pal, Foreign Co in and Moutoa Bond. On the turn Alexcelia moved round tbe Add to improve her position, but none could bridge the gap to Lady Spiral, who finished full of running. Te Kawiti came home fast for second money, but had too much ground to make ud from the turn and did not improve his chhnce when h^‘became involved in a mix* up with Foreign Coin, who dropped out of the contest. Moutoa Bond, who. was always handy, came on for third, beating Alexcelia by a nose for the minor money. .Making his first appearance in public, Moutoa Lad. a three-year-old gelding raced bv his breeder, Mr. F. S-. Hasten, proved too good for the field in the second Ivuku Maiden. Sir Raleigh, Tintern and Stony Broke made the pace to the straight Moutoa Lad, Sandy Cape and Fairy Godmother. At the distance Moutoa Lad shot to the front, and quickly placed tissue beyond «oubt, winning by three lengths ’from Stony Broke, who beat Sandy Cape comfortably. Fairy Godmother was best of the others. The favourite, Tintern, again failed to run on after having every Ch Tbere was a keen finish in the Handicap, for apprentice riders Vera Lynn beating Cramond Bay by a nose. The winner was ridden by J. Je “ k , ins ’ lad' having his first ride. Home Rule and Vera Lynn made most of the pace from Cramond Bay, Latin Bay and Ring *>£»“• Cramond Bay moved up to tackle Vera Lynn at the home turn, and it was a tense struggle between these two to the post, Vera Lynn getting the verdict by a nose. Ring Scarf, who had to hurdle Latin Bay when the last-named fell nearing the straight, made a good recovery to finish third, and Sedgemere was fourth Latin Bay was going very easily when ue IC po-Huka was another all-the-wfly winner in the Te Horo Handicap. He dashed to the front at the end of the first furlong and stayed there. He ran wide on the home turn and finished near the outside fence, but still won narrowly from Hakim and Broiefield. The last-named was unlucky, and he drew an outside position, and with the favourite, Flying lor, and Golden Tide, was soon at tbe rear of the field. He made a fine recovery to lose by two beads. Hakim was always prominent and finished well to split the winner and Broiefield. Penwilt ran a good race tor fourth, with Maharajah and Flying Tor best of the others. Foxcatcber, the second fancy, scored a clear-cut win by two lengths over the favourite, Kllleymoon, in the Hula Handicap. Killeymoon led to the straight from Foxcatcher, Autolite and Plato Lad, but at the distance Foxcatcher, with plenty in reserve, strode to the front and she won comfortably by two lengths from Killeymoon, who only survived a late run from Sterling Lad by a short head. Autolite, running a useful race fresh up, was fourth, with a gap to Moderate, who ran well for a hurdler against this class. Plato Lad did not improve after being handv at the entrance to the straight. There was another dos,, finish for the Waitohu Handicap, in which Lady Naillecn won bv half a head from Lord Darnlev. with Palanul a dose third. Sporting Style and Lady Nahleen led to the straight from Fox Cover, Lord Darnley, Sedgemere, and Palanul, the last-named having begun slowly. Lord Darnlev came on to tackle Lady Nahleen in the final furlong, but the filly held on to win by a very narrow margin. Palanul, who did not get a dear run in the straight, was only three-parts of a length back third, and appeared to be very unlucky. Sporting Style came on again for a good fourth, and. Palelle, Fox Cover and Irish Chance were next. Details Of The Racing TARARUA HACK AND HUNTERS’ STEEPLECHASE, of £lBO. About two miles and a quarter. 2/1 MALIK KAFUR (1), 9.0 (C. Bowry) 1 4/4 FIRST ROLE (2). 9.0 (R. Hawes) 2 1/2 COASTER (4). 9.0 (R. Beale) 3 Also started: 3/3 Acrobat (3); 5/5 Nisus (5) lost rider. Three lengths; four. Acrobat was fourth. Time, 3.28 2-5. (Winner trained by L. Knapp, Awapuni.) KUKU MAIDEN, No. 1, of £l5O. Six furlongs. 3/1 PALANUI (18), 8.10 ..... I J. Garth) 1 5/5 DAT LIGHTING (1), 8.10 (A. Midwood) 2 8/6 SIVAL (14). 8.0 (S. Waddell) 3 Also started: 11/12 Arctic Night (17); 2/2 Glen UrdUhart (2); 10/10 Grey Donne (15): 15/15 Toa-lti (11); 9/9 Midshipman (6) 17/18 Miss Pompadour (3); 12/11 Sporting Stylo (9); 8/7 Sporting Gold,(10); 12/14 Te Ao (13); 4/4 The Tosser (12); 18/17 Zlpporah (7); 1/3 Hine Rei (16); 16/18 St. htiton (5); 14/13 Happy Climax (8); 7/8 True Friend (4). Half a neck;

one length. Toa-itl was fourth• Jinae, 1.17 1-5. (Winner trained by D. J. Burgess, Otaki.)

RAUKAWA HANDICAP, of £lOO. One mile and a quarter. 1/1 LADY SPIRAL (5). 742 (L. Clutterbuck) 1 3/5 TE KAWITI (2). 8.5 (W. Stevens) 2 2/2 MOUTOA BOND (4). 9.0 (,T. Garth) 3 Also started: 5/4 Happy Ending (0), 7/7 Kanul Te Pai (1); A cxcella (7 , 8/8 Young Charles (3); 1/6 Foreign Coin (8). One length and a haft; one. Alexcelia was fourth. Time, 2.9 2-5. (Winner trained by J. J. Waller, Awapunk) KUKU -MAIDEN, No. 2. of £l5O. Six furlongs. , , _ 2/2 MOUTOA LAD (12). 840 (J. Garth) 1 7/7 STONY BROKE (13), ;8.0 (M. Andrews) 2 3/3 SANDY CAPE (o). 8.10 (J. McFarlane) _ 3 Also started : G/5 Fairy Godmother (15); 15/14 Gold Claim (10): 17/15 Grand Central (17); 18/18 Nanook (8); 8/9 Sir Raleigh (3); 9/8 Rosinante (9): 10/10 Retopal (2); 15/16 Trekalong (14); 1/1 fintern (4); 12/13 Tld-apa (IS): 4/4 Corre Clare (16); 11/12 Marshall Cook (11): b/« Mysterious Melody (1); 13/11 Roekanm (7); 14/17 Well Armed (6). Three lengths; one and a half. Fairy Godmother was fourth. Time. 1.16 4-5. (Winner trained by P. Burgess, Trentham.)

OTAKI HACK HANDICAP, of £175. Apprentice riders. Seven furlongs. 2/2 VERA LYNN (0), 6.7, car. 8.2 (J. Jenkins) 1 6/5 CRAMOND BAY (6), 7.10, car. 7.5 (A. Johnston) 2 5/6 RING SCARF (8), 7.7 (J. Bowness) 3 Also started: 7/8 Flabuluk (Dr l/l Latin Bay (7) fell; 3/3 Sedgemere (5); 4/4 Day Lighting (4); 10/10 Meath (2) , 8/7 Home Rule (10);'a,9/9 Severity (3). Nose: two lengths aud a half. Sedgemere was fourth. Time, 1.29. (Winner trained by H. Griffith, Awapuni.)

TE HORO HACK HANDICAP, of £lBO. One mile and 35 yards. 7/6 PO-HUKA (6). 8.4 ... (P. Williams) 1 3/3 HAKIM (8), 8.2, car. 7.9 (H. Pearce) 2 2/1 BROIEFIELD'(I4). 9.4 (S. Waddell) 3 Also started: 4/4 Maharajah (10): 1/Flying Tor (15); 5/5 Advocate (1); U/I0 Bendemeer (11); 6/7 Fairy Godmother (5); 8/8 Gotiiic (7); 13/13 Golden Tide (12); 9/11 Penwilt (13); 15/15 Little Margot (3); 14/14 Toa-itl (4)12/12 Airlie (2); 10/9 Crackerjack (9). Short head each wayZ Penwilt was fourth. Time. 1.4 b. (Winner trained by M. Williams. Otaki.)

HUIA HANDICAP, of £250. Seven furlongs. 2/1 FOXCATCHER (2), 7.7 (S. Waddell) 1 1/3 KILLEYMOON (6), 8.0 (W. Broughton) 2 4/2 STERLING LAD (8), 7.5, car. 7.2 . (A. Waddell) 3 Also started: 3/6 Autolite (1); 7/7 First Round (4); 5/4 Plato Lad (3); 6/o The Champ (9); 8/8 The Whippet (7); 9/9 Moderate (5). Two lengths: half head. Autolite was fourth. Time, 1.27 4-5. (Av Inner trained by W. J. Bromby, Trentham. I WAITOHU HACK HANDICAP, of £175. Six furlongs. 5/4 LADY NAHLEEN (8), 7.7, car. 7.4 (A. G. Waddell) 1 2/3 LORD DARNLEY (6). 7.13 (V. Sellars) 2 3/2 PALANUI (5), 7.10 ... (S. Waddell) 3 Algo started: 1/1 Fox Cover (13);: 4/o Sedgemere (11); 10/10 Gay Lena p.); 13/12 Meath (3); 12/13 Patta Fe (4): 0/0 Irish Chance (0); 7/7 Home Rule (1); 11/H Sporting Style - (7); 9/9 Palelle (12); 8/8 Lady Midlan (10). Half head; three-quar-ters of a length. Sporting Style was fourth. Time, 1,16 4-5. (Winner trained by G. S. Walton, Otaki.)