RACING AT OTAKI

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 134, 3 December 1938, Page 11

RACING AT OTAKI

Spring meeting

HURDLES TO ROYAL RECORD

(From "Binocular.")

The Otaki Maori Racing Club's Spring Meeting is being held at Otaki today in fine though dull weather. Although rain fell overnight the weather broke this morning, and there is every indication of conditions remaining fine. The course is in good order. Results:— PUKETOI HURDLES, £150; 1£ miles. 2 W. T. Bailey's eh g Royal Record, by Royal Divorce— Ngarani, aged, 9.12 (W. E. Pine) 1 1 W. McA. Duncan's eh g Porotiti, by Limond —Ohui, aged, 10.5 (W. J. McDowell) 2 4 J. Duggan's b g Otaki, by Cockpit -^Clover lea, aged, car. 9.1 (I. Rohloff) 3 Also started: 3 Linguist 9.9 (A. Leach), 5 Sir Nigel 9.4 (I. Tinsley). Won by three lengths; third horse a nedk away. Time, 2min 53 2-ssec. (Winner trained by Mrs. A. W. McDonald, Awapuni.) The defection of Erebus from the Puketoi Hurdles left five starters, and two recent winners in Porotiti and Royal Record dominated the betting. The pair returned the dividends but in reverse order. Although Royal Record was the first to show out Sir Nigel raced to the front after negotiating the first fence, and led through the straight. However, Otaki took over going along the back and was still in command until three furlongs from home where Royal Record moved forward. The latter was untroubled thereafter, winning quite comfortably from the favourite, Porotiti, who showed a tendency to run about. Otaki was a neck away third, with a gap to Linguist, who tailed the field throughout. MANUAO MAIDEN PLATE, £100; all 8.7; 6 furlongs. 5 M. F. Miles's br g Pursuit, by Thomond—Amyles, syrs (R. J. Flower) 1 3 J. S. McLeod's b c Yours Truly, by Siegfried—My Own, 3yrs (L. T. Nesbitt) 2 8 J. A. McKenzie's b g Speedfast, by Musketoon —Picture, aged (T. Tito) 3 Also started:—l 9 Golden Garter (S. T. Edwards), 17 Golden Hawk (I. Rohloff), 12 Dame Flora (W. J. Broughton), 13 Baron Bold (C. P. Shield), 15 Bisect (P. Burgess), 9 Beauly (H. N. Wiggins), 6 Barabbas (S, Wilson), 7 Lady Baron (S. Anderson), 2 White Rajah (A. Jenkins), 11 Richelieu Pearl (P. Atkins), 4 Mitigation (B. H. Morris), 10 All Blood (J. Chaplin), 20 Cherokee (D. Lamb), 18 Heliozoa (E. Stewart), 1 The Ring (C. J. Cameron), 16 Counter Lunch (P. Williams). ; Won by a length and a half, third horse two lengths away. Time, lmin 17sec. (Winner .trained by W. Hume, Levin.) In a big field, of twenty runners in the Manuao Maiden The Ring was made favourite, but the Hastings representative had no chance from the start. White Rajah, the second elect, was also well back early, aVid although he finished strongly he could not get up. All Blood, although drawn wide out, began well to lead Pursuit, Lady Baron, Richelieu Pearl, and Speedfast early, but before the end of the second furlong Counter Lunch and Yours Truly ran forward, and they attended All Blood and Pursuit crossing the top. Once straightened up Pursuit came through on the rails and went on to win nicely a length and a half from Yours Truly, who came wide out, with Speedfast also making a fair showing for third. < Then came Cherokee and White Rajah. All Blood stopped very quickly. Barabbas fell at the end of the. second furlong, and Heliozoa and Golden Garter were slow away. PUKEKARAKA HANDICAP, £110; 6 furlongs. 2 J. Manuel's b g Sporting Gift, by Hunting Song—Visible, syrs, 9.3 (S. Anderson) 1 4 C. Cunningham's b m Lady Lyric, by ' Defoe—Lyrical, 4yrs, 7.9 (H. Wiggins) 2 3 D. McCauley's b \,m Mother-in- . Law, by'Siegfried—Arbitration, 4yrs, 7.12 (J. McCauley) . " 3 Also started:—l Punarua, 8.4 (L. T. Nesbitt), 6 Acrobat. 7.12 (R. A. Hawkins), 5 Day Mist, 7.7 (W. J. Broughton). Won by two lengths; third horse half a length away. Time, lmin 16 3-ssec. (Winner trained by Owner, Awapuni.) The consistent Sporting Gift carried his record further when he led throughout in the Pukekaraka Handicap, scoring without being seriously challenged. Punarua, the favourite, was never dangerous. Sporting Gift, Day Mist, Acrobat, and Mother-in-Law were in line racing along the back, but the first-named and Day Mist worked clear to pilot the field across the top. Sporting Gift landed first into the straight and went on to win easily. Lady Lyric ran a creditable race after being at the rear early. Mother-in-Law also hung on well.