PLAY ON IMPRESSIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1938, Page 13

PLAY ON IMPRESSIVE

SUCCESS AT OTAKI

DOUBLE FOR MR. HIGGINS

Despite heavy rain overnight and a very threatening early forenoon, the weather cleared satisfactorily before the commencement of the Otaki Maori Racing Club's Summer Meeting at Otaki on Saturday, and the afternoon was mild and sunny. The doubtful morning affected the attendance, but there was still a large crowd present and the totalisator was able to return an increase of over 12 per cent, in the investments. The fields were of small dimensions and it was at times surprising the amount of money that they attracted. The racing was generally well contested, the finishes being the best witnessed on the course for some time, even though some of the wins were in the end secured by safe margins. A particularly attractive performance was that of Play On in succeeding in the Here Nekitini Memorial Handicap, the principal event of the day.' Play On further impressed as a horse who might score some important success before the summer racing is over. He is owned by the Palmerston North sportsman Mr. M. Millar, who also raced Diatomous and other good horses, and who gave a substantial price for him last January. The Wellington owner Mr. W. Higgins scored two successes through^ the agency of Royal Star II and Sigurd. These were the only Trentham winners. The surprise of the day was the win of the rank outsider Whetuma in the Rahui Hack Handicap, which carried a trophy of a silver tea service, presented after the race to the winners owner-trainer, Mr. W. H. Bowden, by the member for the district, Mr. L. G. Lowry. The only inquiry during the day was into the fall of Barabbas-in the maiden event. Evidence was taken from the jockeys concerned, excepting S. Wilson, the rider of Barabbas. The inquiry was then adjourned till Wilson can give evidence, but it was announced that on the evidence heard the mishap appeared to have been purely accidental. ROYAL RECORD WELL. Royal Record secured his second successive victory as a jumper in the Puketoi Hack Hurdles, in which he outclassed his four opponents. Alter being first over the initial obstacle he settled down behind Sir Nigel and Otaki? and after being held in check till between the last two fences he moved up facilely to tha front ana went on to score with the greatest of ease by three or four lengths. Royal Record has never looked better in his life than he does at present, and the way he v/as turned out on Saturday was a credit to his trainer, Mrs AW McDonald, of Awapuni, who his htd him only since September He is still owned by tiur Ashhurst stuclmaster, Mr. W. T. Bailey, who bought him last March and who failed to sell him at the price he required when disposing of his horses in train--ine last August. A capital jumper, he maybe a class hurdler in the makings especially as he is , now only eight yeporo°tiU, backed down to under even money, had every chance, but he was no match for his victor. *ive, lur fongT from home W. J. McDowell was riding him to keep him .handy. ' Going ** +v.« ioct fpnre he was taken out on SSttSif taS eo? °5* a small field it «M a good PURSUIT OPEN 9 ACCOUNT. Pursuit who has always possessed now being a member of W. H. wume s to a good out Tom the barrier he was passed also by Counter Lunch, Yours inuy, and Lady Baron, but once 6n the home stretch he received an opening on the inner through which he came immediately to assume clear charge at the diTherl"are not many of the Thomonds now racing, but Pursuit is one of them. The Poly damon stallion left a few useful, gallopers, including Ephialtes. Painkiller, and King Thomond. Pursuit is a five-year-old brown gelding out of the Achilles— Amyris mare Amylles, a half-sister to Amyrin, j dam of Bathos, Grotesque, and Melissa, so that he is well related. He is being, raced by his breeder, Mr. M. F. Miles, of Manakau. , ' „„„,* Yours Truly was probably a good thing beaten through being forced over a lot of ground. After beginning from No 19, he dashed up before the turn with Counter Lunch to join All Blood in the van, but he was the outside horse of the two and was wide out making the straight. When they were lined for the judge Pursuit had already gone through to a clear lead, but Yours Truly threw out a strong challenge from inside the distance and was finishing on best only a length behind his victor at the post. Speedfast, eight or nine places back most of the way, finished well to secure third share of the prize. He also came home resolutely at Levin recently, and, despite his age, he is capable of winning races yet. Cherokee, the half-sister to Navaho, was sixth early and came through fol- j lowing the winner at the straight to be temporarily second, but she finally just missed a place, headed off by Speedfast in the last strides. It was a promising effort, as it was only her second race. . Among the other^ White Rajah, Baron Bold, Richelieu Pearl, Golden Hawk, and The Ring were nearest at the post The Ring was unlucky, as she was slow away and then was badly interfered with when Barabbas fell after going about half a furlong. All Blood and Counter Lunch, the early leaders, also Lady Baron, who followed All Blood and Pursuit out and was there for about three furlongs, all faded over the closing stages. SMALL BUT SOLID. Though he is cast on a small frame, Sporting Gift gave further proof in the Pukekaraka Hack Handicap that his heart is in the right place. Bouncing out from the tapes like an arrow, he had charge from barrier-rise, and he drew away still further in the straight to score by a good two lengths. Sporting Gift has now won half a dozen races, including four this season, and Saturday's success has moved him up near the hack limit. He is a brilliant beginner and he can fight with rare resolution. Now five years old, he is a bay son of Hunting Song and the Australian-bred Emblematic —Lady Pop mare Visible, who is grand-daughter of an, American-bred mare imported to Australia a couple of decades ago. He is being raced on lease from Mrs. J. Osmond by the Awapuni trainer J. Manuel, who is

now being rewarded for the patience he has always exercised with him. Lady Lyric ran her best race this season for her second. She was with Punarua at-the rear early, but on the turn she got up on the inner of Acrobat and Mother.-in-Law and in the run home she stayed on better than Mother-in-Law. Mother-in-Law, with a better passage, would probably have been second. She was four horses out early, and on the turn was actually five out, though there were only six runners. In covering such a lot of extra ground, she was naturally unable to carry on in the straight, though she hung on surprisingly well when challenged by Lady Lyric." Punarua, with the other five horses spread across in front of him on the turn, had his rider in a quandary. He was finally taken right round them, whereas if he had waited he would probably have had a run through near the fence in the straight. The other pair faded over the closing section. ATTRACTIVE PERFORMANCE. Play On was backed down to well under even money in the Rere Nekitini Memorial Stakes, and he completely justified the confident support reposed in him. After lying in behind the leaders early, he was hot on ;the quarters of Meamea on reaching the straight, and he then left his opponents well astern in the run to the post. This was Play On's second win in three outings this season, and now that he has come good in open class he looks to have a very bright future in front of him. He ; should be a hard horse to beat in any race he contests over the holidays. He is not engaged in the Auckland Cup, but will probably be running in the Manawatu and Martori Cups over the holidays, with the Wellington Cup to follow if he maintains his present form. On his latest showings a distance of a mile and a half should not trouble him in the least, as he is an easy horse to handle in,his races and he shows every evidence of possessing stamina. Play On was again ridden by the stable apprentice, I. Howe, who on this occasion was able to claim the full allowance of 71b, reducing his weight to 8.1. He pulled a bit early and stumbled passing the stands, probably because of getting on the heels of a horse in front', but otherwise his performance was one of the most attractive seen in average provincial open company for a long time past. Galteemore lately has been just too unlucky to.win. He came round well on the turn when asked to go after Meamea and Play On, but he had no chance whatever against the favourite, who represents something approaching the best class on his latest form at Levin and Otaki. Meamea, having his first start over a middle distance, hung on promisingly for third money. In the early stages lie pulled his way to the front alongside Accomplice, and then along the back, still pulling, he had to assume the role of pacemaker. Even after that it was some time in the straight before Galteemore was able to break down his resistance and thus deprive him of the second dividend. Good Sun and Silver River were the only others to be running on at the close, but they never looked like reaching a place. Good Sun came from the. rear for fourth, and he pulled up well. The remaining three were on a walk down the track at the finish, Cricket showing no dash whatever, and Accomplice and Dorado fading after early prominence. Accomplice carried overweight and' should be benefited a lot with the race, her first m open class. SIGURD HARD PRESSED. Considering the poor form of his opposition. Sigurd was at quite a satisfactory price in the Otaki Hack Handicap, for he is well seasoned with recent racing and was unlucky a fortnight ago at Levin when ridden by an apprentice. He duly succeeded, but he was forced right out to beat Drachma, who is still a maiden. . Sigurd was in front- from start to finish, with Drachma always hot on his quarters. On the home turn he appeared to be bowling along quite comfortably, but though in the straight he kept the three-year-old at bay he never had anything in reserve and had tobe nursed as much as possible by his JNow four years old, Sigurd is a bay gelding by Siegfried from the ..Englishbred Grand Parade mare All Bright. He was bred by Mr. E. L. Riddiford, who sold both him and his dam to Mr. W. Higgins, a steward of the Wellington Racing Club. All through his career there has been a soft streak in him, though he struck a very brief patch of more solid form last autumn, when he paid a big dividend at Trentham. . Drachma, a three-year-old son of Iliad, ran his best race yet, and he should be a winner over the holidays. This was the first time he had been tried at seven furlongs, the distance appearing to be well within his compass. , ~,•-, Ruling Spi, four lengths back third, lost his chance when he failed to jump away, but he was still capable of finishing over the others. War Cloud, third"most of the way, weakened into fourth, with Larwood and Quimper, also badly away, running on alongside """ DOUBLE FOR STABLE. Mr. W. Higgins and his trainer, H. A. Telford, had their second success during the day when the imported horse Royal Star II won the Waiorongomai Handicap narrowly but attractively from a useful field of open sprinters. Royal Star II is improving all the time, and though he carried 41b overweight on Saturday, which will influence his handicapping, he should not be difficult to place for further early successes. „ Royal Star II made a good beginning, beaten away only by Mittie and Omarere, and after a couple of furlongs he moved up easily alongside Mittie, with Aureus putting in a fast run to join them. These three horses turned into the straight in line, but Royal Star II assumed the upper hand at the distance and he safely kept Mittie at bay over the final furlong by a long head. Royal Star II might have won by a larger margin if his rider had forced him out. At the half-distance he momentarily looked like getting the verdict slip from his grasp, when Mittie was pressing again and Lady Montana ranged up out on the track, but he required only a touch to maintain his ascendancy. Royal Star 11, who was bought out of a selling plater in England^ by Mr. Higgins as a two-year-old and won in his new owner's colours in Scotland before being shipped to the Dominion, has been in New Zealand now for nearly a year, and he has acclimatised well. This was his third success here in just over two months' racing. He is improving all the time, and on his recent work he will probably shortly be raced over longer distances. Mittie fan another solid race for her second, and she does not look at the end of her present patch of form yet. This defeat need not be held against her. Lady Montana, ridden by the stable apprentice, might have been a harder proposition if she had not been allowed to drop back on the home turn, and she is due to return to the winners' list at any time now. Lone Raider was finishing on best of the others, coming from second last. Aureus spoiled her prospects by the extra ground she was taken over on the turn. Alunga, last away, was never a likely prospect, and Omarere faded at the end. Export, with a solid pace on all the way, could not produce the final dash he revealed when finishing second at Levin. : WHETUMA'S SURPRISE. One of the biggest dividends paid on the Otaki course for many years was returned by Whetuma in the Rahui Hack Handicap. The black gelding was rank outsider of the eight runners, carrying only £49, and his supporters were rewarded with a dividend approaching a third of a century. Whetuma's success was no fluke. Going into the back he was running

sixth, the first six horses at this stage being in close order, and approaching the half-mile he was taken up smartly to assume charge from Dancing Flame and Sunbeam. He was clear on reaching the straight, and though Sunbeam and Twenty Grand then threw out vigorous challenges he held on to his post to score by a good half-length. Whetuma, who is now nine years old, has been off the winning list for several seasons. There was a time when^he promised better things, but they did not come to pass, and then he was off the scene for a lengthy period owing to unsoundness. Since his resumption he had had only three races, showing no form in any of them. He is a son of Lackham and the Elysian—Bradamante mare Riverna, who traces back to Brisa, bred by the late Hon. G. McLean, and he is the only foal his dam ever left. The success was a turn of luck lor the veteran Otaki trainer, W. H. Bowden, who owns the horse. Several years ago Bowden turned out several good performers, including Gaekwar, Hushabye, His Eminence, Paparess, Borsil, Probity, Elevate, Our Jack, and others. , . ~ Sunbeam and Twenty Grand both finished on very strongly to collect the minor spoils. Sunbeam lost his position on the home turn, but for which he might have been the winner. Twenty Grand made a promising showing first time over a distance. The favourite Earl Colossus was well placed fourth most of the way, but after a brief claim at the top of the straight he failed to improve on that berth. £ Tom-Tom, along with- Larwood, was tailed off badly early, and with half the race over she was ten or twelve lengths from the last of the six comprising the leaders. On the home turn she closed up the gap to a couple of lengths, but .then she ran out very wide making the straight, which finally settled any chance she had. Larwood also retrieved a lot of ground over the closing stages, but Spender and Dancing Flame both retired after being in the leading bunch, to the straight. <. OPPONENTS SKITTLED. Hunter's Eve skittled her opposition in the Rekereke Hack Handicap. After being passed by Great Legion at the end of a furlong, she raced to the front again entering the straight and she then ran right away to score by six lengths. It was one of the easiest wins witnessed in a short race in recent months. Hunter's Eve, a three-year-old fullsister to Hunter's Morn and Moon, who were both exceptionally fast, is very'brilliant over short journeys, and she has shown promise of seeing out longer trips as well. The easing of the ground by the overnight rain helped her to her facile victory, but she probably would have won' in any case. As usual, she was ridden by the apprentice B. Stowe, a son of her trainer, C. J. Stowe, of Hastings. Nelumbo, also from Hastings, was third most of the way, and she finished on just too well for Great Legion, whom she beat by a head. Great Legion ran his best race as a three-year-old and his turn should come before long. White Lady, who was with Nelumbo to the straight, could not improve on fourth. The best of the others was Conversion. The favourite, Sporting Gift, with a 41b rehandiGap, was badly left at the start. It was ascertained after the race that his rider, S. Anderson, was kicked at the post by White Lady. Pursuit, with a 31b rehandicap, was also poorly away. INCREASED TURNOVER The Otaki Maori Racing Club's Summer Meeting was held in fine weather, and before a large attendance of patrons. The track was in. splendid order after heavy rain overnight. The totalisator handled £17,978 10s, compared with £15,947 10s last year, an increase of £2031. Results (per Press Association) were:—• Puketoi Hack Hurdles .Handicap, £150; 1J miles.—2 Royal Record, 9.12 (W. E. Pine), 1; 1 Porotiti, 10.5 (W. J. McDowell), 2; 4 Otaki, car. 9.1 (I. Rohloff), 3. Also started: 3 Linguist 9.9, 5 Sir Nigel 9.4. Three lengths; a neck. Time, 2min 53 2-ssec. Manuao Maiden Plate, £ 100; fi furlongs.—s Pursuit, 8.7 (R. J. Flower), 1; 3 Yours Truly, 8.7 (L. T. Nesbitt), 2; 8 Speedfast, 8.7 (T. Tito), 3. Also started: 19 Golden Garter 8.7, 17 Golden Hawk car. 8.114, 12 Dame Flora 8.7, 13 Baron Bold. car. 8.8, 15 Bisect 8.7, 9 Beauly 8.7, 6 Barabbas 8.7, 7 Lady Baron 8.7, 2 . White Rajah 8.7, 11 Richelieu Pearl 8.7, 4 Mitigation 8.7, 10 All Blood 8.7, 20 Cherokee 8.7, 18 Heliozoa 8.7, 1 The Ring 8.7, 16 Counter Lunch 8.0. Length and a half; two lengths. Time, lmin 17sec. Pukekaraka Hack Handicap, £110; 6 furlongs.—2 Sporting Gift, 9.3 (S. Anderson), 1; 4 Lady Lyric, 7.9 (H. N. Wiggins), 2; 3 Mother-in-Law, 7.12 (J. McCauley), 3. Also started: 3 Punarua car. 7.13, 6 Acrobat 7.12, 5 Day Mist car. 7.9^. Two lengths; half a length, j Time, lmin 16 3-ssec. RERE NIKITINI MEMORIAL STAKES, £250; 1£ miles. 1 Play On, car. 8.1 a. Howe) 1 2 Galteemore, 8.5 (H. N. Wiggins) 2 4 Meamea, car. 8.1 (P. Williams) .. 3 Also. started:,, 3 Cricket 8.1, 8 Dorado 7.8, 5 Accomplice car. 7.12, 7 Good Sun car. 7.0, 6 Silver River 7.0. Three lengths; two lengths. Time, 2min 8 2-ssec. Otaki Hack Handicap, £110; 7 furlongs.—l Sigurd, 9.0 (P. Atkins), 1; 4 Drachma, 7.9 (H. N. Wiggins), 2; 2 Ruling Spi, car. 8.8 (P. Williams), 3. Also started: 3 War Cloud 8.4, 5 Larwood car. 8.1, 6 Dunbeath 7.9, 7 Quimper car. 8.4£. A head; four lengths. Time, lmin 28 2-ssep. WAIORONGOMAI HANDICAP, £150; 7 furlongs. 3 Royal Star 11, car. 7.11' (P. Atkins) 1 5 Mittie, 9.1 (A. Jenkins) 2 4 Lady Montana, car., 7.11 (A. Midwood) 3 Also started: 2 Alunga 8.12, 1 Aureus car. 7.5, 7 Lone Raider 7,7, 6 Export 7.0, 8 Omarere 7.0. Head; length. Time, lmin 27 l-ssec. Rahui Hack Handicap, £110; 1 mile and 1 furlong.—B Whetuma, car. 7.2 (A. E. Bennet), 1; 4 Sunbeam, 7.10 (H. N. Wiggins), 2; 3 Twenty Grand, car. 7.3 (S. T. Edwards), 3. Also started: 1 Earl Colossus car. 8.11, 6 Spender 8.3, 2 Tom-Tom 7.10, 5 Larwood' car. 7.3, 7 Dancing Flame car. 7.9. Half a length; a length. Time, lmin 55sec. Rekereke Hack Handicap, £110; 5 furlongs.—2 Hunter's Eve, 8.10 (B. Stowe), 1; 6 Nelumbo,'B.l3 (C. J. Cameron), 2; 5 Great Legion, 7.13 (J, Chaplm), 3. Also started: 1 Sporting Gift car. 9.6 (including 41b rehandicap), 7 Conversion 8.7, 3 White Lady 8.5, 8 Day Mist 7.7, 4 Pursuit car. 7.10. Six lengths; three-quarters of a length. Time, lmin 0 3-ssec.