THE WAIRARAPA CUP

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 1, 3 January 1939, Page 16

THE WAIRARAPA CUP

FAST FINAL HALF

ROYAL STAR II AS STAYER

The Wairarapa Cup, feature event on the opening day of the Wairarapa Racing Club's Summer Meeting on Saturday, served to illustrate the worth of the imported horse Royal Star 11, who was having his first start beyond a sprint distance and outstayed his opposition in time that was the best for many years in the race.

Royal Star II had to be good to succeed, as, although he was nicely placed third in the running behind Lucullus Lad and Master Cyklon early, he kept being f orcet1. back through other horses racing past him. However, G. R. Tattersall hung to the rail in the hope that an opening might at last come, and when Lucullus Lad dropped out in the straight and left a gap on the inner of Tiger Gain he moved up into it and came through by a'route that looked dangerously narrow to score a meritorious victory by a neck from Master Cyklon, who chose the outside of Tiger Gain. Royal Star II gave Mr. W. Higgins his first success in the Wairarapa Cup, and he continued the excellent innings H. A. Telford's stable has been having this season. A five-year-old chestnut gelding by the Flying Orb horse Vessington Star, he has been in the Dominion just twelve months, and although English horses do not usually, acclimatise so soon he has already won four races here, as well as his four prior to. his departure from the land of his birth. As has been repeatedly noted, he has been all along exceptionally well treated in the handicaps. , Master Cyklon, who has previously done well on the course, ran his best race for some months in finishing a good second. However, he was ahead of the winner turning for home and so he was beaten on the merits. A hundred yards from the post he swept up manacingly, but Royal Star 11, once through the opening, stayed on the better. ' ... Tiger Gain weakened out ot a dividend in the straight after being left in front at the distance. His rider was perhaps a bit anxious in moving him up fast to join the leaders with six furlongs to go, and if he had waited a little longer this horse might even have won his second Wairarapa Cup. Night Hawk ran patchily, apparently not being suited by the course, but he was finally finishing on well in fourth place. Helen Ford, after joining Lucullus Lad and Tiger Gain on the turn, tired into a close fifth. The rest, headed by Hunting Cat and Cricket, were well beaten. The favourite, Wild Chase, *was poorly handled, and after being taken out wide on the turn and being off the track entering the straight, he finished last. Lucullus Lad also stopped. •■■„,- ' _~ The pace was on all the way. The time was the best since Forestry also registered 2min 6 2-ssec in 1934. They ran the last mile in lmin 40 l-ssec, and the last half-mile in 48 l-ssec, Royal Star H, of course, coming home the final half in even better than that.