HARD TO LOCATE

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

HARD TO LOCATE

OPENING DAY'S WINNERS

Though there was a large attendance on the opening day at Tauherenikau on Saturday, the difficulty of locating the winners kept investors chary over the concluding portion of the day and the pools were hardly up to expectations. Many of the horses backed as next to unbeatable failed, and the dividends were as a whole much bigger than are usually to be obtained at this meeting. A particularly attractive performance was that of the two-year-old Globe Trotter, who overcame all difficulties, as he did at Awapuni, and who has now won the last three of his four outings to date. Mr. W. Higgins's colours had also been carried to success in the Wairarapa Cup, which was the event prior to the juvenile race. Another Trentham winner was Hinerawe. A WELL-BRED WINNER. Golden Flame, winner -f the Novice Stakes, is a three-year-old full-sister to Golden Wings, and she was a pronounced favourite after her two recent thirds at Woodville. She was early headed by Daregain after a smart beginning from the rail position, but she assumed charge again at the distance and withstood a late claim from Daregain's stablemate, Floral Robe, by a length. She carries the same colours as her redoubtable brother, those of Mr. C. T. Keeble. Floral Robe is a three-year-old half-sister to Silver Ring and this was her likeliest performance to date. Daregain had every chance. The best of the others were Telamon, Kurrawong (who ran out wide). Speedfast. and Gaylord. Gaylord, Cherokee, and Golden Hawk were left at the start, and others were slow to begin. LIKING FOR TRACKS Export, who has previously shown a liking for the track and was successful there last New Year, came home too well for the southern pair, Phalanx and Counterblast, in the Featherston Handicap. He had to take a wide course when running round entering the straight, but he still managed to wear down Ph lanx just short of the post. Phalanx and Counterblast, who followed Debham to the straight, had\

every chance. Alunga was up with Counterblast on the turn but also tired. JUVENILE OF QUALITY. Globe Trotter, with the welter weight of 9.8 in the saddle, gave further evidence of his quality in the Bidwell Nursery Handicap. Not too happy in the running to the straight, though never far away, he looked a forlorn prospect at the last furlong, but when an opening offered between Vascones and Pen he dashed into it and^ came through in determined style to win going away by a neck. Sir Crusoe, a half-brother by Defoe to Meamea, showed his best form yet, finishing on better than Pen after going over a deal of ground and hanging out in the straight. Pen just beat Vascones for third, with Counter Lunch right up. Endorsement was the only other ever having a chance but he did not run on at Ahe close. A CHANGE OF LUCK. Hinerawe, a four-year-old daughter of Robespierre and the New Zealand Cup winner Oratrix, stayed on best of the seven runners in the Champion Hack Handicap and gained the verdict by a neck from the favourite, Nereus. After being first out, she was settled down behind Earl Colossus and Mendelssohn, and when the leadmg pair had run themselves out she assumed charge and was then capable of staving off Nereus's challenge over the last furlong. It was a welcome change ot luck for the George establishment. Nereus also came home well after being at the rear till the last furlongs. Mendelssohn and Earl Colossus beat each other by their cut-throat tactics. The remaining three were well astern. SPOILED AT START. A straggling start more or less settled the prospects of most of the field in the Wharekaka Hack Handicap. Jeanne and Rowana were two of the best out, and Jeanne was never caught. Rowana was passed by Dancing Flame and Great Flight before the straight but then came on for an easy second. Lady Lyric did well to get up and cut Great Flight out of third, and Le Toquet was also running on wide out. Jeanne is a three-year-old daughter of Lackham and. the Arausio mare Jean Ladosio, and sister to Arajean and a half-sister to Arrow Lad, and she carries the colours of Mr. A. W. Akers, for whom she is trained at Woodville by J. Sullivan. Her only previous success was at Hastings as a Tuvenile. Rowana, despite her many placings, still could not drop her maiden certificate. RETURN TO FORM. Improved with his two races, at Manawatu, which were his first since he was amiss with heel-bug, Haughty Winner was supported with some confidence in the Wardell Handicap, and after dashing round to the van making for the straight he came on to withstand Meamea's challenge with comparative ease. This was the Winning Hit gelding's first success for his present owner, Mr. T. Coltman, of Wellington, but as a three-year-old. last season he won the Dunedin Guineas and a mile race at Trentham for the late Sir Charles Clifford. Meamea trailed the field to the straight and the task ahead was then too solid for him to achieve successfully. Flying Comedy came on for third, and Accomplice was running on like an early improver in fourth position. Silver River and Roaming both stopped badly after leading round the turn. ANOTHER POOR START. Another ragged start literally settled the dividends as soon as the field for the Russell Hack Handicap was under way. Sigurd and Gold Ballad, with Gay Hunting joining them, had the running to themselves, and Gold Ballad finished on just better than Sigurd to score by a head. Gold Ballad, a visitor from Gisborne. is a five-year-old son of Hunting Song from the wellknown Erey Roe family, and pn his recent form he was due for this success. Sigurd again was found wanting right at the death. The rest were some eight lengths astern, headed by Stella Lux, Kurrawong, and Drachma together. Stella Lux's defeat after a poor start was the most costly of the day, for a well-battered public.