BIRTHDAY BOY BEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 116, 13 November 1939, Page 11

BIRTHDAY BOY BEST

AVONDALE MEETING

ORATE AGAIN AT BIG ODDS

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, November 11

The King. George Handicap, principal event on the opening day of the Avondale Jockey Club's Second Spring Meeting today, dwindled to half a dozen runners at starting time and backers were on the spot when they chose Birthday Boy over Balinavar and Scotland, for the first-mentioned pair paid the dividends. Balinavar went to the front at barrier rise,, and with nothing wanting to deprive him of the honour the pace was very slow. •It was only when heads were turned for home that the race seriously began. Then Birthday Boy challenged hotly and wore Balinavar down, while Royal Appellant was a fair third and Scotland fourth. The result might have been just the same had: the race been truly run. CONSISTENT ORATE. Orate again proved his fitness .by winning the Electric Handicap comfortably at the finish. Miss Te Koura set a good pace and.she was still hold ing an advantage at the distance, where Orate ranged alongside and then beat her home, returning yet another double-figure dividend. Bronwen came on for third over Erndale and Aero King. She was disinclined to gallop in the early part, and so her third placing was very meritorious. Llangollen had every chance but was never travelling kindly. BACK IN GOOD FORM. Mon Acre ran herself- out at the distance in the Members' Handicap after beginning smartly, and Fidel isi who had gone with her most pf the way, was left in front. Then Silver Eagle and Ivy Willonyx tackled this mare and Ivy Willonyx obtained the verdict over Silver Eagle, with Inver just failing to overhaul Fidelis for third, Vaalso and Bright Idea headed the others. The winner is fast coming back to her best and she should be prominent on the • provincial circuit after the holidays, for she stays welL Fidelis will improve, and so will Vaalso. Hot Box started from the outside, an impossible position at this mile barrier. IMPROVING HURDLERS. Cintrace improved upon his second placing at Whangarei the* previous Saturday by winning' the Rangitoto Hurdles at double figures, Ringshot continued to reveal improvement by finishing a good second. Both these horses will make good at this branch. Royal Abb was hopelessly out of it early while tlie first and second horses were setting a torrid pace, and though he finished solidly he never had much chance of doing better than third. Wyndora gave an encouraging display for a novice, and but for a blunder at the final obstacle he might have been in the money. A CLOSE FINISH. A grand finish was staged in the Trial Stakes, with the favourite, Glen ConneU, a bit slow off the mark, finally beaten into third place, despite a strong finishing effort. Mayfair carried the field along to the distance, up to which point Tellsom^ and Princess Val were always prominent, arid over the last bit the last-named pair drew away for a close finish, with Glen Connell a good third. Mayfair was fourth, and best of the others -were Royal Fawkes, Cornish, and British Talent. PHALERON IMPRESSES, A very. fine colt wais produced to win the Juvenile Handicap in most decisive fashion. This was Phaleron. for whom Dr. McGregor Grant paid 500 guineas at the last national yearling sales. He began well, and was first into the home stretch, going on to win by a length and a half, with Queen City just holding off Kentucky. He showed brilliancy all the way, and j he must share the honours with Queen City of being the best youngster seen in the north to date. Queen City began a bit slowly, and then did not make much headway over the first quarter, but she did good work in the straight and her performance was full of merit. Kentucky registered his fifth minor! placing in as many starts. Grandora \ went fairly well for fourth, and Money i Spinner was the best pf the others. WEAKENED AT FINISH. j 'Bronze Moth, despite his weight, tried" to win the Three Kings Hack Handicap by leading after the first furlong, and he weakened only in the final hundred yards when Meadow challenged, the latter winning in very promising fashion and proving himself ( a cut above the average hack. Penzance was just in front of Sebrof for; third, the latter receiving a check on the rails twice crossing the top. Clipper finished strongly. OVER LINE TOGETHER. There was a desperate finish in the Nihotupu Hack Handicap. Bronze Step, Royal Tray, and Royal Message flashed over the line together, the last-named, on the rails, winning from the other pair, who were well across the track. At the half-distance Bronze Step bored out badly and interfered with Royal Tray, who was checked seriously, and but for this would have won. Royal Message was prominent early and then dropped in behind to get a good run on the rails in the straight. Hunto pulled very hard early and was fourth, ahead of Devon and Erlick.