TURF CLUB MEET

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20073, 20 October 1939, Page 11

TURF CLUB MEET

RACES AT MAKARAKA EASY FOR DE FRIEND CHIEF HANDICAP WIN GAY MIMICS FLYING Scratching? reduced promising fields in the later races at the Makaraka course to-day during the running of the first day’s programme of the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s spring meeting. Two races in succession were actually three-horse events, one entry in each failing to go off when the starter gave the word. Nevertheless the sport held plenty of interest, though the volume of betting was reduced substantially in comparison with the' first day of the same meeting last year. At the end of the fourth race £2184 had passed through the totalisator, compared with £2575 for the corresponding four races last year, a decrease of £391.

Close Finish in Flying-

Four went out for the Flying Handicap, but only three took part in the race, Fairy Foe refusing to go near the starting post. Of the other three Boldstep started first and was in front for a furlong and a half, with Gay Mimic second and Golden Blonde third.

Then Golden Blonde went to the front and they raced in close order round to three furlongs, where Gay Mimic ran into second position. At the turn for home Gay Mimic challenged Golden Blonde and came away steadily to win by a length, with Bold Step finishing strongly to take second money from Golden Blonde by a head.

The race was marred by the behaviour of Fairy Foe, who was lined up and started long after the others were away and ran a furlong and a half before she threw her rider, N. Vaughan, and then tumbled and appeared to roll on him. The jockey looked to be in bad shape, but he recovered sufficiently after a few minutes to walk to the ambulance.

Convincing Win

Another convincing win by a Fitzgerald entry was seen in the Makaraka Handicap, in which De Friend led all the way to win by a length without being bustled. The competition was reduced by the scratching of Gay Mimic in the first place and again by the refusal of Hunting Mint to go off when the tapes rose, leaving only Pennycomequick and Sky Way to give the top weight a run.

De Friend got off the mark with characteristic smoothness and was clear in the lead around to four furlongs, with Pennycomequick next and Sky Way third. Then Sky Way made a move and ran up on the outside of De Friend, but the latter was running comfortably within himself and went out for a bit more pace m the straight. He beat off Sky Way with little trouble, to win by a length. Pennycomequick was a close third, but never looked like giving the winner any competition. RESULTS IN DETAIL Flying Handicap

First £9O, second £7, third £3; 0 fur-

longs. 1— GAY MIMIC, F. Tolerton’s ch.g., syrs., Mimetic—Princess Nata, 7.10 (O. Evans) . . • • .. 1 2 BOLDSTEP, G. D. Jobson’s ch.g, syrs., Hunting Song—Warstep, 8.3. car. 7.10 (R. G. Kerr) .. 2 3 GOLDEN BLONDE, E. N. Fitzgerald’s eh.m., 6yrs„ Defoe— Crisis, 9.0, car. 8.9 (E. Baker) .. A Also started. —4 Fairy Foe, 7.0, car. 7.6 (N. Vaughan). Won by a length, and a head. Time, lmin. 14 l-ssec. MAKAEAKA HANDICAP First £125, £lO5 and trophy value £2O presented by Mr. E. Loisel, second £lO, third £5; 1 mile. 1— DE FRIEND, E. N. Fitzgerald’s b.g„ aged, Defoe—Jeanette, 9.3, carried 8.12 (E. Baker) .. .. 1 4 SKY WAY, T. Fraser's b.g., aged, Psychology—Flash Lady, 7.0 (G. Gilchrist) 2 2 PENNYCOMEQUICK, J. W. Nixon’s b.m„ 6yrs., Hunting Song—Autumina, 7.3 (N. Vaughan) 3

—Also started: 3 Hunting Mint, 7.10 (W. Cavaney).

Won by three-quarters of a length and two lengths. Time, lmin 42 2-ssec.