SPRING RACING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20075, 23 October 1939, Page 3

SPRING RACING

TURF CLUB MEET BIG RACE TO SKYWAY KINDERGARTEN’S WIN GAY MIMIC’S SECOND UP SURPRISE IN LAST EVENT Dividends were monotonously small during the greater part of the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s spring meeting, which closed on Saturday, but there were exceptions in the case of the Spring Handicap, won by Skyway, and in the last event, the Departure Hack Handicap, won by Diana Tetrix.

The latter returned a substantial figure to her backers, who were luckier than the average, for two horses that clearly had the beating of Diana Tetrix cancelled each other out in a wide swing at the turn for home. They were Smiling Personality and Mimicry, first and second favourite, and it was due to the hanging-out of Smiling Personality that the race turned out as it aid and investors on the Wairoa entry’s chances profiled so well.

Skyway's win in the Spring Handicap was typical of the best form this runner has shown. He was never badly placed, and his rider look advantage of a slow pace half a mile from home to put Skyway out in front, with a good margin on the much more fancied Gay Mimic and De Friend. They never overtook him, though both made solid efforts in the straight.

Gay Mimic retrieved himself in a. later start, winning the Taruheru Handicap in good style by half a length from Okawa, a gallant little trier.

The day’s racing was good, but the totalisator interest of the spectators was not manifested in the usual degree. the investments falling oil by £1575 on the day, and bringing the deficit for the meeting to £2206 10s. On Saturday the total investments were £6201, wilile for the two days £10,709 10s was put through tile machine; the corresponding figures for last spring meeting were £7976 and £12,916. Slow Pace Suits Skyway Skyway was third in the betting for the Spring Handicap, but he was a good bit behind Gay Mimic, a very warm choice, and De Friend, the topweight, who also carried a good deal of money. There was a little delay at the start, and one break in which four of the five runners were concerned. When the tapes rose finally, Hunting Mint dawdled and did not get going until the others had gained several lengths. Pennycomequick was very eager and went out to the front on a tight rein, with Gay Mimic and De Friend the next two, both bowling along well within themselves. Hunting Mint picked up the field just after turning out of the straight, and after lying in behind for half a mile further, shot up to second place, in behind Pennycomequick. Three and a half furlongs from home Skyway became prominent, and passed round the outside of the leaders to show the way into the straight. Gay Mimic and De Friend also came round, and they were about a length away from Skyway when they straightened up. Skyway finished on strongly, holding of! strong challenges by the belterfancied pair, and winning by a long head from De Friend, with Gay Mimic another length back third. Pennycomequick was fourth, and Hunting Mint last.

During the running of the race, Gay Mimic fell back quickly near the halfmile post, having apparently suffered a check from the attentions of a stray dog, which also had been observed on the course on the first day of the meeting.

Eighth for Fitzgerald String

Five of the seven starters in the Juvenile Stakes were the progeny of Kincardine, and three of them filled the places, Kindergarten giving Mr. E. N. Fitzgerald his eighth win at the meeting. The start was not perfect, and Millions was slow in getting off the mark. Kincarolc and Kintyre both got away well, blit the former quickly dropped back, a number of changes occurring in the order of the running before Kindergarten and Dusky Morn, the bracketed pair, came round and displaced Kinariki and Kintyre from the lead. The bracket turned into the straight on even terms, but in the run home only Kindergarten was able to beat off the challenge of Kintyre, Kindergarten won by a neck from Kintyre, and Dusky Morn was third a length and a half back, with Kina-. riki fourth, Millions fifth, Kincarolc sixth, and Rough Passage last. Making his second start for the day, Gay Mimic accounted for a fair field in the Taruheru Handicap, winning by half a length from the determined Okawa, with Golden Blonde third another half-length away.

Gay Mimic Comes From Behind

Pennycomequick and Golden Blonde were smartest off the mark, from a good start, and Okawa was well placed from the rise of the barrier, too. Coming past the four-furlong post, Pennycomequick was in the lead from Golden Blonde, but she dropped back a little further on. and Okawa came on the outside of the top-weight, Golden Blonde. Gay Mimic had been in behind the leading trio, and in close touch, up to this stage, and at the turn was given hjs head a bit. He ranged up alongside Okawa and Golden Blonde, to make a brisk finish of it, winning nicely with a sustained run. Okawa gave a good performance. but was just overshadowed by Golden Blonde. After the first three the order was Bold Step, Pennycomequick. and Lordly Knight. Backers of Diana Tctrix in the last race, the Departure Hack Handicap, had a slice of racing fortune when at •he turn for home Smiling Personality and Mimicry, who were well out in front, swung away from the rails and covered a lot of extra ground, letting the Wairoa entry through for a winning run on the rails. The performance of Smiling Personality belied her

name, for she not only ruined her own chances of success but also eliminated Mimicry from consideration, the pair finishing fourth and fifth behind Diana Tetrix. Proclamation, and Minnow. There were intervals of two lengths between the placed horses. Results in detail of the later events were as under; — SPRING HANDICAP, First £125. £lO5 and trophy valued at £2O. presented by John Dewar and Sons, Limited: second £lO. third £5; l.\ miles. 3 SKYWAY. T. Fraser’s b g, aged, Psychology—Flash Lady, 7.0 (G. Gilchrist) .. ■ . • ■ . . 1 2—DE FRIEND, E. N. Fitzgerald’s b g, aged, Defoe —Jeanette, 9.13, car. 9.8 (E. Baker) • - -. 2 I—GAY MIMIC. F. Tolerton's ch g, syrs.. Mimetic—Princess Nata, (O. Evans) .. .. ..3 Also Started—4 Hunting Mint, 7.9, car. 7.7 (L. Cullen); 5 Pennycomequick, 7.0, car. 7.01 (P. Fenton). Won by half a neck, and a length. Time, 2min. 12 4-ssec. JUVENILE STAKES, First £BS, including £5 donated by Mr. T. Utting; second £7, third £3; 5 furlongs. I—KINDERGARTEN, E. N. Fitzgerald’s br c, 2yrs., Kincardine— Valadore, 8.0 (O. Evans) .. 1 6—KINTYRE, K. G. Mclntosh’s br g, 3yrs„ Kincardine —Humoresque, 8.1 (R. G. Kerr) .. .. 2 1— DUSKY MORN, E. N. Fitzgerald’s blk g, 2yrs, Kincardine Our Bonnie, 7.1 (G. Gilchrist) 3 Also Started. —4 Kincarole, 8.1. car. 8.1 A (R. Marsh); 3 Millions, 8.1 <P. Williams): 5 Rough Passage, 7.4, car. 7.7 (L. Cullen); 2 Kinariki, 6.13. car. 7.0 (P. Fenton). Won by a neck, and U lengths. Time. lmin. 4 l-sscc. TARUIIERU HANDICAP, First £9O, second £7, third £3; 6 furlongs. 2 GAY MIMIC, F. Tolerton’s ch g, ayrs., Mimetic —Princess Nata, 8.4 (O. Evans) 1 4 OKAWA, A. D. Bruce's b m. aged, Psychology—Finland mare, Bfi, car. 8.2 (P. Fenton) .. 2 3 GOLDEN BLONDE. E, N. Fitzgerald’s ch m, 6yrs„ Defoe — Crisis, 9.2, car. 8.11 <E. Baker) 3 Also Started.—l Boldstep, 8.6, car. 7.13 (R. G. Kerr); 5 Pennycomcquick, 7.0, car. 7.7 (L. Cullen); 6 Lordly Knight, 7.0, car. 7.1 <G. Gilchrist).

Won by half a length each way rime, lmin. 16 4-sscc.

DEPARTURE HACK HANDICAP,

First 1190, second £7, third £3: 6 fur-

longs. S—DIANA TETRIX, J. E. Svenson’s ch m, 4yrs, Hunting Song— Tractrix, 7.9, car. 7.61 (L. Cullen) 1

3 —PROCLAMATION, O. w. B. Greene’s bik g, syrs„ Hunting Song—Sabcllion, 8.2 (R. Marsh) 2

4 MINNOW, W. Wilson's ch m, aged. Mimetic—Tuna, 8.2, car, 7.9 (P. Fenton)

Also Started. —1 Smiling Personality, 8.9, car. 8.4 (E. Baker); 2 Mimicry, B.a (O. Evans). Won by two lengths each way. Time, lmin. 16 2-ssec.