NAPIER PARK RACES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 45, 9 March 1937, Page 8

NAPIER PARK RACES

'The Barb")

The Form Reviewed

(By '

The racing was fair at the Napier Park meeting last Thursday and Saturday, though in the majority of cases the wins were decisive. However, the sport was of an intere3ting nature, the best finish being furnished by tbe two-year-olds on Saturday, when the three placed horses were almost in line; The starting was up to the average, but in many instances the riding could not be so d©3cribed. With the one oxception mentioned, the judge did not have a very hard jo,b. The class of horse out at the meeting was quite up to the general standard ontside tho larger centres. The High-weightc: The high-weights did not reyeal- anything out of the ordinary, though two or three may do better ,when the hurdles are up. The first day Red Eufus, though he won by a head only, won easily from the fast-tiring Royal Eoutine. The latter has the speed but very soon gets the "stitch" and, though he may win hurdles races in second class company, may not win on the flat under normal conditions. Curie, the second day's winner, certainly represented class among this lot, but the majority were of opinion that ha was not forwprcl enough to win over ten furlongs with practically eleven stone on his back. Gurie's win, while not saying much for his Saturday opponents, speaks well for -his chances in hurdle races when the tracks becoxne easier. Lord Hereford ran two fair races, but is an out-anal-out hnrdler. Still, had the fences been up and tbe weights the same, he might have scored easy victories. Lady Wessex might have been served better in the way of horsemanship, but as her rider was said not to have been on a horse since the New Year he was sadly out of form and condition. Tareha impro^ed a lot from the one day to the other and possibly, had his jockey not .been quite so anxious on Saturday, he might have been second. This Cape Horn gelding should not be long before he is returned a winner.

Middle-Distance Hacks There were two middle-distance hack races each day so that this class was practically divided into two classes. The first day Wananga, though finishing so wide out that many did not see him at' all, won decisively and in his present form should have a say in the liigh-weiglit on Thursday at Trentham. Last Thursday the oiiicial time' reeorded •vas 1.38 for Wananga 's mile, but private vratches made it 1.41. Agog was tried over a mile, fini'shing second to Wananga, but the second day, when brought back to a lesser distance, did hot do so well- Trailer 's best was a third while in his other start he finished fifth. These tyvo races will do him the world of good for P.ahiatua and *ne Easter meetings later on. Lucullus Lad Lucullus Lad was tried over ten furlongs in the Cup on opening day but found the distance beyond his staying powers. On Saturday over seven furlongs he won well. Up to a mile he is more than useful and at Trentham this Greenmeadows gelding will have to be sariously considered, as the opposition is not quite so struiig as is usual at that meeting. The Maidens One or two promising maideners we.v seen out. On the opening day Nelumbo won in a most decisive manner, the most surprising part of her victory beLig her finishing effort. She was going right away when the winning post was reached whereas in her previous races and in her track work she was weakening at the end of five furlongs. She goes to Wellington and a minor race looks like coming her way. On Saturday, Nereus, with Nelumbo out oi" Ihe way aud tho distance un extra iuriong, had no difliculty in winning. Drawing No. 10, it was thought he n'ight haA'e trouble over the early stagcs, Lut, getting a good clear junij out he was never further back than third and won without trouble. a 5-efc ,carried lig money botb days. On Saturday when near the front coming mto the straight she ran wide out asr she did at Wairoa anrd Gisborne and until She rectifies this bad habit will not induce much support round these parts. Possibly the right-handed tracks may suit her better. King's Hope ran two £air races, improving somewhat from the first to the second day. With thnt racing he may pick up a minor ewnt ( over the Easter meetings, ;

The Juveniles Ihe juvenRes were quite up to handicap standard. On Thursday Only One was installod a hot favourite but, getting badly away and tben suffering slight interference, had little chance over five furlongs. This handsome Limoi.d oolt is cn the improve all the time and it will disappoint if he does not come up to classic form next season. Son and Heir won well on Thursday, but he enjoyed the run of the race all the way. On Saturday ho again ran up to form, being defeated narrowJy into third place after giving .both 'he first and second place getters a fair start ove- the final two furlongs. He looks like developing stamina, so his future as a racehorse should be bright. Screen Star was another that ran two enterprising races to collect second money in his first artempt and go one better in his next up. He looks a decidedly improved youngster since iast saddled up. Money Raid was produced once and then Screen Star beat her by only a head". In all her races this filly has shown finishing ability and her ownertrainer, Mr R. Gregory, should have a ver useful three-year-old nexr season. Etzel, Kalika, Golden Memory, Mahur.ai, Tullamore and Lindrum were all having their first race and should benefit from the experience. The lastnamed, after the pace he had shown on the track, disappointed greatly by finishing in his one outing at least a hundred yards behind the nearest horse. The Ten-Furiong Events The ten-furlongs hacks were quite up to the standard. The first day King's Lancer won the Cup with Soho second. Both ran solid races and on Saturday with the Dannevirke gelding penalised Soho turned-the tables, King's Lancer finishing third. The unfortunate horse in both these events was the Gisborne owned and trained tbree-year-old gelding Ghy Hunter, who with an ounce of luck might have been successful either day. On Thursday he was badly away to trail the field and make up a lot of ground over the last two furlongs. On Saturday he was again knocked a little at the start and then lost a bit of ground on tbe outside running round the turns. Despite these disadvantages, he put up a fine finishing effort to go down by only a length to Soho. Gay Hunter will be starting at Trentham this coming Thursday and with luck and pqjhaps better liandling may make amends for these defeats.

The Sprinters The hack sprinters saddled up managed to make the grade. Tycoon on Tnursday won decisively, but 9.8 on saturday settled him. Last December he made a re-appearance on the turf and the handicapper let him in at the minimum, which was not surprising after the form shown when first tried. He has won three races in the interim, but two were at the Wairoa country meeting and the , other at Napier, so a lift to the 9.8 mark appears a little karsh. Royal Minstrel was started the first day only and, though he appeared to rneet with a little interruption when Hunting Step fell, would in any caso acarcely have beaten Tycoon. Jazz Boy in his one race disappomted, and until he masters up more stamina six turlongs will be too far. Blygain was not started the first day but, saddled up twice on Saturday, ran a first and a second. There is not a more honest or consistent hack racing in either island. Hunter 's Morn, like so many horses that behave badly at the barrier, was on the move when the order was given to "look out" and this advantage enabled him to gain second money. It is understood that he will very shortly be tried over hurdles and, judging by hi? build, he should furnish into an ideal jumper. Gironde eurprised on Saturday by achieving tho place of first favSurite. Sixth was his best, with no excusep offering. The Open Handicaps Thero was only one open race each day. On Thursday Sir Nigel was backed as though it was all over, but was truly and well beaten , by Penuycomequiek, a better aniinal on the day. On that race the lirst-day winner, despite a rise of 11 lbs., looked as if she would win again on Saturday, but she finished last in a field of live. Passion Flower was in the money on both occasions, but 9.0 proved beyond her powers. Lavina was not in the best of moods oithor day, as she was soen pulling hard with her head well up in the air and so beating herself. On Saturday Sansfoy made his firat appearance in open company and, though he got the worst of the jumpout and occ-upied last position for more than half the journey, he came oa

Btrongly over the latter part to win decisively. Unfortunately for his connection's this Royal Divorce gelding is .tveginning to whistle when extended, which is indeed hard luck, as he has given every promise of furnishing .into a first-class welter horse, Riders and Trainers R. Marsh was the moat successful horseman at the meeting and was in better luck than of late. On Soho on Saturday he rode a particularly well judged race, contributing greatly to the Defoe gelding 's success. He rode three winners in all, being followed by S. Anderson and P. Burgess with two each, while A. Jenkins, M. Gilmore, P. Atkins, J. Kellett, H. Young, N. Caveney and J. Forsyth each rode one winner. There was no trainer to turn out more than one winner, those getting a win apiece being G. W. B. Greene, J. Clements, J. O'Sullivan, J. M. Cameron, J. Nixon, A. E. Jones, W. MeKinnon, H. S. Greene, D. N. Ducker, J. H. Jefferd and W. H. Corlett. Non-pro-fessional owner-trainers successful were Messrs W. H. Gaisford, G. D. Eeatson and C. E. Twist.