NAPIER PARK MEETING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 127, 15 June 1937, Page 11

NAPIER PARK MEETING

(Notes by "Hermit")

The steeplechasers at the Napier Park meeting were not high class. Useful jumpers and that is all. Dozie is consistent and a good jumper that never turns her head at a fence, but she' wanted the race on the first day to bring her on. • • • « The finish betwecn Wykemist and Dozie on Saturday was well worth going to see. For the last half-mile there was never more than half a Iength between the pair, and after crossing the last fence, when Wykemist had a slight lead, it Iooked like a win for him. but Dozie stuck gamely to her task and answering every call of lier rider, got up in the last few strides to win-by a head • - • • Wykemist is a good fencer und up to a bit of weight, and he shquJd win more cross-country events whon tbe company is not too select. He was responsible for making tho pace on Saturda-y a fast one *> # • Monarchy ran a good race for 2~1 miles on King's Birthday, wlien he was cafrying 2st. «21b. overweight, but he was ridden into the ground taking on everything that came along, and the grueiling he got on Wednesday must have taken some of the steel out of the game old battler, for notwithstanding a drop of £st. ju the weights he did not run so well on Saturday. « • '* # There were no new faces among the older flat performers, but some of the old faces were making a re-appearance after a spell, and they mostly did well « « # Joviality, who has been off the scene for some time, and who has only been in W. McKinnon's stable at Greenmeadows for a few weeks, was the surprise packet of the meeting. He has always been a quick beginner, and in his race each day he was first out and first home. He has come to hand quickly, and may win again before long. He paid over a score for a pound when he won on the first day, and a nice dividend when he repeated the performance on the second day. • • • Passion Fruit, on the second day, made his re-appearance after a spell. He is still rather on the big side, but the race he had on Saturday should do him good and it should not be long before his number is hoisted in first position by a judge.

Pakanui was easily the best of tho sprinters seen out at the meeting and he represents good handicap class. Most of the others are mcreiy good hacks. * « • Of the scurry and trial liorseo I like best the three two-year-olds which ran. on Saturday, especially Thala and Star Lad. The former is p, racy-looking brown filly by Arausio (imp.)-Curtsey, and she has a nice style oi galloping. She should develop into a good three-year-old. Star Lad is a very powerfully built chestnut colt by Captain Brinsby (imp.)-Lady Star. He is a Derby prospect on books, but is rather a heavytopped gelding that will require a long. steady preparation to get him fit. On looks and breeding he might havre made a good sire, but as a colt he might not have been a good racehorse. Tullamore is a useful sort, but he had the advantage in aondition as compared with the other two-year-olds * » * Jocynth, another two-year-old by Gainscourt (imp.)-Conchita, is another likely one. A neatiy built chestnut filly she shows a good deal of pace. « * m Paul Robeson is probably the best of the novices at the present time, but will find it much harder to beat somo of the others next season * «= • Contact and Kentucky Song are a fairly good pair of hurdlers up to mile, but Contact's wind infirmity is likely to prevent him getting a really long distance. Kentucky Song may go a bit further. She jumps well and has fair pace. She was made a lot of use of 0n both days, and this may have accounted for her defeat on the second day when she had 121bs. more to carry. The hurdle races were run at a fast bat oach dav, W. McKinnon was the most successful trainer, with three wins to his credit, Mr. C. E. Twist, J. E. Olsen and W. D. Young being next with two winners eacli, while H. Dulieu, F. W. Stowe, J. W Nixon, J. H. Jefferd and Messrs. J. D. Jobson and R. G. Fentou trained one winner each . • . * m R. Marsh, S. Anderson and J. Forsyth rode two winners each at tho meeting. M. Grindle^, 1. Rohloff, H. Callalian, C. Carroll, G. Tattersall, A. Lord, S. Wilson and' Mr. C. J. Miller eacli piloted one winner.