Hastings Races

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 15, 11 October 1937, Page 15

Hastings Races

EXCITING FINISHES Hunting Cat Wins Spring Handicap C0NCWJD1NG EVENTS Sorae excellent racing was provided in the CQneluding eyents at. tEe Hawie's Bay Joctey Ciub's spring meeting, lield at Hastings on Saturday, The Spring Handicap provided. a» exr celient finish between Big Hook and Hunting Cat, in which Hunting Cat just managed to sliow abead by a nose after the pair had raced neck and necis for some distance. Big Hook looked the likely wiuner. The fields were brought weii together by the handicapper, Mr H. Coyle, and the decisions by Mr M. B. Bergin as judge gave every satisfaetion. The starting tbroughout by Mr W. Price was of a high order despite the large and difficult fields that he had to deai with. The secretary, Mr A, E. "Wishart, and his offioials are to be commended upon the iine T?ay in- "which the arTangements for the meeting vrere car^ ried out. J3. Wiison was tfce most successful horseman witk'two winniiig mounts. The, totalisator kandied .'^9875 10/for the day, as against £7033 10/- for the eorresponding day last year, an iucrease of £2842. At the conelusion of the Gloucester Cup race the very handsome silvur cup presented by his Eoyal Highness fhe Duke of Gloucester was presented to the -winner, Mr G. B. Beateon, by the Hon. H. A. Eussell, M.L.C. In congratulating Mr Beatson upon his success, Mr Eussell said it gave him very great pleasure indeed to preseht the very fine trophy to the president of the Hawke's Bay Jookey Club and a. very fme sportsman who had donp a great deal not only for the club but for racing in Hawke's Bay. Mr Beatson had been a supporter of racing for a very long time, since he wae quite a young man, in f act, and he liked breeding and training his own horses, thus showing that his love of tna thoroughbred waa equally as great as his love of racing. He not only bred the horses he raced, but he trained them also, and, as was natura;, ho liked to see his'son following in hig foptsteps and riding in gentlemen riders' races, So it was that they had the threefold pleasure of having to congi.atulate Mr gpatspn, senr,, upqn having bred, raced and trained the winner of the very handsome cup. They had also to congratulate the son upon having ridden a good and well-judged race. The race badNjrawn a splendid field, it had been contested in a fine sporting spixit, and Ihey had witnessed a particularly close finish, -well worthy, of such a fine trophy. Bacing clubs in New Zealand owed a deep debt of gratitude to his Eoyal Highness the Duke of Gloucester for donatipg such a handsome trophy for the encouragement of races for gentlemen riders. It, was typical of the very great interest which representatives of British Eoyalty took in clean spoTt. He was. frare the trophy -would be rogarded as one pf the greatest prizee that New Zealand sportsmen could win. Mr G. D. Beatson, in acknowledging the Teceipt of the cup and the cougratulatofy remarks of Mr Eussell, said he felt very proud indeed at having won the trophy, not for the value of the trophy but for that love of sporfr ivhieh had prompted his Eoyal Highness to donate the cup, and which had prompted so many owners to come frorn all parts to compete for the honour of winning it. That- was the stimulus — not the value of the race won, but the honour of winning — and he felt proud that on this occasion the honour had fallen to him. It had been a good xace, and aU who tQ0k part in such a great sfcruggle wero ejua!ly deserving pf congratulation for the fine race they had pufc up. The eoncluding events resulted:— NURSERY HANDICAP Of #110; 4 furlongs. 1 SUDAN, Mr T, C, and Mrs J. N. Lowry's b.f.? by Beau Perer— . Sabara 8.0 (S. Anderson) 1" Djana Tetrix, Mr W. lan HamEton's cb.f. 8.Q (H. Young) ... 2 Jeanee, Mr A. \V. Aker's b.f. 8.0 (A, Jpnkins) ... 3 Alsjj started; 10 Cenfcreppise 8.5, (J. Walsli), 4 Imogen 8.0 (L. Molloy), 8 Merry Sinion 8.5 (S. Wilson), 9 Rakahtnga 8,Q (J. DQQley), § Littl© Dorrit 8d (H. Dorman), 7 The Ring 8.0 (H. Callahan). (Winner trained by Mrs A, W. Mp» Donald. Awapuni.) Tbe eleyen runners got away from a fair dpspatcli with the exception pf Imogen, who sufl'ered sligbt interferr ence at the rise of the barrier, Tlie colours first to be discerned were those of Rakapanga, who took up tho role of pacemaker from Diana Tetrix, Joanne and Sudau, hut When the home turp was being negotiated the leader ran wide to losp a few lengths, aliowing Diana lettix to take over the lead when heads were tnrned for home, Diana Tetrix was flat out at the distance when Sudau. made her challenge, and fiutshing with her eats pricked went on to win bfy one and a-half lengths, with Jeanne two lengths back third, and Rakapanga, coming again, fourth. Time, 48 2-5secs. SPRING HANDICAP. Of £175; U niile. 1 HUNTING CAT Mr O. Nelson's b.g. by Hunting Song — Catalani 6yrs 8.9 (S. Wilson) ... ... ... I 3 Big Dook— Mr A. V\. Loisel's eh g. aged 8.3 (S. Anderson) ... 2 2 Padishali, Mr J. A, Heuuah's, br.g. aged, 8.7 (J. Dooley) M. 4

Also started: 1 Passion Fruit 7,7 (H. Callahan) and couplied with Hunting Cat, 4 Tiger Gain 8.0 (D. Lamb), 5 Maine 7.7 (G. Tattersal). (Winner trained by G. W. B. Greene, Hastings). Froin a good start Passion Fruit, Tiger Gain, Hunting Cat and Big Dook was the order, with Padishah and Maine bringing up the rear. Not one of the six runners was anxious to take up the position of pacemaker, with the result that when the field passed the winning post the first time they wero only going at an ordinary three-quarter pace, with Tiger Gain in front. of Passion Fruit, Hunting Cat and Big Dpok. Going into the back stretch the half dozen runners were strung out, with Tiger Gain, Passion Fruit, Hunting Cat, . Big Dook, Padishah and Maine in that order. At the half-mile the only alteration in the order was that Maine had gone up one, and Padishah was last. Between this point and the three and a-half the pace was cracked on a little3 and Tiger Gain and Hunting Cat entered the straight abreast from Passion Flower, Big Dook, Maine and Padishah. Tiger Gain was the firBt to give way, .then Big Dook made his challenge, and Padishah, coming fast on the outside, was making his effort, At the distance Big Dook appeared to have the measure of Hunting Cat, but S. Wilson, on the latter. rode a great finish, and Big Dook went down by a nose. Padishah was three lengths back third, but the slow pace set did not suit him. Passion Fruit was a fair fourth, and Maine just beat the last horse, Tiger Gain. Time, 2.10. LITTLE FLAXMERE HANDICAP. Of £110; 6 furlongs. 2 THE B1GOT, Mr F. F. Newman's b.g.3 by Baralong — Bonnie Lady 4yrs 8.6 (S. Wilson) ... 1 15 Granvale, Mr R. I. Jeffares' ch. g., aged 8.0 (H. Gilmer) 2 13 Huntette, Mr O. G. Ancell's oh.m., oyrs 9.0 (T. Tito) ... ... 3 Also started: 6 Fossicker 8.12 (J. Walsh), 5 Trailer 8,9 (S, Anderson), 1 Rotoma 8.7 (A. Jenkins), 4 Taro 7,3 (L. Molloy), 4 Thala 7.5 (J. Forsyth), 3 Son and Heir 8.6 (H. Young), 8 Colieen Gain 7.12 (J. McNaughton), 9 Felicitation 7.11 (D. Lamb), 17 Hamarin 7.5. (H. Callahan) 16 Money Raid 7.3 (I. Briggs), 10 Gironde 7.8 (J. Leach), 12 Tullamore 7.6, (G, Tattersal), 7 Le Touquet 7.9 (J. Pooley), 11 Gaelic Song 7.2 (A. S- Bennett), 18 Flame Queen 7.0 (B. Stowe), 14 Raana 7.2 (T. Dorman). (Winner trained by L. G. Morris, Awapuni). There was but one scratching in this big field, and after very little delay the 19 starters went off in a, fair fine. The early order was The Bigot, Le Toqqet, Huiitette, Fossicker, Cplleen Gain, Flame Queen and Raana, After a fuflong had bpen traversed Le To-> quet met with slight interference, and again later met with trouble, which cost him many lengths. The Bigot still led at the far turn from Huntette, * Colieen Gain, Flame Queen, Raana and Gaelic, Song, while .the. eventual run-ner-up Granvale, was well baek. The Bigot was slightly eased in the nest furlong and a-half ? allowing Huntette and Colieen Gain to lead him into the straight, just ahead of Flame Queen, on the rails. vWith the winning post in sight The Bigot, gxven a reminder, went pn to gain an impressive win by a good length from Granvale, who came from well back. Huntette was three. lengths back third, followed closely by Felicitation (going better at the finish than at any part of the journey), Flame Queen and the unlucky Le Toquet. Time, 1.14. FLY1NG HANDICAP. Of £120 ; 6 furlongs, 3 JOVIAL1TY, Mr F. T. Hall's br.h., .by Hunting Song— .-Merry Roe 7.7 (G, Tattersall) 1 2 Oratory, Mr T. A. Duncan's ch. m., 5yrs 9.0 (S. Wilson) 2 1 Pakanui, Mr M. Reedy's br.h. Syrs 8.4 (S. Anderson) ... ... 3 Also started: 4 Black Thread 7.6 (T. Dorman), 7 Pladie 7.11 (J. Forsyth), 6 Brunhilde 7,3 (J. Campbell), 5 Mata Hari 7.4 (H. Callahan). (Winner trained by W, N. McKinnon, Greenmeadows.) i Joviality began hest and led from i Pakanui, Oratory, Black Thread, Mata , Hari', pladie and Brunhilde. At the half-mile Joviality was still going easily at the head of affairs, while Mata ! Hari had rushed up from the rear to ' take over second position, just ahead of Black Thread, Oratory and Pladie, with Brunhilde still bringing up the rear. By the timo the home stretch was reached Pakanui had disgraced Mata Hari, with Black Thread also improving his position, and Mata Hari dropping back to fourth, slightly ahead of Oratory and Pladie, Joviality was never headed and ran home a winner by one and a-half lengths, with Oratory, finishing the best of the others, in eecond position, two lengths to'the good of Pakanui. Black Thread weighed in fourth. Time, 1.14.