MASTERTON FORM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 21, 18 October 1937, Page 14

MASTERTON FORM

Our Own Correspondent..)

Cuddle's Weight Got the Better of Her

SHY IS BACK TO FORM

(From

WELLINGTON, This Day. The reappearance of Cuddle was a feature of the coneluding day of the Masterton spring meeting on SatuTday. The mare ran a good race, trailing Shy and Helen Eord to the distance, but her lOst. got the better of her and she was about seventh at the end." Cuddle did not swing along with the free- easy action which characterised her efGorts last season, but no doubt she will perform better at Trentham, for this race should sharpen her up. Sunee, winner of the event lastyear, stayed on well to seore in the Vallance Memorial Handieap from Hazoor. The easy track was ideal for Sunee, and he won well. He looks in splendid order, and as he is still down near the minimum he xuust be given a . .stayer's cliance in the handicaps at Wellington and also in the New Zealand Cup. On Masterton form Hazoor, who has had only three races this season, looks oue of the best lightweight prospects in the Wellington Handieap on Thursday. Ho is coming to hand quickly, and he has a luxurious weight. Shy is right back to his best form. He made all the paee in the Vallance Handieap after being badly kicked at the post by Pukeko, and weakehed only in the last half-furlong. Padishah was the first horse beaten, but Hunting, Cat was in the firing line until a few strides from the post, and '/h-e ^ was right up on terms in -fourth pla-ce with Shy. Pukeko ran a had race and Might, who was also kieked by Pukeko and then chopped out at the start, was last nearly all the way. Clessamor derived the expeeted improvemept from his race on the first day and easily won the Waipipi Handieap. However, in the hands of a more experienced rider Brunhild would have been much harder to beat. This filly is not easy for an apprentice to handle. Matoru, a high-class performer last season, made his reappearance for the season but was last all the way. He gave no line to his Wainui Handieap prospeets. Happy Heels, who was not produced on the opening day, won the maiden race almost as conelusively as Lady Chat did on Thursday, but he is, not as good as the filly. Happy Heels is by Lackham from the good raee mare Cleasanta, and should win sprints in the hack division. Amoroso was a costly failure in the maiden event, for. which he was an odds-on favourite. He had every chance, but the long straight beat him and bored out over the final furleng to weaken into fourth plaee. He is not going on to Trentham. Maidens who competed at Masterton and who may shortly improve are Fairy Dale, Twilight Song and Dancing Flame. Lustral, who was badly left in a hack race on the opening day, came home at nearly donble figures to" win the highweight from Good Sun. Pladie closed up as soon as pressure went on, but Journet ran a fair race after a slow beginning, showing that he is in fairly forward order for his Trentham engagements. The Hawke's Bay-owned hacks Lindrum and Geira had a speetaculaT struggle in the Macara Handieap, which produced one of the greatest finishes ever seen on the Opaki course. Lindrum, Geira, Alunga and Diamond Cutter passed the post • almost ih line, the judge declaring for a dead-heat between the two first-named, with Alunga half a head away third and Diamond Cutter a neck back fourth. A stride past the post Lindrum was a winner. He is a solid hack likely to graduate fairly quickly. Geira was stopping quickly at the end, but Alunga was doing it well and may win a race at Trentham. Le Toquet ran poorly, and Lucullus Lad missed the jiimp out.. Taro carried heavy support in the Spring Hack Handieap, but he ran orratieally. Royal Record . showed a skarp improvement on his first day 'a form, finishing on much better to hold off a strong challcnge from Sigurd, who ran well up to his first day.'s form. Gironde was very lucky and should have paid a dividend instead of finishing third. Chat did not get the best of passagos in the Chapipion Hack, but it is questionable whether she would have beaten Liane, who ran up to her best form. Sunny Blonde failed only in the last furlong, and Lady Siegfried did not hang on as well as expeeted. Hamarin made an improved showing. Windward was a surprise winner of the mile event, in which he pushed up on the fence at the distance and caused some crowding, from which Ringsido was the principal sufferer. Joe Louis was in the picture i'or seven furlongs.