JONATHAN'S RECORD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 26, 23 October 1937, Page 19

JONATHAN'S RECORD

(Special — Hfom "Early Bird"). ,

Promising Sprinters Revealed at Avondale NORTHERN FORM

AUCKLAND, This Day. The forward running of Eingshot at Avondale suggests that lie is returning to his best form. On the first day he pushed up on tho rails at tho half distance and looked like winning, but h.e did nOt go on. On the sOcond day he was considerably hampered by Alytk, and this cost him some ground, despite which he was second, less than a length from the winner, King Timo. . Mention of King Theo recalls the fact that his success on Monday last was ptobbaly the most popular of the meeting, for he is trained at Avondale, and he gave his rider, also a loeal suburban,- his first winning ride, so while he Was not the favourite, local racegoers . gave him a good reception. Another very popular victory on Monday was that of Kelly, his diminutive rider, G. Gilchrist, coming in for an ovation. The race at Avondale for apprentice riders last Monday served to show up A. Curwen in a promising light, for he gave an ideal illustration of how to sit still and win on a horse. He rode PaluBtre, and even when Land Girl ranged alongsido at the distance he Was quite unperturbed, and only in the last hundred yards did he give PiGustre a gentle reminder and the mattf did the rest, with the boy still sitting quiet. Bustliiig taetics might easily have brought about a difterent result. Runs Well Undet Pressure. jp"*- «. • Tosh ran two solid races at Avondale, and trainer M. J. Carroll should have no difiiculty in placing his Aus-tralian-bred sprinter to advantage in the next few weelca and later on when the provineial circuit eommences in earnest. T.osh was second each day last week-end, and a feature of his racing was the generous manner in which he ran on under pressure. Tray Bit is another sprinter that is beginning to come back to form, for his final burst of speed in Monday 's race was very good under conditions which did not help him. Orate revealed a lot of speed in his two outings^at Avondale, and he is one that should improve further, especially when he comes to race on a turning course. At the same time he did not go quite as fast. as it was : thought he would, and so did not get a very big break on his opponent^ while he came back to them ratkef quickly up the long straight. Tracks lilte Te Awamutu (where he is trained) and Thames will suit him best, and he may be worth remembering when he races at home some weelcs hence. ^ Philemup and Gay Streak were two good hacks that did not experience mnch luck in the running at Avondale. Tlie former finished very solidly into second place the first day, and again from well back on Monday he camo up into fifth position. He is not a big fellow, and 9.1 probably .hampered him a bit too. Philemup was well back each day also, and his fourth on Saturday was not repeated on Monday, when lie failed to get out of the ruck. These comments can also be made te apply to Captain Bruce, bue he has only to strike an easy track to be diffidult to beat.

A Pine Kecord. One of the most pleasing features of tho racing last week-end was the retufn to form of Jonathan, now an eight-year-old, and it was indeed fitting that his dual success should have been scored at Avondale, scene of his best effort, when he won the Poley Handicap under 9.12 in 2.4 1-5, time which has never been approached in the pfovinee. This outstanding effort was thfe culmination to a brilliant sequence of vjetories, four of them on end, in each of which he fractured the time record for the race. He won very convincingly on Saturday, and on Moiiday he overcame difficulties in the straight in impressivo fashion, although it may not be correct that lib is as good as he was in his heyday. Jonathaii is a proficient hufdior, but his form on the fiat will deiay his appearance as a jumpef. To date he has won £3710 in stakes, mere thau half of which was Secured at four years, when he indulged in that wonderful sequence of record-breaking victories. He is now to be put aside and Will i'aeo next at Ellerslie at Clii'lstinas.