RACING NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1920, Page 4

RACING NEWS.

(Per Press Association.) AWAPUNI GOLD CUP. PALMERSTON NORTH, April 21. Chief interest in the racing at Awapuni to-day centred around the meeting of Arrowsmith and Amythas in tho Gold Cup, many sportsmen having travelled from as far afield ais Auckland and AVellington for the express purpose of seeing the two champions measure strides over a mile and a quarter at weight-for-ago. The pair were surrounded by excited and speculative | crowds as they were prepared for the i fray in the saddling paddock, and were | greeted with, vigorous and sustained I handclapping as they entered the birdcage together. Tlie track was very soft j from the heavy rain of the previous i night, and light showers of the early j afternoon and this was generally expected to be more prejudicial to the , English horse than to the three-year- . old"who was in receipt of some eight . pounds from his doughty opponent. Both were looking well, though Amy- j thas appeared to be scarcely as bught j as lie was at Trentham last wo-.-c, while , Arrowsmith seemed to be all the better j for his gallop in the Thompson Hanii- j cap..- In the canter past, Amythas show- . ed to better advantage, bis sweeping : stride making lighter of the sodden turf than did Arrowsmith’s more eonfin-j ed action at a slow pace. The tctalisator -at once made the three-year-old a j good favourite, and when ihe machine j closed his figures were just double those ! of the English horse, and well over the three thousand mark. Of the other competitors Vagabond turned out in ; good trim, was best backed, but his ( figures were comparatively insignificant, j and either Miss Gold or Star Lady j would have paid . a thumping dividend if by any chance the rest of the field had fallen down. At the barrier Aliss Gold was No. 1, Vagabond No 2, Amythas No. 3, Star Lady No. 4, and Arrowsmith No. 5. Tlie quintet were in beautiful line when tlie tapes went up, and rail to- ’ gether over the first hundred yards, j when Aliss Gold drew out anil led Amythas by two lengths past the stand and round the bottom turn, with Vagabond and Arrowsmith together a length behind the favourite, and Star Lady whipping in. At the six furlong post Amythas went up to Aliss Gold, and improving tlie race took command at the end of the next furlong, where Arrowsmith began to move up, leaving Vagabond behind and quickly disposing ol Miss Gold. At the top of the straight the favourite was just clear of the Eng. lisli horse, but when H. Gray sat down to ride tho latter he got up to the leaders’ quarters and as they Hashed past the stewards’ stand was still running on, but in the next twenty yards his efforts were expended, and A. J* AteFlinn shaking up Amythas, and riding him right out, got home by a length, with Vagabond ten or twelve lengths away third. It was a splendid race between ' tlie two champions, both having struggled on in the heavy going with the utmost gameness, and they were accorded a reception worthy of their performance on returning to the birdcage and weighing in. Both had put their last- ounce of effort into tlie finish, and both had been admirably ridden. It was the severest race Amythas has run, and lie was the more done of the two, after they had been rubbed down and sent away to their boxes. Air F. S. Easton was not present to see his representative win owing to his son’s illness, and Mi; O Freeman received the cup on his account at the hands of the President of the Club, and appreciately acknowledged the enthusiastic applause which accompanied the presentation. CITY AND SUBURBAN. (Received this day at 8 a.in.) LONDON, April 21. The City and Suburban Handicap resulted.—Corn Sack 1, Square Measure 2, Furious 3. Sixteen ran. Won by a short head, a neck dividing second and third.