NORTH NOTES.

NZ Truth, Issue 804, 9 April 1921, Page 7

NORTH NOTES.

Still going strong — Tenacious. Only three of the nine runners m the Avondale Steeplechase finished the course. I The English-bred Swift Flight, is along way from a champion, but he may be good next season; Canzonet is being raced over longer distances but he does no better than m short sprints. The consistent but hitherto somewhat unlucky Jollie Princess won the Maiden March with her head on her chest. Thanks to Swift Flight being m the race, she paid a good price. Ashley Reed rode a fine race on Landslide m the Avondale Handicap and waited behind the leaders till well m the straight and then strolled along to gather flrst money. Gold Kip ran a banging good race m the Avondale Handicap and when he swung into the straight m front it looked as ■ though Goldfinch would land the chestnut a winner. However, he coiiid not keep Landslide off and had to be content with second money. King Abbey did not jump out m front m the Railway, and as always happens then, he finished a bad last. He must have matters all his own way to do any good. There is nothing clever m accepting for a horse for the Avondale meeting and sending him to Wellington two days later. .There is some satisfaction when such horses get beaten. Are you listening, the Golden Bubble people? Tenacious continues to bob up serenely, and at Avondale he downed a strong field m the hurdles, and incidentally, paid a good price. E. Copestake rides the old Gluten gelding to perfection. When Luperino fell m the hurdles he cut his head about badly and it will be some time before he is able to race again. Thrace is looked upon fas a champion over the small fences,'' but he does not win many races. . Lord Kenilworth is not nearly the horse he. was a season ago and his only chance of winning a race is to get out m front and go for the doctor. Daniels, who rode Coroglen m the Steeplechase, was hanging out of the saddle twice but made two wonderful recoveries. . Capsal won the Steeplechase m a jog and at the finish R. Manson pulled hipi up to almost a walk. This is all right when you win, but if he had been beaten the stewards would have been justified m taking Manson's license away. Dead Sweet, who has always been looked upon as one of the short-winded brigade, won the Oakley Handicap, nine furlongs, from end to end, and really never looked like being caught. The chestnut was ridden by Armstrong, who by the way, does not get a great deal*- of ridiijg. Stork looked a picture when he ran m the Oakley, but he could only get third. With a better rup m the early part Numerrant would have been m the money m the Oakley Handicap. She stumbled at the start and afterwards got snowed m on the fence for the greater part pf the trip. „ Miss Melva, the favorite, was almost down at one stage of the Oakley, and no notice should be taken of her getting beaten. But for running all over the course m the Maiden, Golden Abbey would have been second instead of being beaten out of a place. Lady Glissas and Navanna eacli finished on well at the end of the Maiden. The Juvenile Handicap was won easily by Leithfield, who was one of the few well served at the start. Unahi jumped out well m the Juvenile but at the end of a "furlong was nearly last. Jn the straight he was finishing on m great style, but there were still two m front of him when the judge was reached. Mentmore, who was at any old price, was out m front' and going so well that he looked a winner of the Hurdles, but at the last fence he blundered badly and this cost him a lot of ground and both Tenacious and Guerre -a -Mort beat him home. No Mistake jumps well and later on when more seasoned may be equal to winning a' small hurdle race. Slowcoach did not jump at all well and was beaten all through the piece. After tailing the field along for most of the trip, Multive finished well m fourth place. Penona was m a good position m the early part of the Avondale Handicap, but blew, out before entering 'the straight. Tinohoro led for seven furlongs m the big race, but headed off by Gold Kip, the AVaikato gelding went to the pack very quickly. Mangamahoe got anything but a good run m the big race, but even so. it is doubtful if he could have done much better than he did. Tieki was first out m the Railway, but though King Abbey momentarily got m front at the end of two furlongs, as soon as King Abbey retired Tieki went on to win comfortably from Archie. The grey gelding paid a royal price. At one stage of the Railway Handicap, Crowhurst was last, but getting a lucky run on the fence he was able to finish third. The surprise of the day was the good price paid by Khublai Khan m the Titirangi Welter. On form, he should have been at a short price.. Scrap o' Paper led for nearly six furlongs m the Welter, when Bang took charge, ljut m the straight Khublai Khan put m a' run and won well. Matatane was a big tip m the Welter but the brown mare was beaten into third place after having every chance. War Tank was -doing as we'll as anything m the race at the end of the AVelter, and if he\Could begin more quickly he Avould not be long catching a stake. Who says money is tight? At Avondale the first day £67,154 went through the machine compared with £35,378 10s on the corresponding day last year, an increase of- £31,775 10s. At a special meeting of the Auckland Raeii*-*.- Club last week," the -question, of providing increased »otalisalor facili'.j.-s was gone into, and it was decide 1 to adopt the machines used m Paris. By this means tickets can be purchased at, different places on the course, and at all selling places the -grand 'totals are shown. Possibly there will bo a machine, erected inside, one on the' outside enclosure, and one on the hill known as the picnickers' ground. There is no getting away from the fact that the A.R.C. leads the way. I