Signal Officer’s Win at Riccarton

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 3

Signal Officer’s Win at Riccarton

SUCCESS IN CANTERBURY CUP

Special To Daily Times.

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 7.

The Canterbury Cup, as was the case last year, provided the thrill of the Riccarton meeting. A year ago the judge was unable to separate Soneri and Golden Souvenir, while on this occasion, with a photo to assist, the verdict was that the Southland gelding Signal Officer had beaten Beau le Havre, a hot favourite, by a nose. Kartikeya led out from Soneri, with Beau le Havre and Signal Officer following at intervals. They ran like this for a mile, with the gaps closing up as they neared the home turn. When the straight was reached Soneri joined Kartikeya, who retired quickly. The other pair joined Soneri a Tittle further on and went on to head her. Beau le Havre held a slight advantage inside the last furlong but Signal Officer was far from beaten. The pair settled down to a desperate struggle which held the crowd spellbound. Signal Officer gained on his rival inch by inch and they flashed past the post locked together.

Naturally the judge called for a photo, which had to be examined closely before Signal Officer got the verdict. The narrowest margin possible was how the judge summed up the race after consulting the photo. Soneri was half a dozen lengths back, with a longer gap to Kartikeya, who came back with a twisted plate and a damaged foot.

The weather was fine and there was a good atendancc. The course was in fast order. The totalisatoi put through £127,988. compared with £132.683 on the third day last year. The total for the meeting amounting to £400,141 10s. compared with £445,085 10s. Following are the results:— PORT COOPER HURDLES, Of £6OO. Two miles. 4/4 —Voltaire, 10.1 (M. Andrews) .. 1 1/I—Wane, 10.5 (R. Hawes) 2 9/9—Sir Saladin, 9.0 (J. L. Stove) 3 Also started: 2/3 The Raker, 8/8 Battle Chief. 5/6 Forage. 3/2 Foreign Ways, 6/5 Spanish Main, 7/7 Open Cast. Four lengths, seven lengths. Foreign Ways was fourth. Time, 3min 37 4-ssec IRWELL HANDICAP. Of £6OO. Five furlongs. 9/10—Curtana, 7.3 (D. Coombe) .. 1 1/I—Balkis, 8.0 (W. J. Broughton) .. 2 11/11—Top Deck, 7.13 (C. T. Wilson) .. 3 Also started: 3/3 Trident, 2/2 Golden Amber, 4/4 Finigin, 21/22 Hatrack, 14/14 Anytime, 19/19 Good Shot, 6/6 Card Money, 18/15 Conclusion, 17/18 Valley Gold. 16/17 Sky High, 5/5 Celtic Chief. 13/13 Profane, 15/16 Melif, 20/20 Discord 7/7 Bowling Green, 12/9 Blue Print, 10/12 Idle Jest, 21/21 Lady Josephine, 8/8 Village Beauty. A neck, three lengths. Finigin was fourth. Time, 59 4-ssec. STONYHURST HANDICAP, Of £BOO. Nine furlongs. 3/3—Renowned, 7.12 (L. J. Ellis) .. 1 1/I—Distinction, 8.11 (J. McFarlane) .. 2 5/4—Banshee, 7.9 (W. F. Ellis) .. .. 3 Also started: 7/7 Zorro, 2/2 Coral Arc, 4/5 Prince Coronach, 8/8 Detract, 6/6 Ballochbuie. 11/10 Glen Cona, 9/9 Broie, 11/11 General Argosy. A length and ahalf, three lengths. Coral Arc was fourth Time, lmin 53sec. HAGLEY HANDICAP, Of £SOO. Seven furlongs.

of a furlong Detain, Merry Robin and Revolte were next, with Gay Stroller Rosswood and Howe heading the other?. Merry Robin showed the way to Revolte arid the others past the seven-furlomi post, where Salmon Spear and Royal Tan also joined in. Then Catterick Bridge moved un to follow Merry Robin. Revolte. and Double Cross past the half-mile post Revolte led to the straight, with Merry Robin Salmon Spear, Double Cross. Detain. and Gay Stroller handy. Royal Tan had lost ground after running into trouble Revolte opened up a gap at the false rail. Howe then made his effort, but, though he headed the others, he never looked like catching Revolte, who won decisively Salmon Spear just failed to hold off Howe for second. Gay Stroller and Double Cross were close up. just in front of Roval Tan. who finished on well. Detain drifted to ninth alongside Palm Bearer, while the well-backed Indian Dawn never looked dangerous. Ashley Handicap Artful Maid and Sailor Boy were soon in charge in the Ashley Handicap, with Shere Khan, Responsive, Spare Part, and Sword Dancer next. Artful Maid drew clear along the back, having a lead of two lengths from the same bunch at the six furlongs, where Pageantrv and The Stormovik also joined in. Shere Khan joined Artful Maid in front at the halfmile and they led to the straight, with Tlie Stormovik, Spare Part, Responsive, and Grande Melee in the next lot. Spare Part and The Stormovik were in front starting the final furlong, the former drawing away for a decisive win. Responsive beat Grande Melee by a head for third, with Shere Khan next. Members’ Handicap Excellency and John Gay were in front from the start of the Members’ Handicap, and soon were followed by Flying Orders Blue Trout. Wild Note, Gold Song, Lexia, and Julius Caesar, while Frances joined in at the tail of the leading bunch at the half-mile post. Julius Caesar was prominent at this stage, but he retired quickly when the straight was reached. Excellency and Blue Trout were in charge, starting the final furlong from Flying Orders and Lexia, with Frances making up ground wide out. Excellency and Blue Trout were having a great battle in front with the others closing up, but Frances finished resolutely to win by a neck, with only noses and heads separating the other four. It was a thrilling wind-up to the meeting.

2/2—Citril, 8.5 (H. W. Hibberd) .. .. 1 1/I—Blank Cheque, 8.6 ... ■ „ , (W. J. Broughton) 2 4/4—Deficiency, 8.0 (J. McFarlane) .. 3 Also started: 9/11 Rahine, 11/13 Duvaals, 12/14 Le Sonnet, 3/3 Faithful Pal. 10/9 Renege, 15/15 Repudiate, 18/18 Front Page 7/7 Ned Kelly, 8/8, Primitive, 22/22 Coxswain, 16/17 Fort Silver, 13/10 Maka Maka, 5/6 Beaugard, 19/19 Soar, 17/16 Confidence Trick, 6/5 Morning Watch, 21/20 Leadership and Kinlass (bracketed), 14/12 Post Graduate and Newspaper (bracketed), 20/21 Wild Knock. A length, half a length. Beaugard was fourth. Time, lmin 27 3-ssec. CANTERBURY CUP, Of £1575. One mile and-^-half.

2 Signal Officer, 9.4 (C. T. Wilson) .. 1 I—Beau le Havre, 9.0 (W. Connor) .. 2 3 Soneri, 8.13 (W. J. Broughton) .. .. 3 Also started: 4 Kartikeya. A nose, three lengths. Time, 2min 34 l-ssec. FENDALTON HANDICAP, Of £1750. One mile and a quarter

10/10—Revolte, 7.0 (M. R. Jones) .. .. 1 4/4—Howe, 9.13 (R. J. Mackie) .. .. 2 5/s—Salmon Spear, 8.7 (W. F. Ellis) 3 Also started: 7/7 Detain, 1/1 Royal Tan. 2/3 Gay Stroller, 6/6 Foxchase and Palm Bearer (bracketed), 8/8 Merry Robin, 3/2 Indian Dawn, 12/15 Catterick Bridge, 9/9 Eriskay, 13/12 Authentic, 15/13 Double Cross, 11/14 Rosswood, 18/18 Tweedside, 17/17 Boolamskee. 19/19 Wild Ribbon, 16/16 Nightchlld, 11/11 Aganev. Two lengths, a head. Gay Stroller was fourth. Time, 2min 5 2-ssec ASHLEY HANDICAP, Of £7OO. One mile and a-quarter. 1/I—Spare Part, 9.7 (L. W. Hare) .. 1

2/2—The Stormovik, 8.7 (C. A. Bowry) 2 11/11—Responsive, 8.3 (C. T. Wilson) .. 3 Also started: 6/4 Pageantry, 10/10 Sailor Boy, 3/3 Beechwood, 12/12 Blue Hussar, 5/6 Dark Arrow 4/5 Shere Khan, 14/14 Lady Welbeck, 13/13 Chaka, 18/19 Killfast, 20/18 Royal Flash, 21/21 Sedgemere, 9/9 Pimlico, 17/17 Grande Melee, 8/8 Fairhome, 7/7 Sword Dancer, 16/16 Sorry, 22/22 Polka, 15/15 Artful Maid, 19/20 Maryburn. A length and a-half, two lengths. Grande Melee was fourth. Time, 2min 5 4-ssec

MEMBERS’ HANDICAP; Of £ISOO. Seven furlongs.

2/2—Frances, 8.3 (L. W. Hare) .. .. 1 4/4—Blue Trout, 8.7 (C. T. Wilson) .. 2 1/I—Excellency, 8.0 (W. J. Broughton) 3 Also started: 3/3 Lexia. 10/11 Flying Orders, 11/12 Gold Song, 6/6 Wild Note, 14/14 Clyde Bridge, 13/13 Cipher, 5/5 Julius Caesar, 7/7 Special Flight, 12/10 John Gay, 8/8 Palomino, 9/9 Castlebrae, 16/16 Kiloney, 15/15 Desert Victory. A neck, a nose. Flying Orders was fourth. Time, lmin 25 l-ssec.