Racing.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 259, 25 October 1928, Page 8

Racing.

WAIKATO HUNT. The whote of Waikato and Thames "Valley'racegoers and many from the East Coast and Auckland assembled at Cambridge on Monday for the Waikato Hunt Club’s annual race meeting, the large concourse pointing to the immense growing popularity of the meeting. Although the u tote ” figures fell with a bump, this was due undoubtedly to the very heavy rain which fell for the first four races. The meeting was very well managed, and the committee did its utmost to cater for the enjoyment of their visitors. There were a number of horses from the Morrinsville and Matainata districts, and several of them performed creditably. The Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase was a good test fpi a fiefthof what might be termed true hunters, a number of which hmi not previously raced. One of these ftas Town Rambler, owned and framed by'Mr. C. Boyce, of Tatuanui. Town Rambler disputed the lead for about a mile and a-half of the journey, but tjie going was against a big, long-striding horse, and the best he could do was to finish fourth. Town Rambler was undoubtedly a possibility had the going been hard. Roger, owned by Mr. J. B. McNaughton, was one of those to finish in the Hack Hunters’ event. Leitrim made up for past, failures for his Matamata ownerrtrainer, Mr. George Johnston, by annexing the Bardowie Hack Handicap;was in handy position ■throughout, and came with a great turn of speed to beat Queen Abbey easily. The time was slow, the winner taking 1.26 1-5 to cover the six and a-half furlongs.

The Jack Jumper, owned by,Mrs. M, E. Lark, followed up his second in the first division of the Maiden Hack Race at Te Rapa on Saturday, by running a creditable third to Leitrim on Monday. The Jack Jumper was not too well placed early, but was going on at the finish. This Mata-mata-owned one should pay his way fit-some of the country meetings. A former Matamata-trained mare, Miss New Zealand, was flattered by being made second favourite for the. pig flat race. Miss New Zealand was masked to race against cup winners, and was not able to go with them. The top weight bad the going to its suiting and won comfortably. The Hunt Club Cup was a chapter of accidents. At one stage it; looked any odds on either Trouble or Importer winning, but both threw out, and Kawini and Bourn were left fighting it out down the straight. Hollycombe, a Hastings gelding, came with a fast finish to cut Bourn opt of second! money and return a good dividend; On the way he was going Importer seemed a horse to keep in mind for bigger tilings. , R. McMiken had bad luck in the Muntwood Hack Handicap when his gliding, Always, fell going put of the straight.' Always will never meet a weaker field, and his owner was sanguine. As it was, Arikitoa and the Matamata-trained Red Day -• fought oujt the finish .with the advantage to the former. Improvement can be worked in Red Day, and her performances up to the present point to her staying on. Red Day’s owner, Mr. A. Totman, has not had the privilege of seeing his mate’s latest two performances as he is away in England. He will be pleased to learn that he has bred something which appears .Jo be pretty good. Without actually winning a race, at Hamilton or Cambridge, Carmont’s team showed up well. The members at present racing can be improved yet so that the prospects are bright. Te Wawa and Oscar, two of Martin’s Matamata team, again disappointed on Saturday. TJhe Oscar bubble has burst, so that when he does get on the winning list a fair dividend is likely! The Te ■ Aroha-trained Te s Koroke ; was a starter in the Members’ Memorial Handicap, at Cambridge, but failed to manage the heavy going, like his stable companion, Tea Time, Te Koroke, is partial to a firm track.