SPORTING.

Shannon News, 7 June 1929, Page 3

SPORTING.

i NOTES ON OTAKI MEETING. (By Silken Rein). A Well Bred. Youngster. Mr W. 11. Gaisford’s 600 guinea purchase Roundelay was given his initial run on Saturday m the Kuku Maiden and though he was never prominent, the impression was gained that he is the makings of a good one. He is a .fine looking two-year-old chestnut bj ldmond-TivoU and judging by his performances at the meeting and on breeding lines also, the gelding looks like turning out a useful performer .ever a middle distance, Nasellfe Was Unlucky. Zarenfe/s win in the Kuku Maiden on Saturday was very impressive, but there is no doubt, that had the second horse, Naselle, held a better position when entering the straight, the gap Which separated the pair would have been considerably reduced. Naselle was hemmed in on the rail and B. H. Morri* was probably waiting for the opening which did not come and .the result was the Nassau mare could not get away from the bunch until (the field had straightened up. By that time it was a hopeless task t>o catch the winner, but she made a good .effort and finished very fast to bent Gr&tton for second money. Should Win Soon. Pcshwa, who broke down last year and was given a long spell, was a competitor in both the Hurdle races at Otaki. -He ran a very good ra.ee on the opening day to finish fourth which was a good effort for a fresh horse and he was expected to be much benefited by the run. The second start, however, saw him similarly placed behind Modern, Tresham and Red Bank, while the Otaki-trained gelding is not what could be termed a first-class hurdler, there is every reason to believe jfiiat, if he can be kept- sound, he win some good jumping events .before his days of usefulness are over.

jOff to Australia. The local trainer, Mr E. Yuile, is making another trip to Australia and will leave on Friday. He will taka with him his own gelding SneCror, and three of Mr W. Higgins’s team, KilJoronsyth, Joy Bird and Catuiia. JSire’s Honours. Honours for having produced most winners at Otaki meeting was shared ( by Lord Quex and Acre with three wins each, the former being represented' by Disrank, High Society and Australis and Acre by Werata, Fine Acre and Consent. One win each was (credited to Gaylad • (Lady Gay) Chief .Ruler ( Zarene), Tribulation (Second .Thought), Limond (Lady Limond), ',Arrowsmith (Maui), King Soult (Modern), Gasbag- (Grattan), Bisogm* (Paitonu) Warplane (Mothplane). Modem. Modern, who ran a moderate third to Lady Gay and Sneerer on the open ing day, did not jump at all well, but she showed much improvement in her second start. When it was seen that Tresham was close to her over the last' hurdle, it wap expected that the Tresady gelding would beat Modern whenj it came to a test of speed, but ,the mare unwound a great finish and was first home with about six lengths to spare. Modern should pay her way in this branch of the sport. May do better. (M* W. H. Bowden’s Pompadour, ran a promising race in the second idivision of the Wailcanae Hack Scurry on Monday. The chestnut was favoured with a good start and stuck to the leaders practically all the wa;y but failed at the finish. With another race or two into her, she should be capable of winning a short hack event shortly. Paitonu. Paitonu, the winner of the principal event on the second day of the meeting, won the same race at the previous winter fixture. Maui’s Good Finish.

The theory of jhoutees for courses does not always work out, but in the case of Maui and the Otaki track it has been profitable. On the first day •of the 1928 Winter fixture Maui scored a comfortable win in the Te Horn Hack, returning a good price and oii the first day of the November meeting the same runner won another hack race. On Saturday he was again successful and paid even a better price in the open six, so those who have supported Maui in each start at Otaki will be able to show a good credit to his -account.

The Praia Handicap on Saturday provided an exciting finish when the little fancied Maui got up to beat Consent for the first position. Consent who was made favourite was first to show out and led practically all the way when Maui, who came from a dong way back, made a brilliant iun : , gain the verdict by a head. It was ' suggested by many, that an experienced horseman on the Acie geldir.g w have won the race, but it cannot be denied that Maui’s finishing run was ' -far superior to anything seen at the meeting. With fair treatment the Arrowsmith gelding should develop into a really good class performer up to a mile or perhaps a fraction over, but it is doubtful if he will meet with ; any amount of success as a cup ruin *!’' «er unless of course, he improves with II j’ age. The past performances of Ar.rpVsmith progeny suggests that they meant-for races which ■ require

real stamina, but it is jusj; possible that Maui is an exception. JOTTINGS. Favourites on the whole fared fairly well and with the big attendance the dub had a profitable; day, the sum of £16,913 'being handled, compared with £1t,920 10s for the corresponding day last year, an increase of £1987 10s. Naturally the attendance swelled the totalisator returns, and at the end of the second day £27, 888 had been handled, making £40,247 for the meeting, an increase of £4554. The club has every reason to congratulate itself upon its

success. A. McDonald, who received a spill from Red Bank at the first hurdle on the first day through the animal taking too far off, was removed to the Palmerston North hospital where it was found thaJt his collar-hone was dislocated, his shoulder put out, and bones in his foot broken. It will be some days before McDonald will be about again. . It was at first thought that the Otaki rider, T. Webster, had interfered with First Ruler in the Otaki Hack Handicap, but after hearing evidence the stewards were satisfied that the. interference was ■ of an accidental nature. Two fines were inflicted on lads for riding with dirty gear. • The most successful jockeys on the first day were L. G. Morris one first and two -seconds, C. Davies two firsts and a second, McGovern, Barry, Webster, and Voitre a first each, Blanche B. H. Morris, W. Broughton and R. Marsh a second each, and Jenkins, Griffiths, Sandilands, Metcalf, Robinson, Barry, and Murray a third each. On the second day Morris rode two winners and a third, Webster two firsts, two seconds, Griffiths one first, one third, P. Burgess, Jenkins, and Gunn a first each, Mcßrearty, Blanche, E. Burgess, Davies, Robinson and C. Broughton each a second, Murray three thirds, and Voitre, Tudor and Stratton a third each. Those largely responsible for the success of the meeting was the secretarial staff, Mr. Rere Nicholson (President) and the stewards. All worked splendidly and t were' most attentive anct courteous to all. Among the visitors were'the Hon. I. M. Wilford and Mr. W. H. Field, M.P.