FLEW HOME

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 33, 2 May 1927, Page 6

FLEW HOME

TRANSFORMER’S BEST HEMMED IN ON RAILS WONDERFUL FINISHING EFFORT To be hemmed in on the rails at the home turn, with one horse behind him—and a dozen in front—that was the position that Keesing, on Transformer, found himself in the Storey Memorial Cup at Te Rapa on Saturday. And then he won. It was rather a remarkable performance under the circumstances, for he was giving away weight to all but one. Indeed, it was the outstanding feature of a real good race, and in winning Transformer proved himself better than the majority of racegoers considered. He had to pull out something more than he had ever done, and he did it, to score most convincingly. A PARALYSING RUN Drawn number three at the barrier, Transformer lost rather than gained by getting a small marble, for as the field swept out of the straight, he was tenth, and that meant that he would not be able to improve his position until into the back stretch, and at the six furlongs he was second to last. He was still in that place coming into the straight, and finally Keesing. pulled him to the outer. Then Transformer simply flew. Master Doon was a winner a couple of hundred yards from the jLidge, but even then it was seen that Transformer would win, and he was still a long way from home. It was just a question as to whether he could maintain such a paralysing run. Conquest on Master Doon saw the danger, and yet he was powerless to punch his horse home against Transformer. The latter won by half a length, completing a rattling effort. By this Transformer showed that he is a fine horse on a big course. It just showed what can be accomplished on a roomy course with a good run in. SECOND BEST

Master Doon again displayed something like his early spring form, when lie was carrying everything before him. including the Waikato Cui*. His sprinting ability enabled him to get a position early, and he was never further back than third. In other words, he held a winning position throughout, and it was only the sheer brilliancy of the winner’s finishing run that brought about his defeat. Master Doon was always second best. Running only moderate races at the recent Auckland meeting, Mosaic displayed better form at the Avondale fixture, and on Saturday the Some Boy 11. gelding was somewhat unlucky in the running. He was always in the picture, and was fifth into the straight, but just before this he met with some interference through—as the stewards later found upon inquiry—his rider endeavouring to push up on the rails inside Master Doon. Even after this check Mosaic came again, and was a neck from Master Doon at the post. On this effort Mosaic seems to be recovering that form which earned a name for him when a contestant in hack events. BEHIND THE LEADERS A surprise was the forward running of Queen Arch, although it must be admitted that she had recently been showing some promise. The daughter of the recently defunct Marble Arch was for most of tl.j journey near the rear of the field, and crossing the top she made a run which carried her within striking distance of the leading division. At the finish Queen Arch was fourth, making a very creditable showing. Mint Leaf was noticed toiling away in the rear—as usual—for the-first mile, and he finished strongly enough to run into fifth place. So too was Gold Jacket, who came through with him at the end. Hipo had every chance, and his rider had him handy to the leaders throughout, only to feel the horse dying in his hands coming up the straight. KNOCKED BACK Day Guard made the pace for over a mile, and then once again faded out. Barometer went a good race, after getting knocked back badly when the field was going out of the straight, but for wh.ch it would be reasonable to suggest that he would have done better. Lord Star was a failure, and so too were Ballachulish and Pegaway, while Miss Vera and Muscari were outclassed. Pegaway, nearly as well backed as the favoruite pair, Hipo and Mint Leaf (bracketed), ran very disappointingly throughout, and it was difficult to become reconciled to the fact that he was the same horse that won so stylishly from a good field at Ellerslie a fortnight previously. Second last was where he finished. Ballachulish did not go at all well; this big three-year-old apparently wants everything to his liking before he can be persuaded to give of his best. THE SPRINT HOME Considering the amount of grass on the track, and the fact that along the back the going was on the soft side, the race was run at a smart clip. The pace set by Day Guard enabled the first half mile to be cut out in the smart time of 51 1-5, the five furlongs in 1.4 4-5, the seven furlohgs in 1.31 2-5, while they came home over the last three furlongs in 39 3-5 —a fast finish. And this shows that Transformer had to display a remarkable turn of speed to beat the field home. At the three furlongs the winner had a dozen horses in front of him, pretty well strung out, too, so that he must have finished from there in about 38sec. Small wonder that Transformer won!