RACING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 34, 3 May 1927, Page 6

RACING

A RACEHORSE PADDON, OF HAMILTON LEAVES FIELD MARKING TIME STRIKES FORM WITH A VENGEANCE The race for the Beerescourt Hack Handicap stake proved in the end to be no race at all. Up to a furlong from the post it was an excellent contest and then Tinker, on Paddon, went and completely spoilt things by bolting. Named after the successful sculler —owner Seifert is a keen enthusiast when it comes to sculling—the Archiestown gelding could not have won any easier. But the four lengths margin might have been eight. Paddon was not favourite for the event, and yet on reflection most everybody will agree that he should have been. Tinokoa and Festina Lente were with a few pounds more' than the topweight— Tinokoa lost sharing that honour by virtue of claiming a 31bs. allowance—and the result showed how very much at sea a lot of punters were. A CHAMPION HACK In the spring and even before that, 3’addon was regarded down South (that means in the Wellington province at least) as something of a champion. Saturday’s form showed that their summing up was not very far short of the mark for among the hacks the chestnut was out on his own. Paddon started off the present seaeon by winning a hack seven furlongs at the last Grand National meeting, and this was his only start at the fixture. Set for that one race he pulled It off, and the horse was brought home. The next coup to be arranged was at the Marton fixture three weeks later, and giving weight away all round he won the Electric Hack with ridiculous ease in mud up to the knees—or thereabouts. A SET BACK After that Paddon must, have gone right off form, for he failed in his next five outings, finishing out of a place on each occasion. It was not until Paddon contested the first division of the Nelson Handicap at Ellerslie on Easter Monday, just a fortnight ago, that the horse began to give evidence of a return to form. On that occasion he was a good fourth to Orazone, Town Guard and Modest Boy, and that represented quite good form in the class. It was obvious that Paddor: needed the race, and this was proved at To Kapa on Saturday, when he won like a good horse and made goats of a quite fair field of hacks. The price was right, and in fact it was too good, for in his preliminary it was quite plain that he was more than a stone better than when he ran at Ellerslie. IN A WINNING POSITION Tinker drew seventeen marble, but iie must have “inched” a bit. for ho actually started in the middle of a field of twenty-one. It mattered but little in this instance, however, for the chestnut was soon in a position behind the leading bunch, and so he remained until coming into the straight, where he was eighth. Then his head was let go—for the first time in the race —and it was a case of good-night everybody. Bright Dawn was the winner a furlong from home, and even further on he was in the lead, when Paddon swooped down on him. The topweight passed the field as if they were marking time, and in an incredibly short space he was clear. Thirty yards from the judge his rider commenced to pull him up. and as he crossed the line he was only going at three-quarter pace. He won by four lengths. WON ON HIS MERITS

It had taken the crowd’s breath away the suddenness with which Paddon had headed Brignt Dawn, but the surprise was quickly over and the numbers were hoisted by the judge. Never was a win more convincing. On the day Paddon was a Gloaming among the hacks. Bright Dawn has been racing very consistently the last few weeks, and it came as no surprise to find him so prominent. The real surprise was in the price he returned. It was an unlucky thing for the connections of the horse that they caught Paddon in such rare fettle. But their turn must come and that before very long. The rani: outsider, Ramblin’ Kid. ran a splendid race, so close up was he that the holders of the £l4 worth of tickets invested on his chance must have held their breath all the time the fight was on up the straight. But for the 41bs overweight put up the ramblin’ one might have been second, for there was only a neck between him and Bright Dawn. Added to that the fact that lie drew twentieth position his backers can be accounted unlucky. FORM FORGOTTEN Since he won at Whangarei the "Warplane three-year-old War Officer lias been neglected by backers, ami once again he was at a fine price with C. Browne in the saddle. He went a good race and at the finish was close up fourth, after being in the middle of the bunch two furlongs from home. -Abbey Day surprised by finishing with

War Officer just behind the placed horses, for it was expected that the mile would find a weak spot in the Quin Abbey filly. She was running on at the finish. Constellation ran well from start to finish, and yet seemed to be not quite good enough to improve his position. The Day Comet gelding seems to be recovering his form. Winsome Boy and Rahepoto were prominent over the earlv and middle stages, and then petered out. It was unlikely that Tinokoa would have beaten Paddon had the former not fallen, although it would probably have been much more interesting had he been on hand at the finish.