BUNTY’S TRAP

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 37, 6 May 1927, Page 12

BUNTY’S TRAP

TO DEFEAT LIMERICK DUEL IN A.J.C. PLATE LIMOND GELDING IMPRESSES AGAIN “They’d lay 10 to 1 on this in England,” was the comment of a bookmaker who had had experience of betting at Home on set weight-for-age events. His remark synchronised with a demand for only small odds on Limerick for the A.J.C. Plate at Randwick. Limerick had beaten the same field at 12 miles in the Cumberland Stakes two days before, and even at half a mile further seemed certain to defeat what was practically a weaker field. The race thus looked an odds-on certainty, but Bunty Brown’s attempt to out-general McCarten for the prize added a thrill to the last furlong. SHY LAYERS Layers of odds are shy in Australia. While 10 to 1 would have been bet on Limerick beating his rivals in an equivalent English race, Australian punters hesitated to lay even small odds. One bookmaker’s offer to take light odds was rushed, but when that closed the demand came to a lull, and so averse were the majority to laying odds, that even the opportunity of staking more in the last 10 minutes of wagering went begging. Yet there was a constant demand for Pantheon. SUPPORT FOR PANTHEON Apparently there were thousands on the course who, sweeping aside all form, put their money on Pantheon at adds against and hoped for the downfall of the odds-on favourite, Limerick. That kept Pantheon’s liberal price right to the start of the race, when, according to his defeat two days previously, his backers were entitled to get much longer odds.

The absence of Heroic and Piastoon might have made a difference to the running of the race. They were scratched on the course. In their absence Pantheon set out to make the pace right from the start, and the race soon developed into a keen test of tactics between the jockeys on Pantheon and Limerick. While Pantheon in the lead set a 14 seconds to the furlong gait for the first mile and a quarter, Limerick dropped back just ahead of Valamita in the rear. The pace was increased for the last mile of the race, but McCarten was in no hurry with Limerick. Pantheon was still in the lead, Count Cavour second, Limerick third, and Valamita last. WARMING UP Gradually the speed increased until five furlongs from home they were at a racing gallop. At the home turn Limerick moved up to second, but his backers at odds-on were getting anxious. “Time he was catching Pantheon,” they thought. Limerick was not right out, however. Not until the last furlong did he move on Pantheon, and then he quickly had him in his power.

Bunty Brown had evidently been setting a trap, however. He stayed with Limerick for a time, and then 50 ys.rds from the post swept forward. He went so well that the cry went up. “The favourite’s beaten.” It was a smart ruse, and if Limerick hadn’:; been good enough to rise to the extra demand upon his resources Brown s tactics would have succeeded. THE BEST STAYERS

But Limerick still had something in reserve. Again he wore down Pantheon, and, drawing away as they approached the winning post, he won eventually by three-quarters of a length.

The way Limerick finished over the last stages of the race left no doubt concerning the result, or his stamina either, and he retires the best stayer on deck in Australasia, this season. Valamita’s effort to get third was an interesting feature of the race.

Jimmy Munro waited until right on the turn, then swept him through on the rails, and eventually he beat Count Cavour for the coveted honour—and the £ 200 attached to third prize. By his three thirds in w.f.a. races at the meeting Valamita has thus earned £650.

So delicate is a new instrument now being made to measure heat in the more distant stars, that fly wings are used in parts of its construction.

One of the longest prison sentences ever imposed was given to a mayor of Alba, Spain, in 1593, when he was convicted on 217 counts of forging public documents. He was sentenced to 3,083 years in prison.