Zircon’s Win In Century Hurdles

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 50, 21 May 1927, Page 8

Zircon’s Win In Century Hurdles

NUKUMAI AND DAY BELL UNLUCKY

YyERHAPS the most interesting of at ’Wanganui on Thursday wc The more so l >?/ reason of the fact again the result might very well he

the many splendid races witnessed is that for the Century Hurdles, that were the race to he run over different.

The race was not without its bearing on the Great Northern Hurdles to be run at Ellerslie next Friday week. There was some excitement prior to the event on Thursday, when Day Bell, one of the fancied candidates, indulged in an escapade in the birdcage. Just as E. Warner was preparing to mount the horse was startled and made a break for the fence, stopping dead at it and shooting the jockey astride the wire-netting surrounding the enclosure. Warner was considerably shaken, and another rider had to be obtained almost at the eleventh and a-half hour, the connections of the horse being singularly fortunate in being able to obtain E. Stanway. NEARL MISSED THE RACE

All this time Dr. W. C. Ring’s horse was in the birdcage, but was then taken across to the boxes, where his gear was again arranged to the satisfaction of the trainer. Then Day Bell went out and cantered to the starting point in I time to take part in the contest, the other horses already being there and the totalisator on the point of closing. The horse was made third favourite, but had the unforeseen occurrence not eventuated he would probably have been first choice; as it was lie was entrusted with £235 less than Nukumai, whose solid support suggested that he would be a dangerous opponent. And so he was. The support forthcoming for Nukumai was illuminating, and on his showing in the Century Hurdles he must be taken into account for the Great Northern Hurdles. THE PACE WAS ON There have been many fine contests for the Century Hurdles, but none better than, and verw few as good as, Thursday’s race. There were only nine runners, Brigadier Bill having been withdrawn the day before, and Euchre and Elvaette being scratched on the course. There was not much delay at the post, and with the pace on hot and strongs Comedy Prince was closely followed by Day Bell and Zircon over the preliminary stages. Day Bell met with trouble at the fence at the five furlongs, after the field had gone a little over half a mile,, for when in the van he made a blunder and lost some ground, being lucky to keep on his feet. This left Zircon clear, but Day Bell joined him again after the first mile. The Day Comet horse again jumped

badly at the same fence that nearly brought about his downfall the first time, and this unsettled him at a time when the pace was becoming even hotter, and he was soon last. OVER THE LAST BIT

It was half a mile from home that Ardath came properly into the picture, and he was almost on terms with Zircon at the entrance to the straight for the furlong run to the judge. Nukumai was there too, not far away, and with him was Sottano —these were the only horses with a chance. After having made practically all the running, Zircon finished with a brilliant dash that carried him home a winner by a length, with Ardath making him pull out his best. It was an impressive performance on the part of the winner, who carried 10.5. He was turned out in capital trim by ownertrainer Mr. John Patterson, who prepared the chestnut at Ellerslie, and was ridden a confident race by L. Coleman, who was also successful on him at Hawera the previous Saturday. So once again has Hawera running proved an invaluable guide to the Century Hurdles. Zircon is engaged in the Great Northern Hurdles with 9.12, and is sure to become greatly fancied on the strength of Thursday’s effort. BACK TO FORM

The pace was on all the way, and since the event has been run over two and a-quarter miles the time has only been beaten twice —by Euripos (4.13 2-5) in 1919, and by Ngata (4.13 3-5) two years later. Zircon cut it out on Thursday in 4.14 2-5. A pleasing feature of the race was the splendid showing of Ardath, who is a good one when right. G. Holland always had him nicely placed, never further back than fifth, and he ’ecided to take him up to the leader three furlongs from the finish. It was only the superiority of Zircon on the day that kept Ardath out of the thick end of the money. The latter appears to be coming back to that form that caused the writer to rate him very highly as a hurdler, and it would occasion little surprise to find him winning a rich hurdle event this season. Ardath is not engaged in the big jumping contests at Ellerslie, but on Thursday’s showing his connections must be regretting the fact. N U KU MAI’S ONE MISTAKE The fact that Nukumai was made favourite for the race showed that ho must have convinced the stable that he was back to his best, and so it proved, for after running a great race he was perhaps unlucky not to seriously bother the winner. He was last over the first mile and a-half, but a; - this stage there was not very much oe-