THREE HURDLERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 85, 1 July 1927, Page 6

THREE HURDLERS

FOR COMING EVENTS GAZE—SOTT ANA—HIGHWAY Among the hurdlers who will bt figuring in more important jumping events in the future if nothing goeg amiss with them are Gaze, Highway, and Sottana, and all of them were see* in action on the East Coast circuit, writes THE SUN’S Wellington correspondent. Highway performed much below what was expected of him. but there is time yet for him to come right. Gaze is not the hurdler he was * little over a year ago. when he wo* the Century Hurdle Race at Wanganui in a manner which suggested that he would go a long way toward reaching the top of the tree among the competitors over the small obstacles. HAS GONE OFF Not a great deal was seen of hire on his first appearance in a hurdle race last week, as he fell early in the but on the following day he saw the race right out and gave* a very discouraging exhibition for one of whom big things were expected. lie jumped badly at nearly every hurdle and COSTLY TRIP A pair who were brought all ' the way from Gisborne to Hastings to win some stake money 1 were Waioeka Jack and Garzon. Cuth Morse made the trip by motor lorry to Hastings, and as his charges arrived in good condition after the long ride he was very hopeful. The ground was against Garon but he thought that Waioeka Jack was a good thing on the last day. Luck was against Morse, as the old Conqueror gelding did not show his customary dash and finishedn last. He was in-front for a while, but was never going really freely, and with the race half finished he commenced to retreat. It is safe to say the trip was an expensive as well as a dis- | appointing one. banged into most of them. Some of the obstacles he hit with such force that he must have hurt himself at least a little, and it is a wonder he did not come down. It is in his favour that he kept on his feet all the way, but it is against him that the best he could do was finish fourth in a field of five. Possibly, he was unable to jump well on the second appearance on account of the fall on the first day having affected him. It is to be hoped that something of the kind was the reason as he would be an acquisition to the ranks of the hurdlers if he made a reasonable improvement upon the form he showed last season. SOTTANA Of the other hurdler mentioned. Sottana, little can be said, as he was running in ground which was rather too soft for his linking. That he can manage a turf that is somewhat soft he showed at Awapuni, but there the course was nowhere near so bad as it was at Hastings. Sottana is well in condition and jumped well, so whep he gets a track to suit him. look out for him. He is no champion, and is not much good oVer short distance hurdle events, as he generally has to stand his field up a considerable advantage in the early stages of a race, but he finishes well and at a mile and three-quarters or even two miles has run some excellent races. A GOOD ONE PERLE DE LEON PROMISE OVER THE STICKS The racing at Hastings unearthed a new one among the hurdlers who might do well this season. The horse referred to is Perle de Leon, who made a start at the Hawke’s Bay Hunt meeting and won very easily from Peshwa and Peneus. According to the Wellington correspondent of THE SUN, Perle de Leon jumped well and smartly all through his race, and his ability on the flat made it impossible for the others to catch him in the run home from the last hurdle. He was at once marked down as a coming hurdler, and at his next appearance, despite a rise in poundage, he confirmed the good opinion held of him by winning again, once more quite comfortably. He is a lazy fellow and had to be kept up to his work or he would not have finished in a place. His ridef had to apply the whip to him three* furlongs from home, and he still had him under the lash as the final obstacle was approached, but Perle de Leon answered magnificently and went right away from the opposition. Perle de Leon did not start on thf last day of the racing at Hastings, but had he done so he would have been backed down to a very short" price. The Wellington handicapper, Mr. H Coyle, whose judgment is never faf astray, was present at the Napier and Hawke’s Bay meetings, and he thought so much of Perle de Leon's performances that he made him top weight for the hack hurdle event to be run on the first day of the Wellington meeting. This, perhaps, is a better indication of the merit of his wins than the opinions of the general run of enthusiasts-. LIKES IT LIGHT PENEUS AS HURDLER EMPTY LEAD BAGS PREFERRED Peneus failed in hack company on the East Coast circuit, but when trotted out in open company on the last day at Hastings he won in the simplest style. Our Wellington turf correspondent considers that the difference in the weights meant a lot to him. He was carrying over 11 stone in the hack class and under 10 stone in the open class. In the soft going he went very freely and under his light impost he was waiting on the speedy Waioeka Jack in the early stages of the race. When he passed the leader six furlongs from home he was merely cantering. All through he raced as a much improved horse, and though he has taken some time to make a good impression on those who have followed his career it seems possible now that he is going to be a fair sort of hurdler before the season ends. It might be that he is unable to carry weight over hurdles, but when more seasoned he might overcome this drawback, as he was a, good weightcarrier on the flat. and beat some fairly prominent sprinters in his time. Peneus is doing best of the team under Miss Maher, as Calluna, despite a win at Hastings, is not showing any signs of coming good. Calluna had every chance on the closing day of the circuit, and failed like an absolute dud. Allan McDonald had him sailing along in the front until the real battle commenced, and then could not get him into anything better than third place. Builds you up, keeps you fit and vigorous through the winter months—K.P. Extract of Malt. *