THE DASH FOR THE RAILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 98, 16 July 1927, Page 6

THE DASH FOR THE RAILS

RIDER OF MASTER DOON TAKES A SHORT CUT

All jockeys love to be clever enough to get a flying start in their races. S. Henderson is no exception to the rule, but his success in this respect brought him trouble at Trentham on Thursday. Starter O’Connor decided to give the held in the Parliamentary Handicap a moving-up start, a thing he does not do very often, and the 15 horses went up well, but a few on the outer were silghtly back out of alignment. Xot so Master Doon, who was twelfth at the barrier, and obviously Henderson was determined that if anyone was to be left it would not be him. Then the barrier flew up, and they were off, with Henderson and Master Doon well ahead of the others. He had anticipated the starter, and in half a dozen strides he was clear of the next horse. THE CROSS-OVER With a chain gone Master Doon went off at a tangent to the inside rails, his rider no doubt being under the impression that he was the requisite two lengths clear of the field. There was no doubt that he had crossed the field and it looked from the top deck of the stewards’ stand that he had cut the two lengths very fine. Crossing is viewed very seriously in racing circles, and rightly so. Had there been anything near Master Doon

when he went across from number 12 to the rails in a very little distance there would have been trouble, probably of a serious nature. However, it may be taken for sure that Henderson had sized the situation fully before s w e‘e ping across. That he crossed and took a risk in doing so will

be admitted, but there was not the slightest piece of interference caused to any other horse in the race. STEWARDS’ VIEWPOINT Xo doubt this fact was taken into full consideration by the stewards, for the decision, suspension for the remainder of the season, means that to all intents and purposes Henderson will miss one day’s racing—that at Trentham to-day. True, there are races at Gisborne at the end of the month, but it is ujilikely that the Auckland horseman would have made engagements there. The decision means that Henderson is debarred from riding until July 31, the end of the present season, a sentence of 17 days. It was the penalty for a slight error of judgment. S. Henderson has had a* phenomenally successful season, for he has ridden many winners, including Tanadees in the Auckland Cup, and Beau Cavalier oin the Great Xorthern and Wellington Steeplechases. He earned <C3I9 in riding fees during the Great Xorthern meeting last month. WILL BE AT RICCARTON Among Henderson’s engagements at Flic-carton next month is that to ride Beau Cavalier in the Grand National Steeplechase, a race for which he is greatly fancied. The horse was to be a runner in the Winter Hurdles at Trentham this afternoon, but with his old pilot originally engaged for Kamehameha, H. Gordon was offered the ride, and he accepted. Gordon can ride a good race in front, which is probablv where Beau Cavalier will be for most of the time to-day.. It does not seem to be good policv to mix ’chasing and hurdling with such a proved performer over the big fences, but who knows but that the Chesterfield gelding will not prove equal to it? In the meantime, Aucklanders, and others, are distinctly hopeful that Beau Cavalier will bring further jumping honours to the North before the present obstacle clearing season ends.