Papakura Stable’s Two Perfect Days!

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 192, 3 November 1927, Page 6

Papakura Stable’s Two Perfect Days!

“When You Come to the End Of a Perfect Day, And You Sit Alone With Your Thoughts,” TT is a pretty song, but 'twere best not to be heard singing or even whistling it within a given radius of Papakura and Takanini. This is the beginning of a real hard luck story, and one that will take a lot of beating. Truth is stranger than fiction, and racegoers at Ellerslie last Saturday and Monday will appreciate this. MANY COME, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN The Papakura trainer, J. T. Jamieson, who ranks among the best in the Dominion in his profession, brought a select team of seven horses to the Thames meeting, and it was confidently expected by students of form that he would win more than one race. In fact the visiting string was being looked to to practicably scoop the pool. But man proposes, and fate disposes. That unpopular fellow made no error in his dispositions on this occasion, for the stable went home without winning a race. They tried to win 12 events, and a bunch of seconds and thirds showed, that the luck of tlie team was dead out, and until fortune’s wheel turns the right way once more backets will be shy of supporting the stable in future. SEQUENCE OF MISFORTUNES The team was expected to make a good start when High Finance was saddled up for the open sprint on Saturday, and when this filly, a big favourite, got well beaten into second place backers were by no means dismayed. They received interest on their outlay, and regarded it as a good augury. Little they knew what was in store for them! Next on the list was the two-year-old race, and two youngsters from the stable were saddled. Neither was favourite, being third and seventh in the betting. Both were out of a place at the finish. Incidentally, these youngsters, Look Out and Coruscate, have some pace. THE CUP DEBACLE A fine race in the Wellington Handicap in town hall class made it a foregone conclusion that Nippy would be the favourite for the Goldfields. Cup, despite the gibes of the “hard heads” that the Australian-bred gelding wouldn’t win on the Ellerslie course, the conformation of which puts him all at sea. They were right apparently, for Nippy finished fourth, and there seemed little reason why he should not have been closer up had he run true to form. A double-barrelled atempt was made to win the Thames Valley Handicap with In the Shade and Le Choucas, both in good form, and, with the leading stable horseman up, the former was heavily supported. He nearly won, but Branson put paid to the three-year-old’s account. THE LONG DAY CLOSES It must have been a pretty long day already for the stable followers. Bold Front was next produced in the hack mile, and heavily backed he finished third after meeting with interference. So far, seven runs for the day and two seconds and a third to show for it. Not very encouraging no doubt, but the speculator must of necessity be an optimist, and so he looked forward to getting it all back, and then some, on Monday. High Finance, again heavily supported, was bnce more beaten to pay a small second dividend, but before this the public went bald-headed for Bold Front. The horse was slow away, and then was finishing fast in third place a little over a length behind the winner. SOME LUCK Fortunately the stable did not have a runner in the Steeplechase, otherMEETINGS TO COME November 5. 7,9, 12.—-Canterbury J.C. November 10, 12.—Whangarei R. C. November 16, 17.-—Winton J.C. November 19.-—Levin R.C. November 23.—Ashhurst-Pohangfna R.C. November 26, 2S.—Takapuna J.C. November 30, December J.—Feilding J.C. December 2, 3.—S. Canterbury J.C. December 7, S. —WoodviUe Dist, J.C. December 10, 12.—Taumarunui R.C. December 17.—Waipa R.C. December 26, 27. —Dunedin J.C. December 26.—Waipukurau J.C. December 26, 27.—Westland R.C. December 26, 27.—Taranaki J.C. December 26, 27, 29. Manawatu R.C. December 26, 28, January 2, 3.—Auckland R.C. December 30, 31, January 2.—Grejunouth J.C. December 31, January 2.—Wairarapa R.C, January 2.—Waikouaiti R.C. January 2.—Wyndham R.C. January 2, 3.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 2, 3.—Stratford R.C. January 2, 3. —Mar ton J.C. January 3. 4.—Southland R.C. January 6, 7.—Reef ton J.C. January 7, 9. —Vincent J.C. January 12, 14.—Dargaville R.C. January 14.—Ashburton Cty. R.C. January 16.—Waipapakauri R.C. January 17, 19.—Wairoa R.C. January 21.—Wairio J.C. January 21.—Bay of Islands R.C. January 21, 23.—Foxton R.C. January 21, 23, 25.—Wellington R.C. January 28, 30.—Takapuna J.C. February I.—Tapanui R.C . February 1, 2.—Pahiatua R.C. February 2, 4.—Egmont R.C. February 2, 4.—Gisborne R.C. February 4.—Mataraata R.C. February 9, 11.—Dunedin J.C. February 9, 11.—Taranaki J.C. February 9, 11.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. February 11, 13, —Rotorua R.C, February 15.—Clifden R.C. February 16.—Tolaga Bay J.C* _

wise the horse must have fallen and broken its neck- This was the first — ancl only—stroke of luck the party had! In the Shade ran another fine race, only to he touched off once more, and then Le Choucas, a hot favourite, apparently deciding it was of no use fighting when the odds were overwhelmingly against any of the stable representatives, stuck his toes in and would not raise a gallop. The followers had a breather in the next race, and then prepared for the great recovery plunge. The last shall, must, be first on this occasion, and yet the result was something in the nature of a super climax. “PERFECT DAY” ENDS Nippy was “the goods” in the last race of the meeting, and although he was not favourite he was at a short price. The field was not up to the standard of the first day’s Cup lot, and therefore it really looked an odds on chance, minus the stable luck, on Nippy pulling through. However, after going a couple of furlongs Nippy injured himself behind, and a dismayed army

of backers saw him go back to last quickly, and then his rider pulled him right up and dismounted. Fate had kept his trump card right to the last, and when he played it it proved to be the joker. So ended this week’s hard luck story. The stable has some horses in at Whangarei next week. What will be the result. Like Mr. Asquith, let’s wait and see. It cannot be worse than the Ellerslie debacle, which must have left the trainer confounded. THE DEBIT ACCOUNT The sum total of the meeting so far as the Papakura stable was concerned was 12 starts for four seconds, two thirds and two fourths. Invested on the stable in the 12 starts they had was £14,294. and there came back to betters £5,387 12s in dividends, leaving a debit balance of £8,906 Bs. 'This should come to the right pockets before the end of the season, and a start might be made next week. It’s a long lane that has no turning.