A GREAT TUSSLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 10

A GREAT TUSSLE

Stirring Eclipse Stakes Finish WANGANUI'S FINAL DAY ALTHOUGH it is not an old race, the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes at Wanganui invariably provides a rare struggle between the best thoroughbreds. Last Saturday’s contest was one of the best of the series, five horses crossing the line in a heap. This great race was a feature of the concluding day’s racing of the Wanganui Spring meeting.

WANGANUI, Saturday. The weather was unsettled for the concluding day of the Wanganui spring meeting, occasional shoAvers falling. The course was in good order and fields large, except for the Moutoa Hack. The attendance was up to the average, but the country visitors apparently were deterred by the rain in the morning. There was a splendid finish in the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes, Laughing Prince finishing straight to beat Kiosk narrowly, with three others within a length of the leaders. The Debutante Stakes was contested by a large field of g.reen youngsters, most of whom will make the trip to Avondale. The totalisator handled £26,493, against £27,057£ last year. The total for the two days was £49,263, an increase over last year of £2,9875Debutante Stakes The 15 carded for the Debutante Stakes paraded, Francolin £ 494 being entrusted with most money, Clever £4Ol and Speed Light £398 being next best backed. The favourite wa‘s smartest on her feet and led out from Courtlike, Coon Song, Clever, Roman Lake, Rule Britannia and Pont D’Or. There was little change crossing the top, where Francolin, Courtlike, Coon Song, Speed Light, Clever, Roman Lake and Pont D’Or was the order. When straightened up for the run to the judge Speed Light got to the favourite and beat her home by a short head. Courtlike was a length and ahalf away, and another half-length back came Clever, with Coon Song, Duellona and Pont D’Or following, and Praeda and Tobaccoland next. Alloy and Modestrian were last. Gonville Hurdles Cohesion and Beaumont were evenly backed for the Gonville Hurdles, each being entrusted with £446, Brigadier Bill £393 and Vexatious £358 also being well supported. Beaumont, Brigadier Bill, and Olympic was the order at the first fence. Past the stands Whisogne, Beaumont and Brigadier Bill were in line, Olympic and Vexatious (together) two lengths back, and Cohesion, T.roilus, Polyphemus and Kilburn following. Going into the back stretch Troilus went to the lead from Beaumont, Cohesion, Whisogne, Brigadier Bill and Olympic, and was three lengths in the lead at the far turn. Polyphemus went up alongside Beaumont crossing the top and turned for home just behind Troilus, with Beaumont and Vexatious next. Troilus was overhauled by Polyphemus at the last obstacle, and Vexatious challenged the pair. Coming away from the field to fight out a close finish, Polyphemus prevailed by a neck, with Troilus three lengths away, four lengths ahead of Beaumont, next in order being Cohesion, Olympic and Whisogne. Spring Hack The Spring Hack Handicap was another even betting race, Te AtiaAva £532, Desert Lad £503, Banket £479 and Dermod £425 carrying most money with the next, Cashier, entrusted with £365. After a considerable delay they got away well, Upoko being chopped out. Banket, Desert Lad and Cashier led out from Callanmore, Monsogne, Denier and Te Atiawa. At the four furlongs Banket was showing the way from Desert Lad, Cashier, Denier, Callanmore, Marica, and Te Atiawa. The order was the same at the home turn, Banket being smothered by Desert Lad when the judge was sighted. Then Cashier threw out a challenge at the distance, and the pair fought out a neck and neck finish, flashing past the post locked together, a dead heat. Callanmore got up to beat Banket by a neck for third place, three lengths behind the dead-heaters. Next to finish were Monsogne, Marica, Denier and Upoko. Eclipse Stakes The -Eclipse Stakes, as anticipated, was a great race. The nine acceptors were saddled up. The public made last year’s winner favourite, Laughing Prince £852, Reremoana £785, Kiosk £521, King Lu £440, and Lucky Light £414 being the order in which they were supported. From a good start King Lu jumped out from The HaAvk, Kiosk, Lucky Light,' Laughing Prince, Reremoana and Mask, this

being the order as they raced for the back. Kiosk was actually the leader as they passed the five-furlong post, King Lu, The Hawk, Lucky Light, Mask, Reremoana and Laughing Prince following in that order, while at the four Lucky Light was alongside Kiosk, Mask, Reremoana, and The Hawk beipg next. Lucky Light and Kiosk piloted the field across the top, with Mask and Reremoana next, and Laughing Prince, The Hawk and King Lu moving up fast. Lucky Light, Kiosk and The Hawk came round the bend together, and then Laughing Prince put in a claim. Mask also challenged, and the field spread across the straight, and a rare finish ensued, Laughing Prince beating Kisk by half a head, with Mask a short head aAvay. Reremoana was half a head further back, and King Lu right alongside Reremoana. Then came Staghunter, Lucky Light, Full Feather and The Hawk. Railway Hack Singleton £671, Holus Bolus £531, and Vigilance were best backed in the Railway Hack Handicap. Green Acre led out from the start, followed by Vigilance, Avoncourt, Baskier, Lucy Rose. Teremoana and Holus Bolus. This was the order down the back stretch. On the turn out of the back Green Acre piloted Holus Bolus, Baskier and Avoncourt, Singleton moving up fast. The favourite crossed the top behind Green Acre, Vigilance and Holus Bolus, while Sovena, Lucy Rose, Avoncourt and

Baskier followed liim into the straight. Singleton asserted himself in the run home. Green Acre hung on well, the favourite, however, beating the outsider past the post by a neck, with Lucy Rose half a length away, third. Sovena was fourth, and Vigilance, Teremoana, Holus Bolus and Metellus followed in that order. Higgie Handicap Valkon £1,042 was twice as well backed as Paitonu £565 in the Higgie Handicap, with Queen Arch £398 a little better fancied than the Black Mint —Royal Game bracket £384. Valkon took up the role of pacemaker from Pangolin, Royal Game and Benzora, but passing the stands Pangolin was slightly ahead of Valkon, being followed out of the straight by Royal Game. Te Koroke, Benzora, Horomea, Talisker and Vivo. Into the back stretch Valkon and Royal Game were out in front of Pangolin, Te Koroke, Mint Leaf, Benzora, Horomea- Vivo, Queen Arch, Nukumai and Paitonu. Across the top Valkon and Royal Game were the pilots, three lengths ahead of Te Koroke, Pangolin, Mint Leaf, Queen Arch, Black Mint, Nukumai and Benzora. Turning for home Royal Game assumed the lead from Valkon, who was closely followed by Te Koroke, Nukumai and Pangolin. Royal Game held his own in the run

up the straight to hold off Te Koroke’s challenge and win by a short head. Nukumai was two and a-half lengths away, just ahead of Valkon. Queen Arch was fifth, and Mint Leaf, Shining Armour, Horomea, Talisker, Black Mint and Benzora was the order of the others. Moutoa Hack For a five-horse race the Moutoa Hack was a great betting event, Mooregas £1,006, Limosa £619 and Kawhakina £6lO carrying most money, while Flying Shot had over £SOO. Limosa was knocked back at the barrier rise. Mooregas led Flying Shot, Kawhakina and Quarter Deck out of the straight. Running to the back stretch Flying Shot slipped into the lead and was three lengths in front at the five furlongs, Quarter Deck and Mooregas being followed by Kawhakina and Limosa. The last-named ran up to the bunch crossing the top, but Flying Shot was still well in front as they rounded the turn, where Limosa ran wide. Nothing could make an impression on Flying Shot over the final stages and the Campfire gelding ran home an easy winner by a length and a-half. Quarter Deck and Mooregas had a great tussle up the straight for second money, Quarter Deck prevailing by a short head. Kawhakina and Limosa were well back. Owen Handicap A large field of seventeen went to the post for the Owen Handicap. In a good pool Silvermine £517, Tea Time £515, Oration £sll and Partaga £502 were evenly supported, Helotis £428, and Keddar £357 being next best fancied. Tea Time led out from the barrier, followed by Helotis, Lysander, Silvermine and Lady’s Boy, but when they settled down Helotis was piloting Silvermine, Tea Time, Limited, Lady’s Boy, Keddar, Lysander, Kilperon and Partaga. Thus they passed the threefurlong post and on the bend for home Helotis was still in front of Silvermine, Limited, Town Bird and Keddar. Silvermine assumed the lead at the distance, and then Keddar got his head in front, but in the last few strides Silvermine came again to get the verdict by a head, with Partaga in third place, two lengths away. Helotis was next to finish, followed by a bunch comprised of Lady’s Boy, Tea Time, Oration and Goshawk. The winner paid a fine price for a favourite. Following are the results: Debutante Stakes, of £175; 4\ furlongs. 3 Speed Light, 8.0, T. Green, 1; 1 Francolin, 8.0, L. G. Morris, 2; 7 Courtlike, 8.0, E. Taffe, 3. Also: 9 Tobaccoland, 5 Coon Song, ,8 Alloy, 12 Rangitoa, 15 Modestrian, 8.5: 2 Clever, 8.0; 11 Ponder, 8.75; 10 Passbook, 14 Romanlake, 4 Praeda, 13 Ducilona, S.O; 6 Rule Britannia, 8.7. Won by half a head, 15 lentghs between second and third. Time, 52 2-ss. Gonville Hurdles of £200; 1 mile 5 furlongs.—6 Polyphemus, 9.6, J. Proctor, 1; 4 Vexatious, 9.10, J. Blanche, 2; 8 Troilus, 9.15, A. Campbell. 3. Also: 1 Cohesion, 11.4; 3 Briagdier Bill, 11.3; 7 Kilburn, 9.6; 1 5 Olympic, 2 Beaumont, 9.2; 9 Whisogne, 9.3. Won by a neck, three lengths between second and third. Time, 3.4 2-5. Spring Hack, of £200; 6 furlongs.— 3 Desert Lad, 8.9, R. Reed, and's Cashier, 7.6, R. Marsh, dead heat for first; 6 Callanmore. 8.5, T. Green, 3. Also: 1 Te Atiawa, 3 Banket, 8.5; 11 Denier, 8.0; 4 Dermod, 7.112; 8 Monsogne, 7.0; 10 Marcia, 7.2; 9 Otauru Lass, 7.45; 7 Upoko, 7.0; 13 Salt Petrel, 12 Skypoint, 7.3. Dead heat for first, with Callanmore three lenths awgay third. Time, 1.17 1-5. New Zealand Eclipse Stakes, of £400; weight-for-age;- 72 furlongs.—l Laughing Prince, 9.0, L. G. Morris, 1; 3 Kiosk, 9.3, R. Reed, 2; 7 Mask, 9.3. B. H. Morris, 3. Also: 2 Reremoana, 8 The Hawk, 4 King Lu, 9.3; 6 Staghunter, 9 Full Feather, 7.12; 5 Lucky Light, 7.7. Won by half a head, a short neck between second and third. Reremoana was fourth, half a head away. Time, 1.34 2-5. Railway Hack, of £200; 7 furlongs.— 1 Sinlgeton, 9.0, A. E. Ellis, 1; 9 Green Acre, 7.0, A. Mclnally, 2; 6 Lucy Rose, 7.11, T. Metcalf, 3. Also: 3 Vigilance, 8.10; 4 Avoncourt. 8.9; 2 Holus Bolus, 8.3; 8 Teremoana, 7.3; 3 Meeltus, 7.2; 7 Sovena, 7.3; 10 Baskier, 7.0. Won by a head, half a length between second and third. Time, 1.35. Higgie Handicap, of £350; 12 miles.— 4 Royal Game, 7.3, T. Metcalf, 1; 8 Te Koroke, 7.2, K. Gill, 2; 5 Nukumai, 8.10, T. Green, 3. Also: 2 Paitonu, 4 Black Mint (coupled with the winner), 1 Valkon, 8.7; 10 Benzora. 8.2; 3 Queen Arch, 7.11; 12 Vivo, 7.7; 11 Shining Armour, 7.5: 13 Mint Leaf, 7.8; 9 Pangolin, 7.5; 7 Horomea, 7.4; 6 Talisker, 15 Gradant, 14 Captain Gazeley, 7.0. Won by a short head, two and a-half lengths between second and third. Time, 2.11 4-5. Moutoa Hack, of £200; 85 furlongs.— 4 Flying Shot, 7.13, C. Goulsbro, 1; 5 Quarter Deck, 8.4, B. H. Morris, 2; 1 Moorgas, 8.7, R. Reed. 3. Also: 3 Kawhakina, 8.7; 2 Limosa, 9.0. Won by one and a-half lengths, a short head between second and third. Time, 1.53 2-5. Owen Handicap, of £300; 6 furlongs.— 1 Silvermine, 8.1, Lippingwell, 1; 6 Keddar, 7.3. H. Wiggins, 2; 4 Partaga, 8.8, A. E. Ellis, 3. Also: 15 Lysander, 8.6; 5 Helotis, 8.0; 2 Teatime, 7.10; 3 Oration,

7.13: 16 Goshawk, 7.11; 10 Limited, 14 Broadacre, 7.6; 12 Bonogne, 7.0; 7 Lady’s Bov, 7.2; S Town Bird, 7.0; 9 Kilperon, 7.3; 11 Starboard Light, 7.0; 17 Decoy Bird, 7.3; 13 Sagittarius, 7.0. Won by a head, two lengths between second and third. Time, 1.15 3-5.