TONGUE OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 737, 9 August 1929, Page 12

TONGUE OUT

BUT IT WAS IN FRONT OF TIDAL VALAMITA’S COME-BACK Many racing folk ■will remember the story of how one of the Dominion’s best handicap horses, after finishing unplaced in a race at Trentbam, was alleged to, have winked knowingly at the judge, and then a few days later won the New Zealand Cup—with a wink not so much in evidence as the equine smile. Well, here is a Sydney horse, not so polite as the New Zealander, that adopted a different attitude after a race which it won last week. A Sydney paper records the incident as follows: With his tongue poked out at the crowd as it' in derision of their judgment at letting him go out at good double figures, Valamita won the Rosehill Handicap on Saturday. July 27. beating a quartet of heavily backed public and stable fancies in Tidal. Vaals, Blather and Lord Eudorus. Valamita hasn’t won a race since liis triumph at weight-for-age over Trivalve and Pilliewinkie in the A. J.C. Plate 13 months ago at Randwick. Recently the confidence of even his sanguine owners. Miss Jacques and Frank Taverna, had waned, and Valamita was advertised for lease as a stallion. Backing For Tidal Vaals and Lord Eudorus carried a tremendous lot of money, and Blather was heavily backed, too, while Tidal was supported quietly to win a big stake. The form of all except Tidal was bad, however. Tidal went to the front with Blather waiting on him. But when he tried tc head the pacemaker, Tidal spurted, and Blather caved in. In the meantime Vaals—who had been near these —began to lose ground, and at the turn was out of. the race. Lord Eudorus at this stage was two lengths behind the last of the bunch, only old plodding Bacchus tailing him. Munro put the whip on him in the straight, and Lord Eudorus stayed in behind the ruck, where there was no possible chance of getting through. Lord Eudorus’s effort was in striking contrast to that in the mile he won on this course some weeks ago. While all these failures were floundering. Valamita had made a surprising move forward over half a mile from home, and was up with Tidal at the furlong post. Tidal struggled gamely, and Valamita was inclined to shirk. But he battled on sufficiently over the last 10 yards under the whip to beat Tidal half a head. More Hard Work Now? Valamita was to have retired this season to go to the stud, but this sign of returning form might mean another year of hard work on the turf instead, if his owners believe that there are further possibilities. He certainly showed more brilliance than in any race for a very long time. One punter profited to the extent of £I,OOO over Valamita’s win. He quietly backed him from 20’s down to starting price. But, generally speaking, -Valamita gave the books a big iwin. Many who backed Tidal thou gilt he had won the race, and argued about the judge’s Verdict.. One wag remarked that if Valamita did win, it was only by a tongue. So there was some wisdom in his poking that out as he ran, after all. RACING FIXTURES AUGUST 12 13. I?—Canterbury J.C. 24—Pakuranga Hunt (at Ellersfie). 24—•Hawke’s Bay Hunt 23—Dannevirke FI O. 2ft—Danrievirfce Hunt 21—Taranaki Hunt SEPTEMBER 4, 6—Marlon J.C. 7—Otago Hunt 12, 1 4-”Wanganui J.C. 21—Ashburton R-G. 21—Napier F*ark R.C. 21. 23—Avondale J.C. 26. 27—Geraldine R.C. 28—Hawke’s Bay J.C. OCTOBER 2—Manawatu Hunt 2—Birchwood Hunt. b —Kurow J.C 3 7—Auckland R.C. 10 12—Dunedin -I C. 17. 19 —South Canterbury J.C. 19 Master-ton R.C 24, 26—Poverty Bay Turf Club. 26 28 —Wellington R.C. 28— Waverley R.C 28—Waikato Hunt (at Cambridge). 28—Waipawa R.C. (at Waipukurau). 28—North Canterbury -R.C. 28. 30—Gore R.C. NOVEMBER 2—Carterton R.C. 2 —Banks Peninsula R.C. 7, 9—Whangarel R.C. 9, 11, 13, 16—Canterbury J.C. 16, IS—Waikato R.C. 20. 21 Win tori J.C. 21. 22—Otaki Maori R.C. 23—Levin R.C. [ 23. 25—To Kuiti R.C. I 30, Dec. 2—Taka puna J.C. 30 Dec 2—Fefiding JC