BEHAVED NICELY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 770, 17 September 1929, Page 12

BEHAVED NICELY

DAL EATON’S TRY-OUT STABLE’S LAST PLUNGE Apparently the barrier antics of the ex-Auckland galloper. Dal Eaton, are not finding favour with the Sydney pony authorities. This is what a Sydney “sportsman” has to say about this handsome chestnut: It there’s anything in this talk of some equines being near-human, it must have been a wide streak of in- : telligence in the make-up of Dal Eaton that caused him to be as well- , behaved as a crook at a police con- ! ference while he stood at the barrier ; for the start of the second division of * the Gold Cup at Victoria Park, j The Eaton Lad gelding was almost in the position of being on trial—and ho came through without a stain on his character. At the previous meeting held on Victoria Park the stipes, keeping to their policy of polishing up all the dark spots of the A.R.C. game, took what looked suspiciously like belated action where Dal Eaton is concerned Always a cranky customer at the machine, Dal Eaton struck long-ex-pected trouble. Entry Refused The starter recommended that, owing to his being unmanageable at the barrier, his nomination be refused for future meetings, and the stipes backed up the recommendation by taking the desired action. That looked like a lot of lost hopes for connections who were giving the gelding more than, a passing chance in the forthcoming Cup event, but a loophole was discovered. Dal Eaton’s nomination for the Cup had already been accepted.’ and after inquiries it was finally decided that the gelding be allowed to take his place in the big race. That gave the general punting herd a decent sort of lead, with the result that there was some wild rushing to be in on Dal Eaton. Successful Stable The gelding comes from the Smith stable, which has attained fame in the past for unexpected but successful onslaughts on the betting ring, and it was generally believed that a big killing would be attempted with Dal Eaton in view of it being the gelding’s last race until it could be proved that his barrier manners had mended. The bright boys who became imbued with that idea walloped the nail flat on the head. With startling rapidity Dal Eaton went to the head of straight-out betting on the race, despite the fact that on form he didn’t look to have a chance of beating a few opposed to him. But the Smitherians weren’t unduly troubled about form. They knew their onions, or, rather their horse, and decided that if it was going to be Dal Eaton’s last outing for a time they’d make the books bid an expensive good-bye to him. Crashed Hut the Dal Eaton dabblers came rlie greatest thud recorded since the boy tell out of the balloon. The old fellow carried out his part of the contract nobly in the second heat of the Cup. but he was found wanting slightly on wind over the final few yards and was just pippeu by the fast-finishing Fortsilk. How he would have fared had he j run his way into the final is problemJ atical, although Fortsilk s perform- ; anco in the run-off doesn’t make it J look as though the big straight-out I hots booked on Dal Eaton would have j been collected. I The Fortafix fancy had every chance l j opposed to Ranworth, first heat winner. Sarinch. who took the third divi- ! sion. and Kite Hawk, victor in the ! fourth heat, but was never a winning ! possibility, eventually finishing in j third place, over two lengths behind I the winner. Ranworth, and Sarinch. Rut in other respects there was a I silver lining to the dark cloud that l developed for the Dal Eaton people. When a horse’s nomination is relused for future meetings, it means that lie is on the "outer” until the racing officials can be convinced that he has sufficiently improved to know something about good behaviour at the barrier. If Joe Smith likes to appeal right now he has the best of evidence to offer. Tliis time Dal Eaton stood at the machine in a manner that made Mary’s little lamb look like a rip-and-tear tiger. He was docility personified and moved off in the quietest fasihon. ■ Maybe now the believers in the , gelding will go light ahead to con- ; vince the stipes that Dal Eaton is ;i : fit and proper prad to take his place | in races .