Maori Boy Is Now a Real Equine Hero

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 942, 8 April 1930, Page 12

Maori Boy Is Now a Real Equine Hero

Will He Go To Feilding ?

That little black horse, Maori Boy, at one time played the leading equine part in the film story, “Carbine’s Heritage,” was once again found in the role of the fourlegged hero at Whangarei last week. At that fixture Maori Boy did the hat trick—three runs for three wins. On the first day he won the big race, the Mclnnes Memorial Handicap, in fine style, coming at the right end to swamp the opposition. That fulfilled his mission on Thursday. On Saturday he went one better. With the steadier of 9.7 he was solidly supported again to win the principal event, run over the same ground, one and a-quarter miles. It was thought, and rightly so, that it would be Envoy the black horse had to beat, for the latter had run Maori Boy to half a length the first day. That was why Envoy carried £ll more than the horse that was so soon to become the idol of the Whangarei sporting public. Too Good The race was a repetition of the first day’s contest, so far as Maori Boy was concerned; but not so with Envoy. The latter went out of the race as a winning proposition half a mile from home. Maori Boy was not bustled over the early part, and going out of the straight he was well back, tucked in one the rails, with but Transformer and Desert Glow near him. At the half-mile he was lying fourth, and then by some stroke of luck he managed to come in to get a position on the rails. That move really Avon the race for him, for he was given a good go for it in the straight when he came at Nassock, who was actually in front three furlongs from the post—an un-

heard of state of affairs with this chestnut, who generally held a monopoly of the tailed-off position .in the early and middle part of his races. In the finish Maori Boy won by a length and a.- half, and he was going right away at the post. It was a much easier win than on the opening day. Sportsmanship Rewarded There was not much of a field engaged in the last race on Saturday, the Kia Ora Handicap, and thus it was that Mr. T. E. Davison very sportinglv decided to allow Maori Boy to run again to add further interest to the contest. And the interest, and principal, went to the black fellow again, for he Avon. Maori Boy was raised from 10.13 to 11.3, Avhich was only a small penalty for a win in better company and over a couple of furlongs further. Incidentally, an error in the transmission of weights on Thursday night from Whangarei made Maori Boy’s impost in this

eA’ent 10.3, 101 b less than it should have been. This is mentioned in fairness to Mr. McManemin, for the writer commented on the apparent discrepancy in reviewing this event in Friday’s issue. A Fine Performance Going out of the straight the son of Lucullus appeared to be anchored with his 11.3, for he Avas standing the pace-makers nearly a dozen lengths. However, he was once more handv at the half-mile, being in a bunch ‘less than half a dozen lengths from the leading di\’ision. Ho Avas not better than fifth into the straight, but again he put in an irresistible run, and it Avas left to that hardy customer, Scat, to make a race of it, which ended in favour of Maori Boy by half a length. It Avas a good go between this pair, with the Avinner conceding fiis opponent 431 b. L. Dulieu handled the winner to perfection on each occasion. Going to Feilding Th© fact that IMaori Boy is not engaged at Te Rapa on Saturday, nor at Ellerslie the folloAA'ing week, tends to the view that his sporting oA\-ner has resigns on the Manchester Gold Cup at Feilding on Easter Saturday. This race ov ® r . a , mile and a-qaiarter. an(l the AA'ondale horse has been aAvarded the handy impost of 8.2. That brings him to within half a stone of Paganelli and within 121 b of Bright Glow, but weaicn"J" 8 ,. for the comparative weakness of the opposition he accounted for at Whangarei, Maori Boy is not without a chance at the ern course. The distance is all in lis favour as against the two horses named and in any case it is more l.kely that Bright Glow will be misiin” from the field. missing The Feilding race has a £IOO "olri cup attached to it, in addition to ■, “ , stake, and one feels sure that Au?k.and sportsmen would be delighted if Mi. Davison returned with that hand some trophy. It would be a fitUnenmax to a splendid sequence of suc° horset resistere * by the litUe 'Mack