MERRY DAMON'S SURPRISE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 953, 22 April 1930, Page 13

MERRY DAMON'S SURPRISE

CLASSIC EASY FOR GESTURE Special to THE SUN The Canterbury Jockey Club comfenced its Kaster racing carnival at Iticcarton today in dull but fine weather, and there was a big attendance. The track was in perfect order. Gesture continued her all-conquering run by scoring a decisive win in the Champagne Stakes. It was a polished performance, and that she is a highclass youngster there is not the slightest doubt. Great Charter won the Great Easter brilliantly, beating the unlucky First Sight by half a length. The totalizator handled £50,031, compared with £46,181 last year. Kildare Hurdles Backers commenced well when they made Diana’s Lad a pronounced favourite for the Kildare Hurdles. After crossing the last fence, he came away easily to beat Troilus and Taramoa. Antrim Boy lost his rider at the mile post, but G. Salt was uninjured. Champagne Stakes Gesture gave further proof of her ability by downing a fairly good field in the Champagne Stakes with ease. She was at long odds-on in the betting, and returned her backers a Gloaming dividend. Spoon attempted to lead throughout, but at the home bend C. Emerson had a big hold on the favourite, and it was apparent even at that stage that the brilliant daughter of Chief Ruler had the race in safe keeping. Soon after passing the false rail, Gesture swept through on the inside, and came away to win with ridiculous ease by three lengths, charmaine finished better than Spoon over the last 100 yards, and beat the local filly by a length for second place. Chrysology was fourth, and Lineage next. It was a brilliant performance on the part of Gesture, and she now retires for the winter season with a glorious record. She has remained unbeaten at her last eight starts, and indications are she is going to be a powerful contender for the richlyendowed three-year-old classics in the .spring. Autumn Plate The Bailiff won the Autumn Plate most convincingly from Netley and his stablemate, The Viscount. He was always handily placed, and, finishing with a marked burst of speed on the outer, beat Netley by three-quarters of a length. Netley, who will be auctioned with the rest of Mr. C. G. Dalgety’s horses at Addington tomorrow, put up a striking effort. She was third early, but drifted before the half-mile was reached. In the straight she finished brilliantly, but had to be content with second place. Her performance today was most encouraging, and, with added experience, this daughter of Martian may develop into a good galloper. The Viscount had every chance, but was not good enough, and, of the others, Paris, Ranelagh, and Quinopal did best. Russley Plate Courtesy, a full-sister to Honour, was at a cramped price in the betting tor the Russley Plate, but she justified the heavy support accorded her by winning in runaway style. She was one of the first to become prominent and before the course proper had been reached had little difficulty in getting to the front. At the false rail she drew right away from the opposition to win hard held by three lengths from Kakara. Courtesy was making only her second appearance and with two successive wins to her credit her future prospects look exceedingly bright. She won so easily that she might have extended Gesture had she been specially reserved for the Champagne Stakes. Kakara was making her debut and her second was quite a good performance. The Paladin filly showed a lot of speed and hung on gamely under punishment over the last 100 yards. Ozone finished on well into third place, but tho most likely improver may be Gustavo, a full-brother to Count Cavour. He revealed stamina in the run home and it is not unlikely that he will develop into a first-class three-year-old. The Great Easter Great Charter scored a brilliant victory in the Great Easter Handicap, beating the local horses, First Sight, and Red Heckle, by a narrow margin. He had a beautiful run throughout, was always within striking distance of the leader. Meadow Dark, and though challenged strongly in the run home held his place to win by half a length. Great Charter’s victory was popular and after his success today there can be few doubts that he beat Toxeuma in the Ormond Gold Cup at Hastings on his merits. First Sight put up a really remarkable effort. He was at the tail of the field three furlongs from home, but he finished in the straight with a great run and in another half lurlong would have snatched victory from Great Charter. First Sight carried 51b overweight, so his second was an exceptionally brilliant effort. Red Heckle finished very strongly into third place and his performance was impressive. Ho looks like taking a hajid in the decision of the Great Autumn tomorrow. The hurde horseman, J. T. Humphris, was substituted for B. Brodie on Meadow Lark, but the Southerner did not carry nearly the money he was expected to. He made a bold showing, but petered out in the run home. Both Gay Crest and Arikiwai ran splendid races and the latter may take all kinds of beating in the Great Autumn. Gimcrack Handicap Lord Thomond was a pronounced favourite for the Gimcrack, but he went down to the North Island hack, •lust an Idea, being beaten by a length. Punchestown was a good third and Noteworthy next. Sockburn Handicap Merry Damon strolled home in tho Sockburn Handicap, winning easily by two lengths from Paquito and Jaloux. Starshooter was fourth. Historic and Dolomite ran bad races. Courtenay Handicap In a stirring finish To Awhina beat Silver Coot by half a head in the Courtenay Handicap. Glenrowan was three lengths away, third. Fernden fan a poor race. Tho following are the results: Kildare Hurdle Handicap, of £250: 12 miles.—l Diana’s Lad, 9.0, J. T. Humphries. 1; 5 Troilus, 9.6, H. Bennett, 2; 7 Taramoa, 9.2, G. Dempster, 3. Also: 2 Gala Dav, 10.3: 6 Carinthia, 10.3; ’ Antrim boy, 10. i ; 4 Mime, 10.1; S Matu. 9.0. Won by three lengths, with two lengths separating second and third. Time, 3.11 1-5. Champagne Stakes, of £600; for two* year-olds; 6 furlongs.—l Gesture, C. Rmerson, 1; 4 Charmaine, A. E. Ellis, 2; 2 Spoon. A. Eastwood. 3. Also: 3 Chryso--6 Jayson. 7 Sir Limond, 5 Lineage. 'Von by three lengths, with one length between second and third. Time, 1.13 1-5. Autumn Plate, of £250: 1 mile —3 The Bailiff, 7.12. \V. Pasooe, 1: 4 Netley. 7.0, -A. East rood, 2: 2 The Viscount, 7.2, T. Metcalf. 3. Also: \ Ranelagh, 8.3; 5 Paris. '.O; 7 Courtlike. 7.6; 8 Quinopal 7.5: 6 ‘aragona. 7.0. Won by a length, with ly-o lengths separating second and third. Time. 1.40. Russley Plate, of £250; for . two-year-r,'ds; 5 furlongs.—l Courtesy. S 10. B. IT. Morris, l, 4 Kakara, 7.3, A. Eastwood,

2; 5 Ozone, 7.11, T. Green. 3. Also: 3 Adelphi, 8.3; 2 Sleipner, 8.2: 6 Pink Paper, 7.n; 10 Knockany, 7.5; 9 Gustavo, 7.5; 7 Minerval. 7.7; 12 Eaton Hall, 7.7; 8 Jael, 7.3; 11 Night. Appeal, 7.3. Won by three lengths, with half a length between second and third. Time, 1.0 3-5. GREAT EASTER HANDICAP Of £1,000; 7 furlongs 2—GREAT CHARTER (T. H. Lowry), 8.2. T. Green 1 I—FIRST SIGHT (G. H. Grigg), 8.3', A. E. Ellis 2 4—RED HECKLE (J. IT. Prosser), 5.13, R. Coveny 3 Also: 3 Meadow Lark, 9.0; 5 Great Star 2-2: 6 Panther, 8.1; 9 Money Mine, 7.11; 8 Rm Tin Tin, 7.6; ll Greenawav, 7.3; 10 Royal Duke. 7.7; 7 Arikiwai, 7.1; 12 Gay Crest. 7.0. Won by half a length; a ( f second and third. Time, Gimcrack Handicap, of £250; 6 furlongs.—2 Just An Tdea, 8.9, B. H. Morris, 1; 1 Lord Thorn*.nd, 8.9. A. E. Ellis, 2; 4 Punches town, 7.10, T. Metcalf, 3. Also: 4 Sea Raid, 9.1; 3 Noteworthy, 8.13. and Pixie Gold. 8.0 (bracketed); 6 Fair Money, 7.13; 9 Proud Knight, 7.11; S Sapient, 7.9; 5 Swiftray, 7.10; 10 Argyle, 7..; 12 Miss Bradbury, 7.7; 13 Flaxbird, 11 Divinette, 7.2. Won by a length! " ,Tl l three lengths separating second and third. Time, 1.13 3-3. SOCKBURN HANDICAP Of £400; S furlongs 7—MERRY DAMON (IT. Hall), 9 4 S. Bryce ’• 1 2 PAQUITO (IT. A. Knight). 9.5, A. E. Ellis 2 4 JALOUX (G. D. Greenwood), 7.11 T. Green '3 o 1 Historic, 10.1; 5 Seatown, 8.13; g Jl at, h 8.11; 3 Dolomite, 7.13; J Stealth. 4.12; 6 Starshooter, 7.11. \\ on by two lengths, with a similar 1 52 a ° n<^ e between second and third. Time, Courtenay Handicap, of £300; 7 furL O ,"? 5 --? Awhina, 7.13, T. Grien, 1; 3 Silver Coot, 4.1.,, P. Metcalf. 2; f. Glenicwan, 4.4, L. Woolford, 3. Also: 4 Luckv f. 1 Fernden, 8.9; 6 Topere, with° 7 *?k by a short head, third. Time,l g 26 2-5 secoPtl anJ