Spring Racing at Otaki

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7281, 7 October 1933, Page 8

Spring Racing at Otaki

Plateau and Equitant Win Principal Handicaps

Surprise Results During The Bay

The OtaH. Racing Club’s meeting opened yesterday in fine weather and before a fair attendance of the public. The course was in good order and the racing interesting. Th o principal handicaps were won by Mr. W. McA. Duncan’s gelding, Plateau, which beat Fiji in a close finish, and by Mr. R. E. Hatch’s Equitant, which paid a substantial dividend.

Totalisator Returns. The totalisator handled £6523, as against £6872 for the corresponding day last year, the decrease being £349. Riotous Was Lucky. There were only live starters in the Hurdles, Joie dc Val, Ramuna, Chile and Othon being withdrawn. Riotous was favourite and the other to be solidly supported was Kimbo. The race had an unfortunate ending, for Kimbo, who appeared to have the race won, hit the last fence and nearly came down. Ho swung across in front of the others, hit Revision and unseated his rider. Both boys came off, leaving three horses to light out the finish, Riotous getting up to beat Palace by half a length with Paleta four lengths away from them. Palace and Revision were the early leaders from Riotous and the order through the straight was Palace from Paleta, Revision, Riotous and Kimbo. Going along the back Revision went up to second and Kimbo made a forward move passing the half-mile. Palace and Kimbo led into the straight ahead of Revision and Riotous. It appeared to be a good thing for Kimbo but he failed "to clear the last fence and his subsequent actions put Revision out of the running. Prostration Hangs On Well. There were eighteen starters in the Maiden Plate, Prostration being a good favourite. Tho start was delayed and Araulino was sent away from the back of the field. She was moving in when the tapes went up and had the lead almost immediately, with Count Roussillon, Maypay, Prostration and Te Ua next in order.' Maypay drifted and at tho far turn Prostration and Te Ua were in attendance on Arauline, the order into the straight being Arauline, from Prostration, Te Ua, Count Roussillon, First View, Host and Waipiro. Prostration went to the front but was tackled by Te Ua and be hung on well to beat To Ua by a short neck. First .View was third, four lengths back, and Arauline was fourth followed by Count Rouissillon, Waipiro, Hest and Warehi. Warehi and Raparabara were tho last away and First View was slow to begin. Bettvreyceed Pays a Price. The Blenheim-trained Bettwsycoed, and the Clive-trained Royal Dash upset the pool in the Katihiku Hack, for they started at long odds and finished first and second. Pegged Exchange and Manawatu carried first money and they had every show following a good start, but Manawatu drifted early and Pegged Exchange, lying fourth at tho home turn, failed to go on with it. Bonnio Vale was first to show out, but Bettwsycoed and Wasteland had charge as soon as the field had settled down. Princess Dawn was in third place followed by Bonnie Vale, Pegged Exchange, Whetuma, Manawatu and Royal Dash. At .the homo turn the leading division consisted of Bettwsycoed and Royal Dash, from Pegged Exchange, Wasteland, Whetuma and Princess Dawn. The finish was a good one and Bettwsycoed hung on well to beat Royal Dash by half a length. Wasteland was over a length back third and then came Bonnie Vale and Pegged Exchange, Whetuma, Manawatu and Princess Dawn. The winner paid close on two score. Plateau Beats Fiji. Fiji was a good favourite for the Ling Memorial Stakes, but he went down to Plateau in a slashing finish. Fiji was first out and L. G. Morris did not seem too anxious to put the pace on. Passing the stands, Fiji was leading from Red Sun, Cluny and Plateau, and the last-named went up to the leader as they turned into the back stretch. The pace quickened and along the back the order was Fiji and Plateau, from Red Sun, Cluny and Great Emblem, with a gap back to Retract and Brambletorn and Chopin. The field was strung out and Brambletorn was a long way front the leaders as they crossed the top. It was three furlongs from home that Cluny broke down and was pulled up, and Fiji and Plateau led into the straight a couple of lengths ahead of Red Sun and Great Emblem with Brambletorn making up ground. The finish was a good one and Fiji hung on well, being headed by Plateau just short of the post. Two lengths away were Brambletorn (third) and Red Sun, and Chopin was next. Great Emblem pulled up lame, and Cluny, who had broken a fetlock, had to be destroyed. West Tor Wins Well. All Spirit was favourite on the win machine and • there was solid support for Boon, Senegal and West Tor. Boon was . first, away closely attended by Haulbowline, Senegal, Acceptable, Aweketia, All Spirit. West Tor was at tho head of the others. Acceptable' had taken charge at tho far turn and he led across the top, his closest attendants being Boon, Aweketia, Haulbowline and Senegal. Running to the home turn Boon closed on Acceptable and they were first into the straight followed by. Senegal, Haulbowline, West Tor and All Spirit. Senegal and Haulbowline challenged Acceptable at the bottom of the running and a furlong from the post West Tor made his run and soon put the issue beyond doubt, the Opaki horse winning easily by two lengths from Senegal and Haulbowline a length further back third. Boon was fourth followed by Acceptable and All Spirit. Equitant Springs a Surprise.

length. Navaho was three-quarters of a length away third, and Cadland was fourth, followed by Sir Pombal, Playground, Arrow Lad and Princess Doreen. Another Favourite Scores.

Epigram was favourite for the Taumanuka Hack and he duly won, though Sanguine King threatened danger in the straight. Sanguine King was first out from Tranquility, Epigram, Hazoor, Mercian Prince, Canefield and Walton Park, but when the field had settled down, Sanguine King and Epigram had charge and they showed tho way across the top and into the straight, Colossical, who had been one of the last away, being their nearest attendant at the home turn. There was a gap back to Tranquility, Hazoor, Walton Park and Quebec. Epigram was in front soon after they straightened up and he was kept going to beat Sanguine King by a couple of lengths. Colossical was eased up, but Mclnally got him going again to get third money from Tranquility by a head. After the fourth horse came Walton Park, Hazoor and Platter. Kn-ollmere Beats La Poupee. The public went for Gold Trail in the concluding event with Knollmcre as second choice. Knollmere, Lady Spy and Esteem set the pace over the early stages from Lyrical, Gold Trail and Snowball. There was little alteration going across the top, where Knollmcre was leading from Gold Trail and Lady SPT; with Esteem next and La Poupee moving up fast. Knollmere appeared to have tho race won a furlong from home, but La Poupee finished with a rattle and Knollmere had to be ridden out to win by a length from La Poupee. Gold Trail was a couple of lengths back third and Lady Spy was fourth.

The public went for Cadland in the open sprint, but he finished out of a place after being five or six lengths away from the leaders at the home turn. The winner was Equitant and she paid close on a score on the straight-out machine. Equitant led out from Navaho and Sir Pombal, but Voitre dropped in behind and Navaho led across the top from Princess Doreen, Equitant, Arrow Lad, Sir Pombal, Takakua and Carland. Takakua had moved up to fourth by the time the straight was reached, but otherwise the order wa.s unchanged. Prnicess Doreen soon dropped out and half-way down the running Equitant had worked to the front and she responded well to beat Takakua by half a