CHALLENGE STAKES

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26854, 6 October 1952, Page 4

CHALLENGE STAKES

RUSTLER’S EASY WIN AT TIMARU SPRING STAKES WON BY VALESCURE Backed so heavily that his place supporters lost money. Rustler did not make heavy work of his win in the Timaru Challenge Stakes at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s spring meeting on Saturday. Sir John McKenzie’s Riccartontrained Defaulter gelding effortlessly shcok off a challenge from Silence early in the run home and beat that smart Wingatui sprinter comfortably by a length and a hal'. Rustler paid £2 6s 6d and 18s 6d on the win-and-place totalisator. It was his second win this season, and it followed his success in the main handicap on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Clubs meeting a fortnight earlier. Each time Rustler was ridden by W. D. Skelton, the successful Orari light-weight who will be 21 years old tomorrow. Sir John McKenzie is overseas, and the trophy which goes with the race was accepted by Rustler’s breeder. Mr L. J. Coulter.

Rustler was the only successful favourite on a programme marred by the number of times well-backed horses lost their chance at the start. Square Dance, the favourite, was one of the last away in the Spring Stakes, and after that his task was hopeless. Pleasure Bent’s supporters in the same race fared worse. After giving trouble when she was brought into line this well-supported Defaulter filly whipped round at barrierrise and took no part in the race. Pleasure Bent’s supporters had invested £2748 on her.

Valescure won the Spring Stakes, and won so easily that the favourites would have not found him easy to beat even if they, had been among the smart beginners.

Valescure finished brilliantly from the middle of the field, streaking away to a long lead in a few strides outside the furlong and winning by six lengths. He appeared to be vastly improved by his race in the Dunedin Guineas, in which he finished fourth, a week earlier. What Next rounded off the day’s double by leading all the way in the Otaio Handicap under top weight of 9-0. She had won against the sprinters at the Geraldine meeting at her

previous start. The Valescure-What Next combination paid £136 15s 6d for £l. • Times w’ere fast on a track that was in excellent order. The attendance was fair. The on-course totalisator turnover was £32,335 10s, including £2875 10s on the double. The spring meeting last year was postponed and held in January, when the turnover was £38.417 10s.

Back in the middle of the field for the first half mile. Rustler ran to the front just past the home turn in the Timaru Challenge Stakes and immediately left no doubts about the result. Bonnie Charlie was in front for the first furlong and a half, but after two furlongs the Washdyke pair. Lord Fort and Goldstrike, were pacemaking ahead of Te Kooti. Silence and Bonnie Charlie with a gap of two lengths to Rustler and The Hob. The bracketed pair. Black Wealth and Mv Hero were tne taU-enders, My Hero having been last away. Lord Fort started to go back through the field near the half mile, leaving Goldstrike to go ahead by himself in front. Rustler had been asked for an effort by this time, and he moved into the trailing position ahead of Silence, Bonnie Charlie, and Te Kooti. Following them was Lord Fort, then The Hob; My Hero, and Black Wealth. Goldstrike could offer little opposition when Rustler challenged. In a few long powerful strides the big Defaulter gelding was clear, with Silence, under the whip, leading a vain chase after him. A length and a half separated these two at the post. , My Hero came home fast with a typical stayer’s run to cut Te Kooti out- of third place three lengths behind Silence. The Hob’s performance matched the support for him. He was fifth two lengths behind Te Kooti and three-quarters of a length ahead of Black Wealth. Then there was a gap to Lord Fort, which was followed in by Goldstrike and Bonnie Charlie. Chances Lost at Start The Spring Stakes lost a lot of its interest from the start when Pleasure Bent whipped round the wrong way and Square Dance and Convair began slowly from inside barrier positions. King Charles .was the early leader, but he was eased in behind Battle Ensign and Red Hand inside the first two furlongs. The well-supported Mish Mish was next, getting the run of the race but hanging badly, and following were Paulette, Valescure, and Canzona. Battle Ensign and Red Hand had a lead of two lengths from King Charles running to the three furlongs, where Valescure was four places further back. Valescure then made his move and, at the height of a powerful run he dashed past the leaders outside the furlong, getting clear in a few strides and going on his wav to the easiest win of the day. Six lengths separated him from Battle Ensign at the finish, and King Charles was a length back third, narrowly beating Red Hand. Paulette was a fair fifth, and King Willow made up ground for sixth in a manner encouraging for his future races beyond sprint distances. Mish Mish was seventh and the favourite. Square Dance, ran past several horses from the half mile for eighth. What Next’s Effort The favourite. Debenture, carrying over £l2OO in win-and-place betting, lost his chance at the start of the Otaio Handicap, possibly easing the task of What Next, which >ed all the way. What Next, one of the most brilliant beginners racing the South Island* and a half-sister to the good Australian winner Ellerslie, had the others struggling to keep within range of her from tne start. She led to the home turn from Johnny Peep. High Spirits, Gold King, and Ambergris and it was clear outside the furlong that none of those horses would beat her. Johnny Peep ran What Next to a length, but he was comfortably beaten. Gold King, which had every chance, was half a length back third, beating the weakening Hign Spirits by a neck. Milton, prominent al! the way was two lengths back fifth, and was followed home by Ambergris and the veteran Coral Arc, whose performance showed that he is in splendid order for racing over distances more to his liking within the next few weeks. TRIAL PLATE, of £175; six furlongs.— 3, 3 P. Humett and W. Ford’s WEEWYN bv Old Bill—No Hurry 4yrs car. 8-2 R. McSeveny 1; 2,2 Riga 8-3 L. W. Hare 2; t. 1 Editor 9-0 A. J. Stokes 3. 6, 6 Detour; 4. 5 Trashna: 5, 4 Air Spin; 12. 12 Decapitate: 14. 14 Dunkeldf 13, 13 Gay Mars: 9, 9 Hot Sands; 8. 7 Moombarra; 10. 11 Peter Bruce: 7. 8 Port Finis; 11, 10 Realm: 15, 15 Tera whiff also started. Neck; two and a half lengths. Detour was fourth. Time, Imin 15 2-ssec. Winner trained by J. Barr, Riccarton. Dividends—Win: £7 6s. Places: £2 2s 6d. £2 Is 6d. £1 4s 6d. CAROLINE HANDICAP, of £200; two-year-olds: about four furlongs.—2, 1 J. S. Shaw’s KINGSHIP by Timanova—Blue Lace 8-0 P. Hill 1; 7, 7 Talons 8-0 G. W. Mein 2; 1,2 Miss Bambton 7-12 N. Eastwood 3. 2. 1 Referee bracketed winner; 11. 11 Bachelor Gay; 10, 10 Highwayman; 6, 6 Overboard; 5. 5 Sawdust: 4, 4 Teko; 9. 9 Minto Girl: 8. 8 Miss Meteor; 13. 13 Ngahuia: 3. 3 Our Treasure; 12, 12 Stole also started. Neck: two lengths. Teko was fourth. Time, 49sec. Winner trained by J. Smith, Riccarton. Dividends—Win: £3 Ils. Places: £1 0s 6d £« 19-= 6d. £1 3s 6d. KERRYTOWN HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP, of £250: one mile and a Quarter. — 3. 3 J. B. Douglas-Clifford’s ARGONAUT by Neptune—Wild Fox syrs 9-12 A. J. Wil’iams 1: 1. 1 Bowling Green aged 9-8 B. J. Langford 2; 12, 11 Bright News aged 9-8 P. Fraser 3. 6. 4 Flying Control: 8. 9 Valley Go’d; 7, 8 Pro'ane; 2.2 Detective: 11, 12 Escalade: 5. 5 Indiana: 4. 6 Master Key: 9. 7 Pageant: 13. 13 Piccolo: in, 10 Sax onia; 14. 14 Remus started. Half neck: three lengths. Detective was fourth. Time. 2min 8 4-sse-. Winner trained by A. Cutts. Riccarton. Dividends—Win: £8 4s 6d. Places: £2 Bs. £1 2s 6d. £ll 19s 6d. SPRING STAKES. r.f £3«0: three-v«ar-olds: one mile and 35 vards.—7, 8 Mr J. MacG. Jnel-’s’s VALESCURE hv Treasure Hunt— Valerie 8-4 C. McDonald 1: 5. 6 Batt’® Ensign 7-12 W. D Skelton 2; 6, 7 King Charles 7-13 R. L. Murrav 3. 3. 2 Pleasure Bent: 1. 1 Square Dance 9. 9 Convair: 4. 4 Lord RowaHan; 2. 3 Mish Mish: 15, 15 Canzona; 14. 14 Derobe: 13. 12 Flyting; 10. 10 King Willow; 8. 5 Paulette; 12. 13 Prince Crusader also started. Six lengths: length. Red Hand was fourth Time. Imin 41 l-ssec. Winner trained bv J. S. Shaw. Riccarton. -« Div J de T d * —Win £I4 Places: £4 I<K £3 7s. £3 12s. -TIMARU CHALLENGE STAKES. o* £5fV: weleht-for-age: one mile and 35 \ S ! r John McKenzie’s RUSTLER by Defaulter—Arustra 4yrs 9-0 W. D. Skelton 1; 2.2 Silence 4yrs 9-0 B. J. T-png-

ford 2; 5, 5 My Hero syrs 9-4 G. W. Mein 5, 5 Black Wealth bracketed My Hero; 8, 8 Bonnie Charlie; 7, 6 Goldstrike; 4, 4 Te Kooti; 6, 7 The Hob; 3, 3 Lord Fort also started. Length ahd a half; three lengths. Te Kooti was fourth. Time, Imin 40 2-ssec. Winner trained by R. E. Johnstone, Riccarton. Dividends.-Swin: £2 6s 6d. Places: 18s 6d. £1 2s 6d, £3 16s. OTAIO HANDICAP, of £300; six furlongs.—2, 2 A. Grant's WHAT NEXT by Nizami—Tamahere 6yrs 9-0 B. J. Langford 1; 5, 5 Johnny Peep syrs 8-7 C. McDonald 2; 3. 3 Gold King 6yrs car. 8-OJ L. W. Hare 3. 2,2 Gold Tip bracketed winner: 6, 7 Travesty; 10, 10 Coral Arc; 9, 8 Milton; 11, 11 Eastern Monarch; 1, 1 Debenture; 4, 4 Dan; 7, 6 High Spirits; 12, 12 Ambergris: 8. 9 Atlantic Queen; 13, 13 Battle Rock also started. One length; half a length. High Spirits was fourth. Time, Imin 12 3-ssec. Winner trained by J. C. McKerrow, Oamaru. Dividends.—Win £4 7s 6d. Places: £1 Ils 6d, £2 16s, £1 18s 6d. TAIKO HACK HANDICAP, of £200; six furlongs.—7, 7 Mrs K. Austin’s REGAL by Sun King—Royal Baby 3yrs 8-3 A. J. Stokes 1: 2. 3 Hermes 4yrs 7-12 W. F. Ellis 2; 5, 5 Strato 3yrs 7-8 G. W. Mein 3. 13. 12 Royal Symbol: 8. 9 Fiddlesticks; 3. 2 Cloudy View; 4. 4 Rebel Flight; 12, 13 Doctor Pippin; 11, 11 Sheik; 16. 16 Prometheum: 1, 1 Compactum: 9, 8 Edendale; 14, 14 Kandahar; 15, 15 Redition; 17. 18 Armando; 18. 17 Clinker: 6, 6 Gold Scheme: 10. 10 Relinquish also started. Length; same. Rebel Flight was fourth. Time, Imin 12 3-ssec. Winner trained by T. Smith, Riccarton. Dividends. —Win: £l6 12s 6d. Places. £4 14s 6d, £2 2s 6d. £2 Bs. STRATHALLAN HACK HANDICAP, of £250; one mile and 35 yards.—2. 4 A. M., J. 8., and J. F. Morrison’s LORD LOTHIAN by Royal Arch—Craiglea 4yrs 8-9 C. C. Stokes 1; 1. 1 Kingsmead 4yrs car. 8-4 P. Hill 2: 7. 7 Pyramus syrs car. 7-11 R. J. Skelton 3. 3. 3 Ulster Queen; 8. 8 Tyro; 5. 5 West Riding; 10, 10 Western Lady; 12, 11 Royal Simper; 9, 9 Snow Clad; 6, 6 Argive; 11. 12 Marauder; 4,2 The Old Vic also started. Length and a half; length. Ulster Queen was fourth. Time. Imin 41 4-ssec. Winner trained by P. H. Andrews, Washdyke. Dividends. —Win: £6 0s 6d. Places: £2 2s, £1 13s, £4 7s 6d.