PACING STAKES TO GAY LAD

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27322, 12 April 1954, Page 4

PACING STAKES TO GAY LAD

ANOTHER PLACING FOR SANTA AMADA

Gay Lad created a good impression at < Addington on Saturday when he won the < New Zealand Pacing Stakes. He was «i in front from the start, and set a sound 5 pace. Over the last six furlongs he was closely attended by Royal Crown, which { dropped out three furlongs from home. Gay Lad had a lead of three lengths ; from Local Light racing to the straight, where Santa Amada, Luminous, Golden Chimes, Gay Cobra, in a break, and Mid- j day were next. Gay Lad always had ] the measure of the opposition over the j last furlong and he won really well by s more than two lengths. Santa Amada added to her long list of ] placings in classic and semi-classic races ] when she finished on for second without 1 ever appearing likely to trouble Gay Lad. « Luminous, which had always been j handily placed, finished on for third, half ( a neck behind Santa Amada, with half < a length to Local Light. Golden Chimes ] was five lengths back next, ahead of Midday and Rowan Star. 1 Midday. Local Light, Vapour Trail, Es- s teem, and Toronto Boy were among those to make mistakes. I Scott Wrack Surprises Scott Wrack caused a major upset when : he won the President’s Handicap. The . half-brother to Maudeen began well from ; 24 yards and was soon in a handy posi- ‘ tion. He w»as just behind Spring Edition at the end of three furlongs. When the , pacemaker dropped out with just under ! three furlongs to run Scott Wrack broke ; away from the field. He was 'four : lengths in front of King’s Order at the ' straight entrance, with Midnight, Trout , Stream, Dillon d’Oro, Fair Annette, and Lady Jane handiest of the others. Scott ' Wrack finished better than he has for t some time to hold off Dillon d’Oro by half a length. • Dillon d’Oro raced in the middle of the field for most of the race, and finished very strongly. Lindy Lou was a little unlucky to finish no closer than third. The Dillon Hall mare lost several lengths when Spring Edition dropped out, and she made up a lot of ground over the last furlong. Ice Drift held on for a fair fourth, ahead of Fair Annette, with three lengths to Midnight. Eureka Scott and King’s Order. King's Order. Eureka Scott. Virginia Scott, Spring Edition, and Midnight lost ground early. Trout Stream was checked at the end of half a mile and sent to a break. N.Z. Trotting Stakes Highland Flame was the only horse ; to trot solidly throughout the New Zea- ; land Trotting Stakes. She began well, and at the end of two furlongs was three 1 lengths in front of Mercury Light and Devo.,l. She increased her advantage to five lengths at the mile post, and two I furlongs further on she was 50 yards clear. She had doubled this lead at the : half-mile post and at the straight entrance . she was followed by Mercury Light, with • eight lengths to Gay Tune and a similar > distance to Larnie Scott and Barravey. > Highland Flame finished strongly and had > an advantage of 100 yards at the post. > Barravey, the hot favourite, did well > to finish second after breaking just after > the start and in the running. He flni ished boldly. I Gay Tune looked assured of second l place until Barravey challenged. She was I a neck back third, two lengths in front 1 of Larnie Scott, with a length to Mer- : cury Light and a gap to Super Fortress. Favourite Wins » Dancing Years, which had paced a useful race in the Autumn Stakes the previous Saturday, gained a decisive win in » the Papanui Handicap. He had a good trail in the middle stages of the race be2 hind Atomic Power, and when that horse j tired at the two-furlong post, Dancing I Years took over to shade Warren Grat--1 tan at the straight entrance. They were j followed by Macall, Rajah, Waihi Prinj cess, Reko, and Lady French. Dancing j Years had a good lead inside the furlong, and he held on well to beat Macall by a length. Macall added to a long list of placings. He was never very far away and- responded well under a hard drive. Waihi Princess began well from 24 yards and had a good run on the rails to the , straight. She came to the end of her run just short of the post. Warren Grattan . was half a length back fourth, a length ’ in front of Rajah, with four lengths to Reko and Mighty Falla. ’ Lady French, Silver Circle, which was B later pulled up, Loraine and Gay Herij tage lost ground at the start. Frigate locked wheels with Reko at the start, , and her driver, C. C. Devine, was tipped _ from the sulky.