Lancaster, Christchurch Stayer, Wins Brisbane Cup

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27376, 15 June 1954, Page 4

Lancaster, Christchurch Stayer, Wins Brisbane Cup

RACING

Lancaster made another notable contribution to the great record of New Zealand stayers in Australia this season when he won the Brisbane Cup for his Christchurch owner, Mr R. L. Buckenham, yesterday. New Zealand stayers have made practically a clean sweep in the big cups in Australia this season, and only the Melbourne Cup has eluded them. My Hero won the Caulfield Cup, Gold Scheme the Sydney Cup, and now Lancaster. And in each case there has been a strong connexion with Canterbury. My Hero was owned by Mr O. F. Watson, Christchurch, and ridden by the Riccarton jockey, Noel Eastwood, when he won the Caulfield Cup last October and ran third in the Melbourne Cup in November. Gold Scheme, which bravely overcame a serious injury to win the Sydney Cup on Easter Monday, is Gis-bourne-owned but was prepared for his success by L. J. Ellis, «f Riccarton. Lancaster was sent to Australia to be prepared for the Sydney Cup soon after he won the Autumn Handicap, two miles, at Trentham in March. That success was well earned after seconds to Gold Scheme in the New Zealand Cup and to Golden Tan in the Royal Wellington Cup earlier in the season.

Lancaster was unplaced in Gold Scheme’s Sydney Cup and his New Zealand jockey, R. J. Skelton, came in for criticism from sections of the Australian press, but the horse’s owner blamed himself for not making the trip earlier to get the horse acclimatised. Was a Favourite for Cup Lancaster was more like himself when he beat two moderate three-year-olds at weight-for-age over two miles and a quarter five days after his failure in the Sydney Cup. He has been one of the favourites for the Brisbane Cup since the weights appeared several weeks ago. Lancaster’s win has helped to give New Zealand-bred sires one of their best seasons.

The New Zealand-bred Golden Souvenir has sired Golden Tan, the Royal Wellington Cup winner and the champion of the season; and Gold Scheme, the Sydney and New Zealand Cups winner.

Lancaster is a son of Beau Vite and a grandson of the great Beau Pere, which has had a tremendous influence on New Zealand as well as American and Australian bloodstock.

Beau Vite was a great racehorse, winning 31 races, including the Auckland Cup, Great Northern ‘ Derby, A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap, New Zealand St. Leger, and Great Northern St. Leger.

He was an unlucky second in the 1940 Wellington Centennial Cup 14 years before Lancaster was to fill the same position in the race. Lancaster was bred at Hawera by Mr T. Ash, who raced his dam, Nightray, winner of five races, including the Egmont Cup and a high-weight at Trentham. Mr Ash offered Lancaster for sale as a yearling in 1950 with a 300gns reserve, and the colt was passed in at 280gns. The Otaki trainer, W. McEwan, purchased him six months later and raced him until March, 1952, when he passed him on to Mr Buckenham. The horse remained under McEwan’s care until after the Easter racing in Sydney. Lancaster is bred on sound colonial lines. He is by Eeau Vite from a Nightly mare whose dam, Lady Eka, was by the sprinting-bred Kiosk (son of Tea Tray) from Eka by Acre from Park Tide by Sylvia Park. Notable members of the same family as Lancaster were Onewhetu, winner of 12 races, including the Feilding Cup and the Auckland Racing Club’s Cornwall Handicap, and Aurora Borealis, whose 13 wins included the Great Northern and Grand National Steeplechases.

RYELAND TO GO NORTH

STEEPLES CAMPAIGN FOR RICCARTON JUMPER

The Riccarton jumper Ryeland will go north tonight to embark on a campaign planned to lead up to the Welington Racing Club’s winter meeting next month. Ryeland raced twice at the Dunedin winter meeting. He was third under 10-10 to Parsifal (9-4) and Free Gift (10-1) in the Otago Steeplechase, and second to Culton in the Otago Hurdles. He was an acceptor for the Dunedin Steeplechase last Saturday, but there was some heat in one of his legs earlier in the week and no risks were taken with him.

If he stands up to training and racing Ryeland will be the best of the South Island jumpers in the main cross-country races this winter. His two races at Wingatui should have brought him to his peak. Present plans are to take Parisfal to Trentham next month. The Wellington Steeplechase will be this Riverton-trained Beau Vite-gelding’s main mission. Parsifal is not a robust type and not a really accomplished jumper, but he is hardy and quick-footed. It is doubtful though, if he will be a match for Ryeland and the best of the North Island jumpers at Trentham. Free Gift was the only other open steeplechaser to make much impression at Wingatui. Parsifal decisively beat him twice, but in a weaker field on the third day Mr W. E. Hazlett’s Sir Simper gelding did not have to exert himself much to win.

Border Reiver and Riverstone both five-year-olds, won the hack steeplechases with sound performances, and Riverstone successfully returned to hurdling on the third day of the meeting. Both are splendidly bred for jumping. Border Reiver, a five-year-old son of Royal Chief, is from the same family as Padishah as well as Cuddle and other good gallopers. -- Riverstone (by Lo Zingaro) is a halfbrother to Mandeville, winner of the Lincoln Steeplechase and an unlucky second in the Grand National Steeplechase last August; also to Sailor Boy and Sailor Girl. His dam is Stone Frigate, a mare by Nightmarch from Sailor’s Love. Sailor's Love was a sister Ao the highclass gallopers Waterline and Fast Passage, and half-sister to Streamline, winner of the Great Northern double. Stud Losing on Tulyar

Some members of the Irish Parliament are demanding that the £250,000 sire Tulyar be sold because he is a losing proposition. They say that the Government will not get its money back from the investment in stud fees Tulyar was bought for the Irish National Stud for the record figure of £250,000 in 1952, the year he won the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger for the A TOie horse is said to be costing £lO,OOO a year, with insurance premiums and maintenance. At 400gns stud fee and 40 nominations in a full year, he can earn only £16,000 a year. It is considered that his stud life will be 12 years at best. This year, his first at stud, Tulyar served 20 mares. He earned £BOOO m fees, which is £2OOO less than the maintenance, without returning anything on his capital cost. King’s Fair Beaten The defeat of the hot favourite King s Fair was the sensation of the Stewards Handicap, second leg of the double at the Manawatu meeting on Saturday. King’s Fair lost about four lengths at the start, but was soon in front. He was still clear on the home turn but showed little fight when Saboteur challenged and went under by three lengths. Little less surprising was the failure of Mighty Dollar to maintain his unbeaten record in open company in the sprint at Wingatui on Saturday. Mighty Dollar had won his three previous races, two of them in open cc^mpany, and in a rather weak field he appeared to have a second-to-none chance. He galloped keenly into the trailing position early in the race, and his diminutive rider, J. Didham, had to work hard to restrain him from going past the joint pacemakers, Delayed and Johnny Peep. Mighty Dollar was pulled out to challenge outside the furlong, but he could not muster enough speed to master the leaders. Finally he weakened to fourth, but there was still merit in his performance. He could hardly have failed to do better with a stronger and heavier rider. Young Didham can be little more than six stone, so the Treasure Hunt colt had to carry a lot of dead weight to make up the 9-1. This was to the advantage of the three to beat him, none of which had much dead weight to carry. The winner, Delayed, was ridden at 8-4 by C. McDonald. This Defaulter gelding is a stablemate of Mighty Dollar. It was his first win for the season, and it followed several unplaced performances.