Lay Off Outstays Field In Wellington Steeples

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27400, 13 July 1954, Page 4

Lay Off Outstays Field In Wellington Steeples

RACING

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 12. A very tired bunch of horses had a vain chase after Lay Off over the last furlong of the Wellington Steeplechase at Trentham today. Lay Off, a six-year-old Leighon gelding, whose dam is unknown, galloped away over the last furlong to win by four lengths from Game Felous, another littlefancied light-weight, and the fifth favourite Fox Fun. Previously, Lay Off’s main claim to fame was a win for Mr T. J. O’Leary in a hack and hunters’ steeplechase at Wanganui last month, but today he showed the right qualities to beat a weak field on a heavy, sticky track. The South Island jockey, B. J. Langford, gave Lay Off little chance five furlongs from the finish, but he gained hope when he saw the horses in front tire badly in a piece of particularly bad ground from the half-mile to the home turn. Lay Off gamely made another effort, and the Awapuni jumper had the race won soon after landing over the last fence. Lay Off’s jumping was of serviceable standard, but he showed. respect and wariness for the stand double each time. It was Trentham at its worst in providing set-backs for the favourites. The Wellington Steeplechase favourite, the unsound Song of India, was pulled up five furlongs from the finish, and Oklahoma, the second favourite, jumped badly, only the cleverness of A. G. Waddell keeping him in the race. He was a very weak fifth. Second Leg to Himiler The run of surprises continued throughout the programme, and Hirniler rounded off a good double when he won the Whyte Handicap, a race sensational for the defeat of Santiago, which * looked an easy winner when he entered the last furlong with a big lead. The Lay Off-Himiler combination earned 459 tickets (53 on the course) and paid £437 18s for £l. Himiler is a six-year-old chestnut gelding by Cimbrone from Merry Bunsby, owned and trained by Mr T. H. K. Knowles,. of Awapuni. It was his first win in 18 starts since he won the Auckland Racing Club’s King George Handicap 13 months ago. Pay loch and Dormant were the minor placegetters in the Whyte Handicap. both coming from the tail of the field for those placings. Golden Coronach was favourite for his attempt to win the race for the third consecutive year, but could get no closer than eighth. Opposition, a six-year-old brother to the smart Oamaru galloper, Naval Treaty, brought off a major surprise by winning the Trentham Hurdles for Mr C. P. Thorburn. Opposition caries the same colours as his dam, Chat, winner of the Wellington Steeplechase 14 years ago. Red Star carried top-weight to victory in the other open race, the Stewards’ Handicap. The weather was fine, but after a frost this morning the ground was very sticky, and the going deep. The on-course totalisator turnover was £146,463 10s, including £13,750 10s on the double, compared with £189,433 10s on the first day (a Saturday) last year.

The Steeples .Tbe first fence put Gay Echo out of the Wellington Steeplechase, a bad leap putting this Robin Goodfellow mare on the ground. -, L^l gford had Lay Off close behind Mr Thunder and Fox Fun, the leaders with two rounds to go. At this stage Repayment, Oklahoma and Parsifal were closest of the others. Parsifal’s jumping was not good, but he recovered his position on the flat between each fench over the first round. Fox Fun ran to the front with one rule and three-quarters covered, but

-— i A-u WVCICU, UUI Game Felous was with him starting the last round, with one mile and a quarter to run. There, Lay Off was still third, with Loyal Subject close by ahead of Peaseblossom, Song of India, Parsifal and Oklahoma. Oklahoma's jumping had deteriorated markedly, and a bad leap at the fence near the nine furlongs put an end to his chance, thougi he continued to battle on. . Game Felous went clear in the back straight and led past the half-mile by three lengths from Loyal Subject, Fox Fun and Peaseblossom, which had lost a little ground and vital energy when she got in too close at'the fence near the live furlongs. Lay Off was just in behind Peaseblossom there, and was starting to close on the leaders. Game Felous held his lead to the straight but had little to spare, and Lay Off challenged him on the outfi° e , master ing him just after jumping the last fence.

Game Felous beat Fox Fun by a length for second. Peaseblossom weakening into fourth place, six lengths back. Then there was a gap of 20 lengths to Oklahoma, and one of six lengths to Green Light, with Repayment and Dun wold following in at intervals. None of the others finished the course. Count Minerva lost his rider early in the race, Jimmy Woodser ran off at the nine furlongs, and Loyal Subject fell at the last fence. Song of India, Parsifal, Brown Jester and The Piper were pulled up on the last round.

The Whyte Handicap Santiago appeared to have all his opponents struggling in his wake on the come - n ,n the Whyte Handicap, but the last half-furlong of the race brought a dramatic change. The brilliant Cambridge galloper reach* the end ot his run there, stopping almost to a walk, and Him iler. Pay loch and Dormant battled through to cut him out of a place Himiler beat the faster-finishing Payloch by half a length, and Dormant, a length and a half back, beat Santiago by niler was not well placed in the rush for positions, but between the seven furlongs and the half-mile he moved forward to be in about tenth position. He had five horses in front of him on the 1“™- ? Ut I f adin 8 the chase after Santiago at the furlong. About 60 yards the t P oB * Santiago was done with, and Himiler was left in front with enough to scare to keep him clear of Payloch Payloch and Dormant were at the rear ®“ er fur * n «- and tbey did not come into the picture until the furlong was reached. Santiago, was followed home by Lyndora* Past several horses from we half-mile. Berne was sixth, and next were Sir Nicholas (one of the last away). de !l Coronach (another slow begin™r' . Topmast, Sanford. Windsor, Bretton, Blackfellow. Battle Ensign. Vitalogy, Gay i 1 J str s?’ , Curzon ’ Gilpin, Battle Fort, The Wake and Royal Mail. Opposition Wins Hurdles Opposition, fourteenth favourite in a p ld of 16 dearly outstayed the others in the Trentham Hurdles, finisliing strongly from a handy position to win by two lengths from Cabana, winner of this race last year. Opposition had 10 horses in front of J*"? . sta . rt ,". ng last mU «. and moved fest to fpllow Cabana, Wellfield, and Bhlkoo round the home turn. He reached the front at the furlong, and did not look iikeiy to surrender his lead after that.' Cabana made a bold attempt to win the race for the second time. He moved forbac?. and was in on . °utside of Leighford and ?bikoo. BUrt3 ”8 toe last half-mile. Opposition was clearly his master at the weights, but ridden more patiently he would have been harder to beat ~JLe w^ eld - nin . th at tha half-mile, made O °haf< rOUn< l home turn for third, half a length from Cabana and £ f th a e w £ a £ enin e Wellfield. ' d ..ceignford. which attempted to lead over - £ e J a ? nin / wis anXhe® IwgX ba k. Canadian was sixth, coming from a next *£*a ” p ‘ ha fleU - ?^ly Were

. x.„ St ! wirds ’ to Bea star eate Fted’UJr *2™' namely sustainea the last?*« toi £ over Chattan in R P rt the Stewards’ Handicap »ahntmS U =» r^? ner - u P. to the brilliant at Wanganui at his previous W«tart, lacks good size, so there was merit

in his Bffort under top-weight of M. Wm” well e b a Jk tn th » e h straight i Red star «dw was b £*t£n. the nme - h °'“ fieldfTying Queen, whieh had taken charge Inside the first furlong, led round the home turn from Delayed and Gold Drive. F' r and , Sleipnir. The favourite, r< * JfliLmg. had tailed off early, and wm still at the rear. * Delayed was one of the first beaten,

dropping back well outside the furlong. Gold Drive came to the front near the furlong, but he too quickly reached the end of his run, and Chattan appeared to be on her way to victory, when she got to the front inside the last half-furlong. Chattan held her lead until a few strides from the post, Red Star mastering her tor a well-deserved win. Lord Milling came strongly down the outside for thir/J, a length back, and there was another length to Fir Bolgs, Gold P ri l?’. a weakening fifth, was followed in by Sleipnir and Major Neptune, 1 at length intervals. Then there was a gap of eight lengths to Delayed, which had only Flying Queen behind him. An inquiry into the late scratching of Robbie in the Vittoria Hack Hurdles revealed that the owner, Mr A. Clouston, notified the scratching about 8.30 ajn. from Masterton by telegram, which was addressed to the Wellington Racing Club’s °®£e. The telegram, which was received at Trentham after the scratching time had expired, was produced, and the. delay was explained by the fact that it had been necessary to redirect it from Wellington. No action was taken. The owners of Gay Echo, Count Minerva, Boleigh, and Sly Imp were fined the judicial committee, because their horses were late coming into the birdcage for their respective events. Results:— MARIRI HACK AND HUNTERS’ ~STEEPLECHASE, Of £BOO. About two miles and a half ,?~^y AN ? OE 10-0 • • J. W. Harris 1 o Dog 9-0 • • P- D. Holes 2 8 : n 7^?? tan s P° ld 9-4 •• -R- B. Shield 3 , J. 0 ’ I( L? a^ py . March; 14, 14 Look Ahead °S? ; 5« 4^? pper ’ 9 - 9 Gunpowder (ran off); 7, 8 TnmneU; 1, 1 Riverstone; Thru’; 2, 3 Border Reiver; ,Manoeuvre (ran off); 12, 12 Hadfield U Cheerful Lad (fell); 13, 13 r® 9 / 3 ?? lost irons); 18, 19 Donor; 6. 5 Golden Kingdom (fell); 17, 18 InforP2 a tion; 20, 20 Verification (ran off); 19, i bracketed Wild Rush (ran off) also started. five lengths. Riverstone was fourth. Time, smin 21Jsec. Winner trained by M. B. Andrews, Awapuni. D^/nds.— Win: £6 4s. Places: £2 5s 6d, £l6 4s 6d. £3 19s. VITTORIA HACK HURDLES, Of £BOO. About one mile and three6. 6—SONLOCH ,U lo rt 7 irS ' ?tS!S enzo car ’ 9 • - J 'L. L Sl3pper 2 M - 15 —Nod car. 9-1 .. A. I Lord 3 3, 4 Upright; 1,2 Mary Tudor; 2, 1 Sasm; 5, 5 Puketoi: 4, 3 Boletgh; 7, 7 Sly 1 ~’, 13 Arn >ens; s. e Algaro: 15 14 m°w^ tat <ran off,: “• 11 Anvil Song; Vlte; 13 > 12 Eastern ApJ 3 Jordan; 17, 17 Master Gref 7’ Serrate (ran off) also started. f „„S, gth ’ Vite was Howe, Awip'iSi. Win " er 64 P 1“ «: £i

Of hurdles, «• it-oppos r iTroN e 9 T' “9 ® A R ' ®nk"n‘ 3 1 5 - 6 Canadian; 13, 12 MJ’?°? : nni Colo .“ el Argos y; ’• 7 weiiie d t J;, 2 r E .??° : 8 ' 9 Chief Justice: 16, 6 . 15 ’„ 15 Amber Glow; z?. , Reproof, 4, 4 Serenade 12 11 3 P e j? hford also'started, lengths; half a length. Wellfield tralned'^'J I ',? ’ nF™ 32 ’'2sec. Winner niU/U/L Wright, Awapuni. 7s, £ d ife S '~ Wln: £34 - Places: £8 3s. £2 Of £^™ LIN /i. TO ?'. l STEEPL ECHASE, or £3500. About three miles and three 7. 7—LAY Ofi/STi; I s' 1 tS 3ni< L F elous 9-2 B '.. 2 8 9 DunwiTlri 11 i 9 ~o o’ R * J - Turnwald 3 up): i 2 Ok“ homa: S °4?^%e^Xe P n“ ?° °ay Echo (feU):' 6 . ’6 m 8 Count Minerva (lost rider)- 3 1 n B ,± M !"? racke,Ki Gf«n Light; 11 I Brown Jester (pulled up)- 13 13 Mr £“ Ue ?« up); 12 - 13 Jimmy Woo<£ 15 14 ? 8, Z l6 ,? x>yal Subject (fell); .14 The Piper (pulled up) alco started £w"te! n £ S 3Tte“ ; £lB ‘ Places: £5 Os <*}■

ot°l^^ c . K handicap, a About seven furlongs 4—FLYING GAINSBOROUGH g 5 s—Bernard 8-2 .. i 7.~^ F<«hOTm n is’ 7 i3'sh J ' Hroughton 3 ord? fi H d Admiral; 3. 2 7 if cf' yr*?? 11 ?": «• 8 Josudi; 2. 3 Retillant- M 4 Caraaval: »■ 13 i.iSlf 1 *! “5. a haU: three-quarters of a Sc gt Wi5S- <U .y ?s^ ol S h - Tlme - Imta 3? Shatfor™ tramed by F - c - Cleaver.

4s D £l e 4 n %-^£ lB 195 6d - Pla^: £ * Bracket: Bernard and Lushing.

rw HANDICAP, 4 2?-RTOq'TA?? O w t -> seven T tuHongs. o' ? 1 STAR 9-3 .. J. W Harris 1 9. 9-Chattan 8-5 ~ j q 3", 1 ? ’ 1. I—Lord Milling 8-0 K. A Nuttall 3 7. 7 Gold Drive; 2.2 Delayed- 8 8 Plv £ n Cr®- uee wr ; 5 ’ 5 S3e ipnir; 3,'3 Fir Boles* 6 Major Neptune alSo started g ’ ' a8s^ id jnr£j n BsM. 10S 6d ' PlaCeS: £2

HANDICAP, s «; o About one mile. tri S—HIMILER 8-8 .. J. R O’Neil 1 ?5' ltZn ayl ° Ch .’- 12 •• K F mS£SI 2 —Dormant 8-7 .. C. H Mackie ThJ Wake^l 01 ?’ Wai’ Mail; 6, 9 Vita’oXT-n 1 -r, G ?] den Coronach; 18, 17 XJS^a y, 5iB’C 8 ’ C 4 6 ™ e ! to . n: 16 - 18 Gay MinnuTSir Nichol; 12, 12 John GUPin, 7, , Lyndomar; 2,2 Santiago- 4 4 Topmast; l5 Blackfellow; 19, 19 Wind5 1 i 3 ’ 13 Ba ttle started ’ 3 Bme ’ 10 ’ 8 Sandford also

I ,£? gth and a half - SanrSf%.^«£°‘i rth m Ti J? e Vp lmin s °2sec. WinT- H - Knowles, Awapuni. 18?£5 e 7?7H4s £K 7S 6d - Places ‘- £3 Brackets: Himiler and Battle Ensign Payloch and Sanford. oaiue ensign, T 5. A ?° HACK HANDICAP, Of £BOO. About one mile. m 8-1 J. A. MacFarlane 1 10- 4—Beaverbrook 8-13 N. B. Holland 2 18- 17—Royal Warrant 9-0 . ~ , C. McDonald 3 r 4 ’J Merry York; 20, 22 Balveine; 19, 19 Locherbie; 14, 15 Geelong; 6, 5 Sugar R <? yal invader; 3, 3 Annexe: 9. 10 Indian Sue; 17, is Tricorne; 5. 6 Bowßter; !3, 13 La Valle; 8, 11 Quits; 7. 8 Kentucky King; 15, 16 North Sea; 1, i Compactum bracketed Copperfield; 11, 9 Prince Joseph; 21, 10 Exultant bracketed Ballast; 22, 21 Tarwe bracketed The Best--18, 14 Whakapau braceted Brenin Aur; 2 2 Ticino bracketed winner also started. Nose; half a length. Bowater was fourth. Time, Imin 52 3-ssec. Winner trained by J. A. Hennah, Hastings. Dividends.—Win: £lO 4s. Places: £3 13s 6d, £4 14s 6d, £9 13s.

PROGRAMME FOR TOMORROW (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 12. Prospects are for fine weather, but the going will be heavy for the second day of the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting at Trentham on Wednesday. The double will be on the Parliamentary and Members’ Handicaps. Selections:— 11 a.m.—Corunna Hack Hurdles: Boleigh, Riverstone, Decapitate. 11 42 a.m.—Trial Plate: Gay Silk, Russleigh, Spike Jones. 12.25 p.m.—Lambton Hurdles: Sonloch, Bhikoo, Aigaro. 1 p.m.—Parliamentary Handicap: Topmast, Payloch, Royal Voyage. 1.55 pjn.—Matai Steeples: Beauform, Windfall, Colonel Argosy. 2.40 p.m.—Seatoun Handicap: Bernard. Shaun, Red Admiral. 3.27 p.m.—Members’ Handicap: Chattan, Lord Milling, Foy. 4.15 p.m.—Petone Handicap: Josudi, Pahoro, Bowater. The fields are:— CORUNNA HACK HURDLES, oi £800; about one mile and three-quarters.—Riv-erstone (4) 10-4; Mary Tudor (8) 10-1 Puketoi (2) 9-13; Boleigh (3) 9-9; Wessex (12) 9-5; Miss Gilpin (11) 9-3; Anvil Song (6), Nod (9) 9-2; Barry (5), Decapitate (10), Robbie (1). Serrate (7) 9-0 TRIAL PLATE, of £750; seven furlongs.—Al Capone (1), Educated (8), Gay Silk (13), Gazette (23), Jetson (22), Lady »ie (11), Modem Boy (4), Nukutere (19), Prince «übat (20), Romily (3), Sailing Signal (24). Spike Jones (16). Straight Lead (7). Walkova (6) 8-11; Brent (II) Calmdale (15). Grand Effort (29), Heather’s Gift (12)< Horatius (26), Imprudent (27), Inaugural (25), Meadow Queen (9). Producer (5), Russleigh (2), White City (21) 8-0. LAMBTON HURDLES, of £1500; about one mile and three-quarters.—Sonloch (8) 9-11; Chief Justice (3), Bhikoo (12), Lady Gretchen (1) 9-4; Serenade (fl). Reproof (2), Amber Glow (11) 9-3: Dinkum (9) 9-1; Algaro (4), Amiens (7), Leighford

£2250; about one mile and three furlongs. —Pierre (20) 9-1; Vitalogy (12), Glenkay (23) 8-11; Golden Coronach (17) 8-10; Gay Minstrel (9), Dormant (15), Bretton (7) 8-6; Sir Nicholas (14), Lyndomar (6) 8-5; Elixir (11) 8-4; Toparoa (3), Golden Arch (10), Cabana (1) 8-3; Windsor (22), Royal Voyage (19) 8-2; Payloch (18) 8-1; Topmast (21), Baffling Eyes (13), Blackfellow (5) 8-0; Battle Ensign (8), Indian Scholar (4) 7-12; Berne (16) 7-10; Silver Archer (2) 7-9.

MATAI STEEPLECHASE, of £1750; about two miles and a half.—Gay Echo (8) 10-5; Beauform (7), Parsifal (4) 10-4; WindfaU (11) 9-10; Mr Thunder (13) 9-8; Colonel Argosy (2) 9-1; Bursar (10), Deep Gold (5), Manoeuvre (1), Pepper (12), Verification (3), Whiro (6), Wotan’s Gold (9) 9-0.

SEATOUN HACK HANDICAP, of £750; about seven furlongs.—Cristatus (7) 9-6; Benefactor (1) 9-2; Beauty Spot- (6) 8-13; Foghorn (19), Shaun (4), Five Star (26) 8-12; Red Admiral (12), Strada (27), King (21) 8-10; Wayren (13), Bulla (28), Devastator (30) 8-9; Copperfield (10) 8-6; Quantico (23), Bernard (8) 8-6; Waireka (15) 8-5; De Soto (11), Durham Chief (14) 8-3; Diadema (18) 8-2; Selector (16), Radiate (14) 8-1; Carnaval (19), Cool Air (5), Darik (25), Gay Don (9), Prince Shar (20). Red Bill (22), Red Tinge (3), Saunter (17). Lushing (2) 8-0.

MEMBERS’ HANDICAP, of £1200; about seven furlongs.—Red Star (3) 9-11; Royal Mail (5) 9-9; Curon (7) 9-8; Roy (8) 8-10; Gold Drive (6), Chattan (12) 8-8; Lord Milling (10), Prince Regent (11), Red Souvenir (4) 8-1; Clever Lass (1), Major Neptune (2), Pharaoh’s Castle (9) 8-0.

PETONE HACK HANDICAP, of £800; about one mile.—Balveine (5) 9-3; Royal Warrant (12) 9-1; Tia Maria (6) 9-0; Rueful (19) 8-13; Indian Sue (13), Annexe (15) 8-12; Deodar (1), Bowater (16) 8-11; Pahoro (7), North Sea (27) 8-10; Quits (20) 8-9; Copperfield (22), Bonny Anne (17), Traffic Cop (14) 8-7; Compactum <8), Josudi (24), High Street (25) 8-6; The Bet (18), Harleston (9), Ballast (10). Whakapau (23), Margaret Leigh (11), Master Touch (26), Sassenach (4) 8-1; El Capitan (28), Fair Magic (2), ‘Hushah (21), Superior King (3) 8-0.

W. MCGROWDIE TO RIDE TESLA IN CUP (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, July 12. Mr A. T. Marinovic today engaged the Sydney light-weieht, Noel McGrowdie. to ride Tesla in next Saturday’s postponed Doomben Cup, replacing Grenville Hughes. McGrowdie, who has won three of the nine Ten Thousands decided, has yet to win a Doomben Cup. All the cup horses, including the seven New Zealanders, had light exercise in wet weather this morning. Hughes will return to New Zealand tomorrow. The meeting was postponed on Saturday because of rain.