CONRAD’S QUICK RETURN

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27429, 16 August 1954, Page 4

CONRAD’S QUICK RETURN

WIN IN FIRST RACE FOR MR A. S. ELWORTHY

Purchased for 350gns by Mr A. S. Elworthy five days earlier, Conrad showed improved form to win the Styx Hurdles at ’ Riccarton on Saturday. He outstayed Al- , garo and Upright after being alongside those two at the last jump. Conrad was always in the first three. With the race half over he was in front : with Navy Chief, seven lengths clear of Sasin and Upright. Navy Chief had a lead of three lengths at the half-mile from Conrad, with Up- i right, Sasin, Algaro, and Test Flight : handy. f Navy Chief was beaten early in the run home, and Conrad gamely shook off challenges from Algaro and Upright, . winning decisively. Algaro beat Upright by a length for : second. These two had been handy for : the last mile, but found Conrad too good at the weights. It was an improved effort : by Upright, whose form as a hurdler has i not been solid. Brutus provided a minor feature of the race by finishing strongly for fourth a length behind Upright. He was well out of his ground until the race was practically. over. It was a performance of an early winner. King Simper improved three places from the half-mile for fifth, just beating the top-weight. Test Flight. Test Flight appeared to have a good Winning chance when he moved forward on the inner behind the leaders early inthe run home, but he faded slightly under his weight. Russleigh Shows Speed Russleigh showed ability to master the other three-year-olds in the Aylesbury Handicap. She was in trouble at the start, but showed brilliant speed to be handy in, the big field on the home turn. There Detection apd Ocean Flight led from Super Com,. King’s Lace, Magic Carpet, Gold Trend, Dixie Leigh, Russleigh, Scuppered, Smuggles, and Nuclear. Magic Carpet worked his way thrdugh to the front outside the furlong,, but Russleigh ran out the .race too strongly for him and beat him decisively by a length and a half. k Magic Carpet beat the others just as easily. He was followed three lengths back by Smuggles, which was running on a neck in front of Ocean Flight. King’s Lace was fifth ahead of Watch and Wait, which was checked with Russleigh at the start. Horatius showed speed to finish seventh after losing about three lengths at the start. The second favourite. Nuclear, showed little dash. He was fifteenth. Notable Victory Pack Drill carried top weight of 9-12 to victory in the Longbeach Handicap, this giving him his second win for the meeting. Mr H. D. Greenwood's smart four-year-old Defaulter gelding was in the first six all the way, and his chal- . lenge from behind the leaders carried him to the front going to the furlong. Cullen made a strong run in the I straight and appeared to have a firstclass winning chance, but Pack Drill was master of the situation over the last 50 ( yards and beat him by half a length. I Cullen was about 11 places back at the ; half-mile, but improved his position , quickly coming to the home turn. He ran out the race strongly, producing a per- . formance of an early winner. 5 Copenhagen was a good third, but a • length/and a half behind Cullen. He was one of the smartest beginners and just [ behind the leaders on the home turn. He challenged on the inner, but made no impression over the last furlong and a half. Fourth, half a length back, was Josudl, which improved several places from the I half-mile. Sir William was fifth, and closer at the finish than at any other stage i of the race. He was the win favourite. - Strada finished alongside Sir William I and clear of Macduff, which had the run * of the race but weakened from the home

turn. Knight Abbot took no part in the race after giving trouble at the start. Yorick, Super Find, and Haleston were slow away. Won at Good Odds

Kurlwao Belle, which had come from the rear of the field to finish fifth in her race on Tuesday, was at odds of better than 30 to 1 for the Redcliffs Hack Handicap, which she won decisively by two lengths from Strathcarron. The favourite, Balveine, ran another good race for third, half a nebk back, with the fast-finishing Tarantella a length away, fourth. Mish Mish. which also finished well in the straight, was a head away fifth, and a length in front of Solstice, with Bowater, which had been slow away, leading in Carnaval, Wee wyn. Sovereign Salute, Argive, and Belle NUit. Bowater. Balveine. and Mtah Mish the slowest away. Abbot’s Choice was the first out, and ho led through the back straight from Leofa, with Argive, Alb, Carnaval, Devalue, Strathcarron. Sovereign Salute, Kurlwao Belle, Solstice, and Bowater following. Abbot’s Choice still had charge entering the straight, with Leofa, Bowater, and Argive in close attendance, and Balveine, Weewyn, and Kuriawao Belle in reached the front at the furlong, with Balveine, Wtach was weakening slightly, next, and StrathcarronTTarantella, and Mish Mish becoming pl Kuriwao Belle continued her run to win easily.

PRESENTATIONS TO MR C. F. HARTLAND

At a special funption after the last race at Riccarton on Saturday, Mr C. F. Haitland, who recently retired from the position of stipendiary steward in Canterbury, W'as presented with a cheque by the chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club (Mr Gilbert Grigg), on behalf of clubs in the Canterbury district. Mr F. T. H. Bell, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, made a presentation on behalf of the club’s staff. Mr J. H. Grigg, a committee member and steward, rnd owner of the Grand national Steeplechase winner. Young Prince, proposed a toast to steeplechasing, to which various members of the committee and club staff drank.