A. J. Stokes Rides Winners Of Derby And Stewards'

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27501, 8 November 1954, Page 4

A. J. Stokes Rides Winners Of Derby And Stewards'

When Hush Money brilliantly won the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday it was the second time in three weeks that she had completed the day’s double for those who had been successful with Dormant in the first leg. This was also the successful combination on the first day of the Wellington spring meeting on October 16. That day the double was worth £124 5s for £l. Supporters of the combination on Saturday had to accept shorter odds. Holders of 17,054 tickets this time received £l9 14s for £l.

Hush Money, trained by J. C. Tomkinson, Riccarton, for tiie Dunedin owner Mr A. N. Smith, has an unbeaten record as an open handicap sprinter, and her success on Saturday gave the Riccarton jockey, A. J. Stokes, his first success in the big sprint. About an hour and a naif earlier, Stokes also had his first success in the New Zealand Derby, riding the Washdyke colt, Port Boy, to a narrow victory over the favourite, Gulliver. Port Boy is trained at Washdyke by E. J. Ellis for Mrs W. P. Pateman. of Timaru. He is a son of Beau le Havre, the 1947 New Zealand Cup winner, from the unraced Defaulter mare, Lady Alison. He cost 400gns at the national sales in 1953.

Hush Money closely followed Mijiji out of the chute to the course proper in the Stewards’ Handicap and reached the front soon after. She was stoutly challenged by the hot favourite. Clinker, but held her lead and won decisively by haftf a length from Mighty Dollar. Mighty Dollar finished fast and very late to cut Clinker out of second place by a nose. Irish Wings was at the rear when the field had done half a furlong, and Melinda Jane and Clinker were the ethers at the tail of the field. With the race half over Mijiji led by a length and -a half from Hush Money, Scotch Gift, and Clinker, which had brilliantly dashed - through. Next in line ware Convair, Gonfanon, and Strato, clear of Melinda Jane, Millrace, fP. d . Copenhagen. Hush Money mastered Mijiji well outside the furlong and successfully coped with Clinker’s 'challenge socn afterwards. Mighty Dollar put fresh interest to the finish late in the race when he dashed down the outside, but by the time he came on the scene the filly had

Melinda Jane did well to get up for tourth two lengths from Clinker. Mijiji was fifth, shading Strato. Then there was gap to Copenhagen, which was followed in by Gonfanon. Persian Gulf. Irish Wings. Crnvair. Scotch Gift, Princess Neptune, Millrace. Zizette. and Chat-Tea.

„ Port Boy’s Derby ®°y Nuclear, two of the principals in the finish of the Stonyhurst Handicap, a race for three-year-old hacks on the first day of the meeting, were first and third in the New Zealand Derby, separated by the Takanini-trained Gulliver, a strong favourite. Port Boy led early, and then A. J. stokes settled him into a handy position behind Privy Council. Magic Carpet, and Passchenedaele going to the mile. Privy Council had a slight lead from PasscheneuS® V? ost 3?? the way from there to the half-mile. Magic Carpet was in the trailing position and Port Boy was racing in a gap clear of Nuclear. Gold Ember dashed forward to join Council near the half-mile, where Magic Carpet and Passchenedaele were two lengths clear of Port Boy and Nuclear. Gold Ember mastered Privy Council outside the furlong, but was almost immediately challenged by Port Boy, Gulliver, and Nuclear, with Glenlee •forcing her way from the ruck on the inner. Port Boy went clear, and Gulliver, which had been -chopped back on the inner inside the first two furlongs, could not peg him back. The Washdyke colt met this challenge with the utmost fameness. Nuclear was two lengths back third, and the fast-finishing Three Step was half a head away fourth. Glenlee was a close fifth ahead of Gold Ember, Council, and Magic Carpet, A Pi 9 1 WaS rUn ln lmln 40 4-ssec, the last six furlongs.in Imin 15 l-ssec. and the concluding half-mile in uu i-osec.

„ Welcome Stakes Seven Seas brought further fame to the brood mare Rodeur by winning the Wel- %. kes ,o £. hls Southland owner, Mr „ Hodeur 13 also dam of the E \ ce , l!< ; n ay, which won the race in 1946 and later became the best race mare of her time. Seven Seas made his run in the middle i he . tr ack. He wore Can’t Fault and Motueka down inside the furlong and won decisively by a length from the favourite, Great Seal, which was battling on gamely on the inner. Motueka was threequarters of a length back third, just beating Can t Fault, the only filly in the field. Omar gave ground at the ?h^;.^ ot *£ ka x ai l d Skylight worked through to the front early and led to the Url i? ngs xr , half a length from Can t Fault. Next, in line, behind the «^ ere P reat Seal (inner), Instanter, ve ?u Sea /* was done with outside the furlong, and Seven Seas gained mastery soon after. After Can't Fault, fourth, there was a gap of four lengths to Omar; then four lengths to Inf°llowed by the disappointing Skylight, with Lammas at the rear. Easy Win for Braze Braze, a firm favourite, gave his backJ!? worries in the Suburban Highweight. He dashed round the field from r « ar coming to the str aight, strode to the front easily just outside the furlong, and won as he liked. x out 01 the stalls, and K. Nuttall kept him well back in the slow-running field for the first half of the race. At the five furlongs he was second to last, but he closed the gap to the to ad ® rs . at ,N S e®se- He was third to swing into line behind Delayed and Love!ock’ and though Nuttall was sitting quite he went to the front soon h?i7’ n+ °su ni, l g , a lead of a len B th and a half at the furlong. Bon Soir finished strongly from a handy position for second two and a half lengths back, beating Relinquish by half a head, “on and Relinquish were together about five places back on the home turn. InvercarglU-trained Patris was a fair fourth, but a length and a half back. He 03 t_i run of the race > but race-winning finishing speed was ty>t there. Fifth, a neck back, was Camaval, another well in

the picture throughout, but Taranhlk came from well back for sixth, a i|3 back. She was one of the slowest b*. ginners. Super Maru was a weakeniM seventh after having every chance. I Third Successive Win Golden Morn ran past the tiring raw maker. Golden Shoes, outside the firriwM in the Spring Plate, and did best In 2 interesting finish with Joss to take a n«d decision. This was his third win—he had won a double at Gore at th Labour Day week-end for Messrs D C and E. H. Aubrey. u Golden Morn was one of the best bsginners and followed Golden Shoes to the half-mile, where the latter had drawn out by three lengths. Joss was followfau Golden Morn, but four lengths back, ud alongside the favourite were Meteorologist and Red Biretta, with Struggle next Golden Mom closed on Golden Shoa after straightening up, and was followed through by Joss, Red Biretta, Iroquoi Smuggles, and Shoal. Golden Mom and Joss had the race to themselves from the furlong, and tti Oamaru horse did a shad.e better. The little-fancied Shoal was an im. prover’s third, two lengths back, juU nosing Iroquoi out. Smuggles was a. Rood fifth, just beating Red Biretta: then cum Leprechaun, Decipher, Gold Flame, Atom, Royal Tryst, Struggle, Golden Shoes,.sad Mayonnaise. Strong Late Run Americus, an unlucky sixth in the Apprentices’ Handicap a week earlier, fared better in the running in the Hagl*y Han. dicap, and a brilliant late run carried hta to a decisive win from Loyal Chief, 1 long shot from J. C. Hobbs's Oamsn stable. The top weight, Sir William, wai a creditable third. Five lengths from home Americus wu racing in a gap about nine lengths from the leaders. There Garoloch was in front, but Hickory Stick took over before the straight was reached with Loyal Chid alongside. Kasr el Nil was just behind, clear of Sir William, Tamahere H, Americus, and Macduff. Loyal Chief led past the furlong, and the post was near when Americus got up. Americus, at the height of his very powerful run. won by three-quarten of a length going away. Sir William was half a length back tMri The consistent Roi du Bois was a length! and a half back fourth, and Garcfloch wu fifth, followed by Hickory Stick, Ka® el Nil, Goldwyn, Tamahere 11, Harleston. Macduff, and Scuppered. Bonny Anne lost several length* at IM start. She moved fast in the middle stags to be about the middle of the field goinj across the top, but dropped out again. Stablemates to Fore ' Mr H. D. Greenwood’s pair, Pack Drill and Fulgent, had the finish of the RWor* ton Handicap to themselves, and ; tin camera placed them in that order W ■ half a neck separating them. Pack Drill was in front all tbe way. had Ngapunawai alongside him, with Corona Fox. Saranac, and Major Neptune just behind at the mile. . 4 ’ Modern Times was up with Pack Drill at the five furlongs, and when that Defaulter gelding dropped out Saranee moved through to be joint pacemaker oa the home turn. There Fulgent was trilling after making a fast move from to five. furlongs, and Corona Fox, Declare, and Major Neptune were closest of to others. Declare and Sublime came into the picture outside the furlong, but they both reached the end of their runs short of the post, leaving Pack Drill and Fulgent to battle on for the major honours. Declare was a length and a half back third, two lengths clear of the tlrinf Sublime. Ballast was a good fifth, half a length back—closer then than at any other stage. Denominate was threequarters of a length back sixth, and wm followed a length and a half back W Ngapunawai and Saranac.