RACING Field Chief Surprises At Randwick

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28472, 30 December 1957, Page 5

RACING Field Chief Surprises At Randwick

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY, December 29. The New Zealand horses, Field Chief and Radar, upset betters with their wins at Randwick racecourse yesterday. The nine-year-old Field Chief, unsuccessful in his last 22 starts, won the £lOOO Denman Handicap easily from the favourite. Top Ruler. The colt, Radar, spoilt the betting when he beat by a long neck the heavily-backed Chipperfield which took one of the biggest betting plunges of the year. A third New Zealand horse, New Amber, struggled home to win the £lOOO Three and Four-year-old Handicap, with one stirrup broken. Field Chief surprised betters and his New Zealand trainer, Arthur Didham, yesterday when he won the mile and a quarter Denman Handicap. Carrying 7-4, ne won by two and a half lengths from Top Ruler, with the favourite, Woodland Stream, half a length further back third. Field Chiefs time of 2min 6 J / a sec, was almost five seconds outside the Rapdwick record set by Empire Link. Field Chief had previously failed to win a race in 22 starts since he arrived from New Zealand last March, and Didham had lost faith in the aged gelding. On Friday night Field Chiefs owner, Mr D. McFarlane, phoned Didham from New Zealand to inquire about his horse’s prospects. Didham told the owner that he did not think Field Chief could win. On Thursday, Didham had won his first double at Randwick with the New Zealand horses. Pale Blue in the Nursery Handicap and Lochie in the A.J.C Handicap.

Five Horses Field Chief’® win surprised most betters. There were only five starters in the race and most betters plunged havily on Woodland Stream (11/8), favourite, and Top Ruler (7/4). The apprentice, Bernie Howlett, showed to advantage when he led throughout on Field Chief. George Moore (Top Ruler) and Neville Sellwood (Woodland Stream) appeared to be caught napping by Howletts tactics The two leading jockeys appeared to ride casually when Field Chief enjoyed what proved to be an unbeatable lead approaching the home Didham said that Field Chief would now contest the Tattersail’s Cup on New Year’s Day. The New Zealand-bred New Amber gained her second win from two starts when she won the £lOOO Three and Four-year-old Handicap at Randwick with a broken stirrup. New Amber (5/2) beat the favourite, Keep Alert (6/4) by two lengths. Amenullah (6/1) was a neck away th New Amber appeared to jump a little as she approached the winning post. Her jockey, G. Moore, moved forward in the saddle and appeared to be having an uncomfortable ride. However, New Amber had a lead of six lengths at the turn and had the mile race well in her keeping when the stirrup buckle broke. When Moore returned New Amber to the enclosure his left foot was fully extended in the iron. _ Af + er the race the trainer, Tommy Smith, said New Amber would run in the Gladstone Handicap, for fillies and mares, over seven furlongs at Randwick on Wednesday Radar’s Upset Radar, a well-grown New Zealand colt, upset heavy betting when he won by a long neck from the favourite, Chipperfield, in the six-fur-long Juvenile Maiden Handicap at R Chipperfield looked to have the £lOOO race well won half a turlong from home, but Radar, hard ridden by Neville Sellwood, moved out of the ruck and, in the last few strides, gained the upper hand. The victory cost betters thousands, as Chipperfield was one of the biggest betting plunges of the year. He was backed, as if unbeatable, firming from 9to 2. to 6 to 4 favourite.

Radar, 7 to 1, which was bred in New Zealand by Mr T. C. Lowry and Dr. R. H. Bettington, is by Gabador from Sports Flash. Radar showed ability when first put into training, but the first time he appeared in public he bucked Sellwood twice out of the saddle in the Randwick Two-year-old Trial. Radar has not shown similar tendencies since, but as a precaution he is always ridden into and around the saddling enclosure by a stablehand. Results:— JUVENILE MAIDEN I HANDICAP, Of £lOOO. Six furlongs. RADAR (Gabador (F.R.) —Sports Flash) 8-5 ’ .. N. Sellwood 1 Chipperfield 8-7 .. .. D. Weir 2 Cerdsus 8-3 .. .. G. Moore 3 Long neck; two and a half lengths. Time—lm in 14 2-ssec. Betting: 7/1 (Radar), 6/4 (Chipperfield), 3/1 (Cerasus). THREE-YEAR-OLD AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD HANDICAP, Of £lOOO. One mile. NEW AMBER (Amber (F.R.)— Brigid) 8-10 .. G. Moore 1 Keep Alert 7-13 .. J. Thompson 2 Amanullah 7-13 .. W. Caher 3 Two lengths; neck. Time, Imin 37 9-10 sec. Betting: 5/2 (New Amber). 6/4 (Keep Alert), 6/1 (Amanullah). DENMAN HANDICAP, Of £lOOO. One mile and a quarter. FIELD CHIEF (Royal Chief— Janefield) 7-4 B. Howlett 1 Top Ruler 8-8 .. .. G. Moore 2 Woodland Stream 8-0 N. Sellwood 3 Two and a half lengths; half a length. Time, 2min 6Jsec. Betting: 9/2 (Field Chief), 7/4 (Top Ruler), 11/8 (Woodland Stream). PACE WELTER, Of £lOOO. One mile. WATERFORD (’Udstream Imp.) —Amazonian (Imp) ) 8-10 N. Sellwood 1 Ma Reine 8-11 .. J. Didham 2 The Blue Hawk 9-2 G. Moore 3 Two and a half lengths; neck. Time, Imin 36 7-10 sec. Betting: 5/2 (Waterford), 7/2 (Ma Reine), 4/1 (The Blue Hawk). OAMARU THURSDAY NEXT. JANUARY 2. First race 11.45 a.m«i Good fields. 5/- Doubles Tote. —Advt