Tradition Broken With Royal Meeting Protest

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28528, 6 March 1958, Page 4

Tradition Broken With Royal Meeting Protest

[From the Australian Correspondent of “The Press.”]

MELBOURNE, March 3. To the consternation of officials a protest had to be decided over the running of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. One of the traditions in racing is that protests are not lodged when Royalty is in the stand. Australian racing has

broken that tradition twice—once in Adelaide and once in Melbourne.

In Adelaide when the Queen was watching the feature race at the meeting in her honour, Captain Hunter and Sir Coral engaged in a head and head struggle in which Sir Coral appeared to interfere with Captain Hunter several times and ruin his chance to win. Sir Coral won narrowly and a protest was lodged. It was dismissed almost without a hearing. On Saturday, Sailor’s Guide beat Prince Darius and Tulloch for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and brought the huge crowd at Flemington to its feet for a great finish. The Queen Mother said that she had not been more excited in a finish. Protest Lodged Then a protest was lodged. A. Ward, rider of Prince Darius, claimed that W. Williamson, rider of Sailor’s Guide, had shifted ground a furlong and a half from the post and had closed an opening through which Ward had begun to move Prince Darius. The stewards took more than 15 minutes to hear evidence and to see the motion pictures of the race before dismissing the objection. There would have been an uproar if it had been upheld because the crowd was not in a mood to see the race taken from Bailor’s Guide. The crowd was applauding Sailor’s Guide as he was unsaddled and when the course announcer said that a protest had been lodged there was a roar of disapproval. When the protest was dismissed there was an unparalleled demonstration of approval The trouble occurred when Ward tried to take Prince Darius between Sailor’s Guide and the rails while Sailor’s Guide and

Tulloch were engaged in a struggle for the lead. There is not a doubt that Prince Darius was checked, and that had he been taken to the outside in the first place he would have won. Apparently the stewards took the view that Ward had tried to get through where there was not sufficient room, in which circumstance, Ward had only himself to blame. At Best Form

The race showed that Sailor’s Guide is at his best form; that Tulloch is gradually returning to top form again; and that Prince Darius is better than ever.

Tulloch looked fitter, more robust, and more eager to race than he did at Caulfield when Prince Darius beat him rather comfortably over nine furlongs. Saturday’s race was one mile and five furlongs and Sailor’s Guide ran the distance in 2min 42sec, equalling a long-standing record set by the great stayer Columnist

The Newmarket Handicap was won by the South Australian sprinter My Hour, which upset a plunge on the New South Wales sprinter, New Snec. by beating him in a photo-finish.

The New Zealand-bred Zariba, winner at his previous start in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield was an unlucky third. It is generally conceded that if Zariba had got a run entering the last furlong he would have won. Zariba will be set for the Doncaster Handicap (Im) at Randwick on the Saturday of the Easter holiday, and with 8-8 he is very well handicapped. If he had won the Newmarket Handicap he would have been penalised the full 101 b for the success.

NEW ZEALAND METROPOLITAN TROTTING CLUB, INC. NOMINATIONS for all events at the above Club’s Easter Meeting, to be held on March 22, 29, and April 5. close at 4 p.m. Today (March 6). D. C. PARKER. Secretary. —Advt.

WITHDRAWALS for the Cheviot Trotting Club’s meeting at Rangiora on Saturday, March 15, 1958. close at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 10, 1958. with the Secretary, P. J. Byrne. 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. —Advt.