SALT SPRAY WINS RIMU HIGH-WEIGHT

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28537, 17 March 1958, Page 4

SALT SPRAY WINS RIMU HIGH-WEIGHT

Salt Spray followed Nobly Born into the straight in the Rimu High-weight at Trenthem on Saturday, mastered him near the furlong, and won unchallenged by a length and a quarter from Corsican. Nobly Born lost second in the last few strides. Salt Spray, the only three-year-old in the field, ran clear from the inside barrier position inside the .first furlong. Bernard was alongside him in the lead all the way along the back straight, but Nobly Bom passed them both three furlongs and a half out. Salt Spray responded generously in the straight, and had the race in hand just inside the furlong. Corsican ran in the middle of the field for the first mile. He was fifth on the home turn and fourth into the last furlong, keeping up a solid run to get up for second. Nobly Born ran close to the lead for the first seven furlongs. He established a handy lead coming to the straight, but was in trouble going t 6 the furlong.

Revolver carried top weight of 11-4 into fourth place. He was well placed three places back on the rails going to the mile but drifted to the tail of the field soon after. He stayed there to the home turn and was left to make up -too much leeway. Revolver beat Portland by a head for fourth. Golden Years was the best of the others. Braganza Not Tested Braganza did not have to give one of his best gallops to win the Pacific Handicap, his second success for the meeting. The brilliant Riccarton-trained Tafr.gui gelding won coasting by three-quarters of a length from Lesparre, which was well clear of the others. Steady rain was falling when the race started, and visibility was restricted. For the first two furlongs or so Braganza ran in line with Wonderway, L’esparre. Selling Fast, and Jalna. Braganza galloped strongly into a clear lead a good way out. and entered the last furlong two lengths ahead of Portobello, Selling Fast (weakening), Lesparre, Wonderway, and Rustic (running on). Braganza’s winning margin of three-quarters of a length did not represent the ease of his victory. Rustic kept up a determined run to get up for third by a head ’ from Wonderway. Then there was half a length to Jalna, half a length to Portobello, a neck to Sonnita, half a head to Selling Fast, and a gap of five lengths to Pinnace.

Light-weight’s Victory Television, a failure on a firm track against the hack stayers on the first day of the meeting, carried 7-8 to a decisive win in the Champion Hack Handicap. Mr K. W. Lupton’s three-year-old Timanova filly was one of the tailenders at the half mile, but kept up a solid run from the turn and won going away by two lengths from Paulo, the only other three-year-old in the field. Paulo trailed the pacemaking St. Reynard from the half mile to the home turn. He appeared to reach the end of his run outside the furlong but was left clear in second place when the others weakened badly near the end. Panseron improved slightly from the turn for third, two more lengths back. He shaded Warlock for that place, the latter failing to run on after having the run of the race. The others, led home by Globemaster and St. Reynard, were beaten off. The favourite, Runada, was eighth. . Strong Finish Coffee had easily the strongest finish of the hack milers in the Belmont Handicap and it gave her an easy first win for the season. A. C. Messervy rode Coffee well back in the field to the straight and the Carterton-trained Sabaean mare still had much leeway to make up a furlong and a half out. There Kirklea was in front, but weakening, and Fitnah, O’Reilly’s Bar, Fondu, and Gold Tower were close at hand.

Coffee came to the front with a powerful run and she won going

away by two lengths from Kirklea.

Kirklea lasted by a neck from Diamond Wedding and Gold Tower, which could not be separated in a photo-finish for third. O’Reilly’s Bar, which drifted slightly after a good start, was a head back fifth threequarters of a length ahead of Fondu. Then there .was a neck to Fitnah, which was followed home by Movietone.

Agathis Wins Easily The light-weight Agathis spurted through a wide gap on the inner well outside the furlong in the Hutt Handicap and drew away to win by four lengths and a half from Cheyenne, which could not quicken on the soft track after trailing to the straight.

Agathis did not race on the first day of the meeting. She gave the Riccarton jockey, N. Eastwood, his second successive win in the race Last year Eastwood won on India, which was fourth in the Hutt Handicap on Saturday. Golden Bank drifted from a good start, and Nicotian ran to the lead inside the first furlong. Nicotian went out by four lengths going to the half mile where Cheyenne and Bugle Boy were leading the chase after him two lengths ahead of Agathis and Hot Drop. Cheyenne and Bugle Boy reduced Nicotian’s lead to a length and a half coming to the straight. Warwick made a sharp run on the outside but reached the end of it on straightening up. Nicotian was beaten soon after, and Agathis mastered Cheyenne in a few powerful strides. She started the last furlong three lengths clear and widened that lead closer to home.

Hot Drop passed India and Bugle Boy in the last furlong for third, three-quarters of a length behind Cheyenne. After Bugle Boy (fifth) came Nine Days, Golden Bank, Warwick, and Nicotian. .