FREE HALL SURPRISES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28537, 17 March 1958, Page 5

FREE HALL SURPRISES

Grand Final At Wayville

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) j ADELAIDE, March 16. < The South Australian pacer, Free Hall, caused a sensation , when he wort thje Grand Final of the 1958 InterDominion Championships at Wayville last night. Free Hall Started at 20 to 1 and beat the favourite Sibelia, 3 to 1, by a head in a photo finish with First Division, 10 to 1, only a nose back in third place. The New Zealand horses, False Step and Gentry, ran very moderate races. False Step was eighth and Gentry ninth. Free Hall was one of the most consistent pacers in South Australia, but a month ago he did not appear to be up to InterDominion standard. His form rapidly improved, and when he won his qualifying heat he came into calculations for the title. Free Hall followed Beloro for the first five laps and went to the front at the bell. He then established a good break which the determined Sibelia and First Division could not bridge. No excuses could be made for Sibelia. She had the run of the race and when she made her run with a lao and a half to go it seemed likely she wofild win But the leader had too much stamina and outstayed Sibelia in the run to the post. First Division also had a good run all the way and came home well to get to within a long head of the winner. Taminga was severely hampered just after the start when Para Sten and then Kiwi Dillon broke. Taminga made up good ground at the finish to be fourth, with last year’s Inter-Dominion winner. Radiant Venture, next. Handicaps Too Great False Step and Gentry found their handicaps of 12 yards much too severe. Gentry has shown disappointing form since his arrival in Australia and his failure was not unexpected. Gentry w s s last for the first four laps. He then made a forward move which took him into the middle of the field, but could not sustain his run. False Step.' third last in the early stages, did not put his heart into his work. He was being ureed along over the last halfmile. but could not improve and over the concluding stages of the race he was going past only tired horses. Sibelia earned £2OO for gaining fastest time. In winning, Free Hall smashed the mile rate for an InterDominion championship at Wayville. Previous best time for a title race stood to the credit of Tennessee Sky, which ran 2min 11 sec in 1954. Free Hall was timed at 2mih 10 l-ssec. Free Hall is a ’ five-.vear-old bv Fremont from Star Spangle. His victory gave him his second big success at Wayville. Two seasons back he figured in a sensational Derby with Taminga and was awarded the race on a protest Result: GRANn FINAL INTER-DOMI-NION CHAMPIONSHIP. Of £10.300. One mile and a half and 206 yards. FREE HALL (South Australia) scr .. • W. Shinn 1 Sibelia (N.S.W.) 12 J. D. Watts 2 First Division (Victoria) scr G. D. Wilson 3 Taminga (South Australia) 12 N. Webster 4 Then followed Radiant Venture. Dillon Tower. Kiwi Dillon. False Step. Gentry, Beloro. Fettle. Para Step. Betting: 3/1 (Sibelia), 7/2 (Fett’e) 7/1 tTaminga). 8/1 (False Step. Radiant Venture), m/i (F’vs* D’vision). 14/1 (Kiwi DHlon, Beloro), 20/1 (Free Hall). 25/1 (Dillon Tower). 40/1 (Gentrv), 100/1 (Para Step). Dividends for 2s.—Win: £2 5s 9d. Places: Ils 3d, 4s. 6s. A head, a nose. Time: 3min 30 l-s*ec. Fastest time: Siberia. 2min 9 7-10 sec.