Racing STRADBROKE HANDICAP

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 12

Racing STRADBROKE HANDICAP

Grey Ghost Beats N.Z. Horses r (N.Z. Press Association—CopyrtLht, BRISBANE, Junq 14. Grey Ghost won the Stradbl-oke Handicap at Eagle Farm yestiday with tne New Zealand gallcfcers. Second Earl and Fountainhead, second and third. 1 Grey Ghost gradually' Wore Idown the brilliant Second Earl over the last half-furlong to win by Half a head in a photo finish. The favourite. Fountainhead, was *w o lengths and a quarter fa way third. Grey Ghost’s time, Imin 25 l-ssec, was one-fifth of a second Ibetter than Kingster’s race record in 1957. and only one-fifth of a second outside the course record he d by Duchesne, which today finishe 1 well behind him. Grey Ghost was the best I acked horse in the race. Among th * bets against him were two of £5 100 to £5OO, others of £2700 to £3( ) and £lOOO to £lOO. It was estimated that bookn akers on the course would face a payout of not less than £50,000. Grey Ghost pulled up with a >lack eye, which was also badly. infl< med. Yesterday morning, on the track at Deagon, while Grey Ghostl was having his final pipe-opener fon the Stradbroke, the horse struck himself on the off-hind fetlock jlint, causing a cut which drew blooH. His trainer, J. M. Barker, laid after the race: “We decided \we didn’t want any bad luck in Vie race, so we sewed the medal of The Patron Saint of Travellers on Vo Grey Ghost’s bridle." \ Beaten At Furlong The jockey, M. Schumacher, gave Fountairhead a perfect run in the race, but the favourite was “underdone" and was beaten at the furlong post. Second Earl dashed clear at barrier-rise and led until two or three strides from the post. At the

turn he was about a length and a half a head of Gay Port, with Fountainhead in a perfect position on the rails half a length away. Fountainhead failed to respond coming to the furlong. Schumacher rode desperately, but the horse was beaten.

Grey Ghost did not begin well, and in the early stages of the race did not appear to be moving freely. At the half-mile he was about sixth, boxed on the rails, about six lengths from Second Earl. Neville Sellwood gat a run through coming up to the turn and rounding the bend was fourth. When Grey Ghost took an opening in the straight Sellwood rode desperately and he gradually made up his ground. The jockey, A. Tindall, who rode Second Earl, said: "He only knows how to go fast. If I had fought him and held him back he would not have done any better. He did a great job in doing all the hard work of the race, and will have a big chance in the Doomben £lO,OOO, over half a furlong less." Result:—

STRADBROKE HANDICAP, Of £10.000; seven furlongs. GREY GHOST (Empyrean— Tetrinia) H-3 .. N. Sellwood 1 SECOND EARL (Tembu—Ajalon) 8-3 .. ..A. Tindall 2 FOUNTAINHEAD (Gold Nib— Herma) 8-0 .. M. Schumacher 3 Twenty-four started. Short head; two lengths and a half. Time: Imin 23 l-ssec. Betting: 5 to 1, 12 to 1, 4 to 1.