RACING Royal Chant Wins Cup At Oamaru

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 4

RACING Royal Chant Wins Cup At Oamaru

Royal Chant now has the very .good record of four wins in six starts at Oamaru. His fourth victory on the course came on Saturday when he narrowly beat Lightning Boy and Pilot Light in the Oamaru Winter Cup. D. J. McDonald’s fiye-year-old Royal Chief gelding was .cleverly ridden in the lead by the Wingatui jockey, L. W<Hare.

The Oamaru Winter Cup was Royal - Chant’s second test and his first win beyond a sprint distance. Results:—

On the first day of the Oamaru autumn meeting in March he easily beat a strong field of sprinters. His best' performance at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting was a second in the mile Templeton Handicap. That placing looked a fairly encouraging pointer for a test over a mile and a quarter on the less difficult Oamaru track on Saturday. Royal Chant was win favourite, but only fourth choice in doubles betting. He carried £2289 ISs of a double pool of £20,752 10s. There was stronger backing in doubles for Pilot Light (£4273 10s), Smart (£3131 15s), and Lightning Boy (£2298 10s). So doubles backers were fairly well on the mark; the four to carry the heaviest support were the first four to finish. Lightning Boy, which had been lucky to beat Bagman at Rangiora a week earlier, came from the tail ol the field for a close second. Had he been on the same stride as Royal Chant on the line he would have won. Jesse Owens was the bestsupported light-weight in the second leg, the Grange Handicap, and he outftnished the favourite. Cashmere, and the second choice, Curtain Raiser. Jesse Owens was scratched earlier in the week for the Oamaru Winter Cup. Jesse' Owens is a four-year-old gelding, by. Booby Trap from Dame Spritely, and is raced by his WaimSte trainer, P. H. Andrews. There were 632 5s tickets on the Royal Chant-Jesse Owens combination, and the double was worth £lOB 8t 8d for £l. Cashmere was a hot favourite with 3,07 tickets. Red Tinge was a surprise secohd favourite with 982 tickets. That he was W. D. Skelton’s mount could be significant.

In most cases favouritism rested on form shown on soft and heavy tracks. But Saturday’s racing was done in summerlike weather on a firm track. Horses were kicking up the dust in some places on the track.

The totalisator on-course handled £23,846 ss. including £2405 15s on the double, compared with £27,984 10s last year, a decrease of. £4138 ss. - 'laSStSMl.' RqyaL ..’lasted to beat igje Boy in Royal Chant Wps* in front almost from the start and Lightning Boy made his run from the tail of ’the field. Pilot Light was almost in line third and the consistent Smart was close at hand fourth.

Royal Chant joined Bob wood in the lead leaving the straight. Bobwood went back two or three places in the next two furlongs and Well Cut pulled up to Royal Chant in the lead. The pace was slack, and Royal Chant and Well Cut had a closerunning pack behind them. Nairn Bridge, Black Star, and Bobwood were closest to the leaders going to the half-mile and JPilot Light was being hurried along in the next line alongside Smart and Aquarius. Black Star and Nairn Bridge had had enough near the home turn. Royal Chant was going a shade better than Well Cut going to the furlong, but was all out to cope with

brilliant late challenge from Lighting Boy.

Pilot Light had made his challenge a little earlier and a little wider, and it gave him third a neck behind Lightning Boy.

Smart was half a length back fourth and had little to spare from Well Cut and Paper Clip.

Next were Bobwood, Aquarius, Brookfields Lad, Demolish, Nairn Bridge. Count Aven, Black Star, and Scottish King.

An Easy Win Pitlochry was clearly superior to the others in the Burnside Hack and Hunters* Steeplechase. He was alongside Sir Chat in the lead for a good way, and ran clear, in the last round, winning at his leisure by five lengths. Sir Chat beat the others even more easily. Pitlochry and Sir Chat led into the last round by four lengths from Flying Doctor. Van da Hum was next in a gap of four lengths alongside Bright Bridge, which had been hanging at times on the first round. Meadow l Gold was two lengths behind Bright Bridge and was clear of Grey Valley.

Grey Valley was pulled up near the seven furlongs; he had broken down.

By this time Pitlochry had gone out to a lead of four lengths from Sir Chat. Flying Doctor was a clear third not far ahead of Van da Hum and Bright Bridge. ? Van da Hum lost ground at the fence near the six furlongs and the sod wall, the third last fence, troubled Meadow Gold, which dropped his rider.

Pitlochry had given a little ground at one fence early in the race, but he maintained a good standard oi jumping over the last round.

He was assured of victory, short of a fall, on the home turn.

Sir Chat was unchallenged for second, and Flying Doctor did not have to be hurried to hold third place by a length and a half from Van da Hum. The favourite Bright Bridge was a moderate fifth two lengths behind Van da Humm. Then there was a gap to Good Abbot and another to Brown Baron, whose jumping was not good. Strong Finish Jesse Owens had eight or nine of his rivals ahead of him at the halfmile in the Grange Handicap, but sustained a strong run from the turn to master Cashmere and Curtain Raiser close to home. Renway was in front going to the half-mile but he had Red Tinge at his girth, Red Boat and Subside were trailing, and Beau Revere was close at hand just ahead of Cashmere and Curtain Raiser. Renteay dropped back beaten before the home turn, where Beau Revere was alongside Red Tinge in the lead. Curtain Raiser had been switched wider out into a challenging position, and Cashmere was following him through. Curtain Raiser had Beau Revere's' measure going into the last furlong, but he was soon hotly challenged first by Cashmere and then by Jesse Owens.

Jesse Owens dashed through a gap and won going away by half a length.

Half a length also separated Cashmere and Curtain Raiser for second and third.

The weakening Beau Revere wa two lengths back fourth. Then then was a nose to Subside.

Hannibal, one of the last away, was sixth in a gap of three lengths. Next were Assembly. Matlock, Red Boa, Undergrowth, Red Tinge. Renway, Lord Fane, and Royal Pal.

HACK HURDLE HANDICAP Of £230; about one mile and quarters.

3/4 MEXICO, T. T. Whiting*** ■ by Tim.nov.-P gcsas 4 4/2 KING’S LACE M. JTsi?. 1 b g 7yrs 9-12 .. p. L. Fraser 1 7/7 RAGLAN J. Dwyer’s br • 1 by Ruthless—Flying Quex syr« 9-7 .. c. G. Law s 10/10 Ben Ledi. 1/1 Montrose in Cassius bracketed Master Ascot tn Naughty Boy. 5/5 Gay Mood, iim Kasr-el-Nil, 8/8 Copperfield, ii/Ji Pot Luck. 13/13 Bargain. 8/1 qS King also started. Nose; two lengths and a half p o t Luck was fourth. Time.MJtmiii it l-ssec. Winner trained by T w O’Reilly, Orari. / w ’ Dividends.—Win: £9 3s6di Plscm* £2 Ils 6d. £2 10s. £4 4s. ’ TRIAL HANDICAP, Of £200; six furlongs/ 7/8 UNDERBID J. H. G. >and Mrs Peterbon’s b f by Alonzo—Gay Mars 4yrs car. 2/3 ChlbP GENUAL 1 Dundass’s hr c 3yrs 8-6 5/5 HALF QUID G. ’ ham’s br f 3yrs 1-0 3/2 Strathlock. 4/4 F,ir W Fta"'i/J Ken. 13/13 Corrie Maris, 8/9 Scope 11/10 Super Robin, 8/7 Alonzo Lire 12/12 Crystal Light, 15/15, Jayann, 10/11 Gooseberry Hollow, 11/is Greencille, 14/14 Lingering, 17/18 Legal File, 9/9 Reshine, 18/17 Red Mane, 16/16 The Wings also started Half head, long head. Fair Flow was fourth. Time. Imin 14 24tec. Winner trained by W. P. Regan. Wash dyke . ’ Dividends.—Win: £l4llB. Placet £5 Ils. £2 7s. £2 14s 64. HACK Of £3M; one mile Had a quarter. 1/2 KELP W. It. and Mr, Wood, ham’s br g Beaumarte—Sea Flower 4yrs 9-4 W. D. Skelton 1 11/10 GAY ROMEO E. M. and Mrs Jopson’s ch g 6yrs 4/4 STORM HAVEN J. S. Reid’s ’ b g 3yrs 8-3 H. T. Anderton 3 3/3 Quick Time, 2/1 Fair Catch, 1/8 Naseby. 6/5 Stag* Boy, 12/11 Dtpend. 8/7 Miticille. 7/8 Royal Trick. 19/13 Regal Coat. 5/6 Serang. 10/12 Yue Chee also started. Three lengths;, one length. Naseby was fourth. Time. 2min 6 3-3 see. Winner trained by J. L. Barr, Ricca rton. Dividends.—Win: £2lss6d. Places: £1 14s 6d, £ll 10s. £2 15s 84. OAMARU WINTER CUP, Of £420; one mile and a quarter. 1/2 ROYAL CHANT D. J. McDonald’s b g by Royal Chief • —Kelenza syrs 8-12 L. W. Hare 1 4/4 LIGHTNING. BOY J. Y. Scales’s b g by Nightly— Threaten syrs 8-0 „„ ~ N. E. Eastwood ! 2/1 PILOT LIGHT R. C. McKenzie’s ch g by Kurdistan —Amberley 4yrs 8-6 _ . w - Skelton 3 8/5 Black Star. 3/3 Smart. 5/6 Paper Clip. 10/11 Well Cut, 8/9 R‘/^ kfi ? ,d 8 I r ad ’ 11/10 Nairn Bridie. 12/12 Aquarius. 7/7 Demolish, 9/1 Bob Wood, 14/14 Count Aven. 13/13 Scottish King also started. Head; neck. Smart was fourth. Time. 2min 8 3-ssec. Winner trained by owner. Wingatui. Dividends.—Win; £5 ss6d. Places: £2 5s 6d. £2 14s. £2 2s 6d.

BURNSIDE HACK AND HUNTERS’ STEEPLECHASE, Of £250; about two miles and a half.

4/3 PITLOCHRY, W. A. Grant’s blk g by Callander—Peel Tower 6yrs car. 9-1 9/9 SIR CHAT, C. D. Cochrane’s b g by Chatsworth—Shy Lady Byrs car. 9-2’i 8/8 FLYING o’? * Thomson’s ch g by Airway—Sandown 9yrs car. 9-1 5/6 Good Abbot, 1/1 Bright %rfge* 6/5 Grey Valley, 2/2 Meadow Gold, 7/7 Brown Baron car. 9-8 3/4 Ven Da Hum car. 9r2»i also started. Five lengths; eight lengths. Van Da Hum was fourth. Time, 4ihin 49 2-ssec.

„r W L n ?®. r trained by M. R. Jones, Washdyke. Dividends.—Win: £5 14s 6d. Places: £1 18s 6d, £5 16s, £4 17s.

. GRANGE HANDICAP, Of £250; seven furlongs. 4/4 JESSE OWENS, P. H. Andrews blk g by Booby Trap—Dame Spritely 4yrs 8-6 L. M. Casey 1 1/1 CASHMERE, C. H.,•< Weis’s ch g by Cassock—Merrywale „ t 6yrs 9-0 .. R. J. Skelton 1 2/2 CURTAIN RAISER, W. J. Davidson’s b g by Defaulter—Dress Rehearsal 7yrs 9-0 . E. G. Low 3 5/5 Beau Revere; 8/8 Undergrowth. 6/6 Subside. 10/10 Red Boa, 3/3 Red Tinge. 12/11 Assembly, 7/1 Hannibal, 9/9 Lord Fane, 11/13 Matlock, 14/14 Renwqy, 13/12 Royal Pal also started. Half length each way. Beau Revere was fourth. Time, Imin » sec. Winner trained by owner, Wtimate. Dividends.—Win, £7 se. Places: £1 Ils, £1 Bs, £2 la 6d, . AWAMOA HACK HANDICAP, Of £210; six furlongs. 9/12 MADAME CUKIE, A. I. and R. T. Powell’s ch m by Cassock—Our Maureen 6yrs 8-9 .. B. J. Anderton 1 2/1 HUNTING MELODY, Mrs E. R. Simmon's br f 3yrs 9-0 _ R. J. Skelton 3 17/15 SIR EDWIN, W. S. Emmerson’s b g syrs 8-3 R. J. Blair 3 4/3 Golden Rhapsody, 7/7 Copper Maid, 6/6 Imshi Allah. 8/8 Settler. 1/2 Esla, 3/4 Black Ray. 5/5 Blue Heaven, 19/19 Royal Dasher. 15/H Befana, 14/11 Benmore. 16/18 Fanchea. 13/16 Gold Conda. 10/9 Maine. 11/10 Orderly, 12/13 Sea Wingt. 17/17 Starwyn also started. Three-quarters of a length; two lengths. Befana was fourth. Time. Imin 13sec. Winner trained by R- *• Powell, Wingatui. Dividends—Win: £29 8s 6d. Place* £lO 8s 6d, £1 108, £l6 ss. FAREWELL HACK HANDICAP, Of £210; ons mile. 5/5 ARCHWAY, E. J. Cochrane’e b g by Defaulter—Bridgeway 4yrs 8-4 .. E. G. Low * 1/1 SUPREME EFFORT, T. JLister's blk 3yrs 8-5 « W. D. Skelton > 6/6 PHIL’S CHOICE, F. D. L. Young's br g. 3yrs 8-5 , E. E. O'Brien 3 3/3 Geysel. 8/8 Port Lanyard. »/» King Lyn. 12/14 Dulcet. 7/7 Moon el Nil. 11/11 Vaper, 10/10 Fairy King. 14/9 Air Charm. 2/2 Cassock Ro*13/13 Tarras, 4/4 The Rector al* started. Four lengths: two and a lengths. Cassock Rose was fourtnTime. Imin 38 2-ssec. Winner trained by owner. Gore. Dividends—Win: £9 ss. Places: £> Is, £2 0s 6d, £3 Is.