RACING GAME WIN FOR MASAI IN TIMARU STEEPLES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28939, 6 July 1959, Page 5

RACING GAME WIN FOR MASAI IN TIMARU STEEPLES

Masai gained his first win Tver country for his Riccarton ownertrainer, Mr C. L. Austin, in the South Canterbury Steeplechase at Washdyke on Saturday. It was a spectacular contest from the start and interest was maintained on a high level throughout.

From an even start Masai andStruggle were the first to show out and they rose to the first fence together just ahead of the other six runners which were almost in line. The second fence, the first of the stand double, nearly brought the elimination of Our Murph which stumbled on landing and came down to his knees. Both horse and rider, B. P Kennedy, made a remarkable recovery and Our Murph managed to scramble over the second of the double successfully.

As they left the straight the first time Bonniboy pulled his way into Che lead. Masai and Struggle trailed a couple of lengths back ahead of Meadow Gold and De Gaulle. Our Muroh had drifted out to the rear in a small gap behind Incredible and Persia. Bonniboy maintained his lead over the next round and as they approached the stand double for the

second time he was out by a length from Struggle, Masai and Persia, which had improved quickly and was three wide. De Gaulle and Meadow Gold were close behind and Incredible and Our Murph followed in As the field left the straight and approached the board fence seven furlungs out. four lengths would nave covered the first six runners. Persia had moved up on the outside of Bonniboy and De Gaulle had worked' his way through on the innei to be alongside them. Masai and Struggle were half a length back and Meadow Gold was next a length - away De Gaulle dipped on landing over the ooards and unseated his rider. At tne next fence, the brush near the five furlongs. Our Murph blundered and lost his rider. Persia was then the leader and in the next furlong opened up a gap of six lengths on Masai. Persia lost interest racing to the brusn by the three furlongs and Masai closed on him quickly and outjumped him into a short lead there. Struggle was also making ground two lengths back. Struggle worked through on the inner coming to the last fence and he and Masai landed over It together. Under ‘ a vigorous ride over the last furlong Masai responded best to beat Struggle by three parts of a length. Persia battled on for third four lengths back, and Meadow Gold shaded Bonniboy for fourth eight lengths behind Persia. There was another long gap to Incredible. Brian Warwick Wins Brian Warwick, a minor placegetter on the first day of the meeting, returned an outstanding performance to win the Oplhl Stakes. He accelerated quickly from No. 17 at the barrier and was eighth at the end of the first two furlongs. Gradual improvement on the outer coming to the straight carried him up to iourth coming to the last furlong, and he ran the race out determinedly to win going away by hah • length from the Riccarton two-year-old. Kauri. / Kauri had been two places ahead of the winner half a mile out. He followed Sudd-el-nll, Gayfield, Legal Game and Aloment into line, mastered Aloment at the furlong and Sudd-el-nll closer to home, but could not withstand Brian Warwick's final challenge. Two-year-olds also filled the third and fourth places. Sudd-el-nil, after trying to make all the pace, fought on a neck behind Kauri and Anaconda was a fast finisher from the middle of the field three lengths back He shaded Prince Command, whico had his chance, and the favourite Carrageen, was close up sixth.

There was merit in Carrageen’s effort for he was last to leave the barrier and was still 15 places from the lead half a mile out. Aloment weakened to seventh and she was followed in by Legal Game and Misty Flight. Main Hope and Lady Ribbon were also slow away. Hurdles to Pot Luck Pot Luck went into a clear lead seven furlongs from home in the Kerrytown Hack Hurdles, and although strongly challenged from the last flight by the favourite, Baby Toes, responded gamely to win by a length Cassius plodded on for third 10 lengths away, a neck in front of the faster finishing Jem Mace. There were another three lengths then to Naughty Boy, which just caught the very tired Kasr-el-nil which had almost stopped to a walk. The rest, which were beaten off, were headed by Snyrider. < Sorrento and Bargain, which both jumped cautiously, tailed off early and Mexico took up his usual role of pacemaker. After five furlongs he lea by three lengths from Cassius and Kasr-el-nil with Pot Luck two places back behind Ben Ledi and Hay Time. Baby Toes was then only five places from the tail of the field and fem Mace was next. Cassius and Kasr-el-nil moved up to Mexico at the mile and a furlong later Pot Luck took over. Pot Luck was out by six lengths from Cassius and Kasr-el-nil at the halfmile and Baby Toes had improved quickly to be a close tourth three lengths ahead of Hay Time and Mexico Baby Toes set out after the leader on the home turn, was three lengths back as they straightened up, and a length behind at the last' flight but could make no further impression. ! \ Easy tor Kastcnea Kastenea gained his second effortwlnwitta « Otato Haadicap. S- rmiayaon restrained Dim in about sixth place Wm thh start and Robin Hood, behind Bright Style and Chief General as they straightened for the run in. Without apparent effort Kastenea gathered in the leaders coming to the last furlong, and he drew out to win by a comfortable length from Robin Hood; which rap the race out Underbid, was a powerful finisher for third a length and a half back. Underbid had not accelerated quickly, and had only Ayrways. Golden Voice, and Marie Ann behind him after the early, scramble for positions was over. He beat Glare, which was running

on after drifting a few places on the home turn from a handy position at the half-mile, by threequarters of a length. The weakening pacemaker. Bright Style, was close up fifth ahead of Tarmine, Night Sock and Chief General.

Win for Pleasant Ways Pleasant Ways held a trailing position behind Royal Glen to the straight in the Strathallan Hack Handicap, responded generously when the Riccarton apprentice, W. Beck, brought him oil the fence to challenge outside the furlong, and won with something in hand by a length from the favourite, Wild Clover.

Wild Clover had shared the third line with Miss Halyard until the turn, and was close behind the winner as they straightened up. Although hard ridden he could not bridge the gap over the last furlong He beat Royal George, a solid finisher after being sixth into line, by a neck. There was a length and a half then to Fanchea, which came from the tail of the field for her placing. Fanchea had held up the start when she reared in her stall and fell. She had to be resaddled, and was last to leave the barrier when taken to the outer. Hunting Melody was close up fifth ahead of Starwyn. These two had been equal fourth as they reached the straight. Hunting Melody made a short-lived challenge about a furlong from the end when she was third for a stride or

two, but came to the end of her run soon after. Miss Halyard, which had rushed up after being slow away, headed the rest. Fern and Sarkey also lost their chances at the start. Glenrowan Beats Staying Hacks The Gore-trained Glenrowan carried top-weight of 9-1 to an impressive victory in the Washdyke Hack Handicap, for which he was the 2/3 favourite. He won going away by half a length from Milord, with the other Wingatui candidate in the field, Cassock Rose, a length back third. Naseby was fourth, a head away, then there was half a length to the favourite. Terracotta Yue Chee followed Terracotta and Rose of Kildare headed the remainder of a beaten lot. Rose of Kildare tailed off from the start, and Glenrowan was only one place ahead of her for the first six furlongs. Distant Day quickly raced ahead, but he did not set a true pace, and most of those close behind were pulling hard. Stage Boy and Waikiwi Star were trailing with nine furlongs to go. and next in line came Naseby, Cassock Rose and Milord ahead of Yue Chee, Valeris and Terracotta. Yue Chee raced forward on the outer, and was at Distant Day’s girth six furlongs out. It was then that Glenrowan began a big run which took him up on the outer of the third line alongside Terracotta and Waikiwi Star coming to the straight. Distant Day compounded as soon as they straightened up. and Yue Chee led momentarily from Milord, Cassock Rose (inner). Naseby following Cassock Rose, Terracotta and Glenrowan. Yue Chee shortened stride at the furlong, and Glenrowan kept up his determined run to gather In Milord closer to home.