TRENTHAM STAKES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29112, 26 January 1960, Page 4

TRENTHAM STAKES

Sydney Entry For Winner

(From Our Own Reporter) TRENTHAM, Jan. 25.

Great Sensation was nominated for the Sydney Cup, run in April, soon after he won the Trentham Stakes, run at weigh t-for-age over 11 furlongs, on the final day of the Wellington Cup meeting today.

Great Sensation, the only seven-year-old in the field, was clearly superior to his nine rivals. He joined the three-year-old Pique in the lead on the home turn, and drew away inside the last furlong, beating the Summertime filly by a length and a half. This was Great Sensation’s third win this season for his Wingatui owner-trainer Mr D. W. Brown and he has now earned £4030 in that time. In December he won the James Hazlett Gold Cup on his home track. Next start he won the Invercargill Gold Cup. He started his present Trentham campaign, which is his first here, by beating all but Jalna and Sparkler in the Wellington Cup. Mr Brown bred Great Sensation, a brown gelding by Cassock from the Irish Lancer mare Speedy, whose brother The Joker won the Wellington Cup in 1943.

Great Sensation was second choice for the Trentham Stakes. Froth would have been the favourite but she was scratched and Fair Filou then carried heaviest backing.

Fair Filou was sixth. Like most of the others he tired of the chase after Great Sensation and Pique early in the run home. Pique, a stablemate of Froth, showed wonderful gameness in attempting to make it an all-the-way win. Great Sensation had quite a battle with her for a time, but she tired and had little to spare at the end from the Great Northern Derby winner Gitano. Grasher, another three-year-old was fourth, and the Auckland Cup winner, Marie Brizard, was fifth. The Running

Pique was in front almost from the start and led over the first halfmile in 52 l-ssec. Gitano was alongside her for a time, but Pique was a clear leader at the seven furlongs. Great Sensation started the last half-mile in second place three parts of a length behind Pique and just ahead of Gitano. Fair Filou, Grasher, Sol d’Or, and Nulli Secundus. Marie Brizard was next and Lord Sasanof was being reserved for a sprint from the tail of the field. He was running just behind Quite Able which felt the strain well out.

Great Sensation was alongside Pique in front on the home turn and they widened their lead over the others, led then by Nulli Secundus, Fair Filou, Gitano, and Grasher.

Great Sensation started the last furlong with a slight lead. Pique reduced that when the Wingatui gelding had to be straightened, but over the last half-furlong there was no doubt that it would be a South Island victory. Pique tired near the end but lasted for second by a neck from the Great Northern Derby winner, Gitano. Grasher, another three-year-old, was fifth, just beating the favourite Fair Filou. Nulli Secundus was seventh. Lord Sansanof was eighth, failing to muster the finishing speed that distinguished his winning run in the Gloaming Stakes. Quite Able was next in a long gap, and Sol d’Or was last. Sol d’Or did not go down at all well in his preliminary. The last half-mile was run in 48 4-ssec.