VAN DA HUM’S NARROW WIN IN HURDLES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29193, 2 May 1960, Page 4

VAN DA HUM’S NARROW WIN IN HURDLES

(From Our Own Reporter>

BLENHEIM, May 1. Van Da Hum, a minor place-getter in the Kildare Hurdles at Riccarton last Tuesday week, fought off a determined challenge from Bailiff in the run from the last fence in the Waterlea Hack Hurdles at Blenheim yesterday. He beat Bailiff by a head and Riccarton's only challenger, Nehru, was three lengths back third. There was a similar gap to Bonny Pippin and the favourite. Hay Time, brought up tile rear. Bonny Pippin worked into a clear lead with nine furlongs to go. Bailiff made a grand jump at the flight in front of the stand which took him up to the rail behind the leader. Van Da Hum was next in a small gap. and Nehru and Hay Time were together at the rear. Bonny Pippin was out by four lengths with seven furlongs to run. but screwed badly at the fence by the six, and the next one just past the half-mile.

He was tiring badly then and Van Da Hum worked forward from third to take a slight lead on' the inner on the home turn. Bailiff was following Van Da Hum on the inside of Nehru and Hay Time was in difficulty four lengths back. Nehru made a sharp run up to

Van Da Hum going to the last fence but dipped on landing, and Bailiff outjumped him but just failed in his attempt to close the gap to Van Da Hum. Local Horse Beaten King of Kings justified his favouritism for the Novice Stakes when he outran the locally-trained Enchanter to win by three-quarters of a length. R. A. Jenkins had King of Kings three places from the lead on the inner of Race Book until the half-mile. There Marshall Drake led by two lengths from Enchanter, which was racing on the outer and shading Misty Bank. Enchanter joined Marshall Drake in the lead before the straight, and King of Kings and Race Book (three wide) moved up to the second line alongside Misty Bank. Enchanter worked into a slight lead at the furlong, but King of Kings had the stronger finish and was going away at the post. Misty Bank battled on for third three lengths back. She beat Silverwood. which had shared the fourth line with Silenus to the half-mile, by two lengths, then there was a close finish for fifth between Quixotic, which improved from the middle of the field to third on the inner at the straight, Abu El Saad, a fast finisher from the middle of the field, and the tiring Race Book. The Drifter, the tail-ender at the half-mile, was running on ahead of the rest Pacemaker’s Win Jack Ashore gained an all-the-way win in the Seddon Hack Handicap. C. T. Wilson bounced the Riccartontrained Able Seaman gelding out of the barrier and he had a lead of two lengths from Slatey and Super Tone at the end of a furlong. Awatere, one of the slowest beginners, dashed up quickly to share the third line with Arrow Royal and the favourite. Golden Rhapsody, was buried on the inner behind Last Link and Regal Order. Jack Ashore galloped freely in front to the straight. Super Tone held his place on the inner behind Jack Ashore and Awatere had improved one place to be alongside

Slatey was next on the outside of Golden Rhapsody, and Regal Order and Arrow Royal were making no impression in the next line. Jack Ashore’s lead had been decreased slightly at the furlong, where Golden Rhapsody and Slatey were together leading the chase. Although both challenged determinedly neither was capable of catching Jack Ashore. He won by half a length and a nose separated Golden Rhapsody and Slatey tor second and third. Super Tone was a weakening fourth two lengths back, almost in line with Regal Order and Awatere. The rest, headed by Last Link, were beaten off.

Promising Win Ebb, a stocky Mainbrace filly from I. Robinson’s team at Matangi, was confidently ridden in the lead for the last four or five furlongs in the Juvenile Handicap. She was followed to the straight by Candida. Carwell and Lyn Leigh, which raced abreast clear of Interlaken, which was racing greenly, a furlong from the end. Carmell made a likely run up to Ebb. but it was a short-lived challenge. The North Island filly drew out again closer to the end to win by a length and a half. Lyn Leigh and Candida fought out a tight finish for third a length and a half behind Carmell Lyn Leigh beat her Riccarton rival by a nose, and Interlaken was last in a gap of six lengths Candida had dwelt and lost about three lengths at the start, but received a lucky run on the inner and was in behind the leader at the end, of a furlong. tarried Top Weight Flagon carried top weight of 7-13 to a convincing win against the hack stayers in the Flaxbourne Handicap. The Riccarton gelding drew the outside at the nine furlong barrier and R B Taggart did not bustle him out to save being forced wide leaving the straight. When the field settled down Sonnita had dashed into the lead and Flagon was eased back and had only Topa behind him after two furlongs. Instanter rushed up on the outside of Sonnita and these two set a strong pace to the half mile, two lengths ahead of Spartacus. There was a similar gap to Pilot Dancer and Winning Treasure, and Flagon was making a sharp run three wide on the outside of these two. Buck Jones was under a hard ride behind Flagon; then were were gaps to Black Ray and Topa. Flagon’s run carried him up on the outside of Sonnita and Instanter m the next furlong. These three }Y ere . S^? R , abreast as they reached eI , S H strai m? t ’ but in a few Powerful strides Flagon was beyond challenging distance, and coasted to the D"® a , len Blh an d a ha]f ahead of Spartacus. which followed his Riccarton rival into the last furlong under a battling ride Buck Jone* held third, four

lengths back. He beat the weakening pacemaker, Sonnita, by two lengths. There was a similar gap to Pilot Dancer and a longer one to Winning Treasure. Outran Hacks Pescador, a dual winner at Whangarei earlier this month, kept that record intact when he outran the hack sprinters in the Picton Handicap. The Gold Nib four-year-old also gave his Matangi owner-train-er, I Robinson, his second success for the day and R. J. Skelton his second winning ride. This combination had been successful with Ebb in the Juvenile Handicap two races earlier. Skelton had Pescador on the outside of Obeyance three places from the co-leaders. Pitch and Horomia, at the half-mile. Pygmalion, second from the start, still held that place, but the solidly-supported Golden Rhapsody, which had been one of the last away, was badly placed on the inner of Stylish, one place ahead of Roa. which was at the tail of the field.

Horomia tired of her task as they reached the straight, and Pitch came to the last furlong with a handy lead from Pescador. Under a vigorous hands and heels ride, the Matangi galloper gradually closed the gap, and was going away by three-quarters of a length at the line. Pitch was a comfortable second, two lengths ahead of Stylish, which came late on the scene to nose Pygmalion out of third.

Obeyance was almost in line with these two and Sonnita drifted out from fourth on the home turn, to finish seventh.