RACING SHOAL OUTSTAYS RIVALS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29205, 16 May 1960, Page 4

RACING SHOAL OUTSTAYS RIVALS

Galloping Lesson In Main Race At Ashburton

Eight-year-old Shoal gave her younger rivals a galloping lesson in the Ashburton County Handicap on Saturday. Under top weight of 9st 31b she won the Ashburton club’s main race running away by two lengths from Quite Able, the best of her seven rivals.

This was Shoal’s fifteenth win for Mr and Mrs J. F. Tutton and she has now earned £9710. She is in her last season of racing and her connexions hope Io see the Dogger Bank mare take her earnings to five figures before retiring her.

Shoal has been nominated for the Waimate Cup next week, but her next race will probably be at the North Canterbury meeting next month.

Shoal was second choice in win-and-place betting and fourth favourite for the double. The easing of the track during the week brightened her chance. She never tailed off. as she has often done on summer tracks, and her supporters on the course had no worries inside the last furlong.

Shoal s finish was all too powerful for anything the others could offer.

Kicked out by C. McDonald, she quickly put a gap between herself and the closest of the others in the last 50 yards. Shoal carried £3179 5s of a doubles pool of £20,921 15s. Quite Able was best backed on the double with £5105 15s.

Matauwhi rounded off the double with a last-stride win over the Brown Watch in the Coldstream Handicap. Matauwhi was each-way favourite in this, his second open-class win in four starts. He is raced in partnership by Sir Ernest Davis, of Auckland, and Mr R. P. Thompson. of Christchurch, and is trained at Riccarton by J. S. Shaw. Holders of 2697 5s tickets on the Shoal-Matauwhi combination received £25 12s 6d for £l. Keep Time was second choice for the double with 2260 tickets. He ran fourth.

The meeting was held in bleak weather. The track deteriorated under light rain towards the end of the programme. On-course the totalisator handled £26.586 10s, an increase of £1384 10s on last year. The First Leg Shoal outfinished all the others for an easy win in the Ashburton County Handicap, the first leg of the double. She won running away by two lengths from the win favourite Quite Able, which caught Lightning Boy in the last stride. Dunblane led them out and ran the first three furlongs in 39 3-5 sec, drawing four lengths clear of Brookfields Lad. Brookfields Lad reduced Dunblane’s lead to three lengths at the six furlongs, and Motueka and Lightning Boy led the others in a gap of two lengths. Shoal was then third to last and Cardinal King was just behind Quite Able. > Dunblane did not have anything left when he came to the straight, and Brookfields Lad and Royal George mastered him going to the furlong. Lightning Boy was clear for a few strides, but he could not live with Shoal, which came fast wider out. Shoal led for the last half furlong or so and won with ease. Quite Able ran the distance out solidly for his second, but not nearly well enough to give him a chance with ShoaL Lightning Boy was a length and a half clear of Royal George. Motueka was fifth in a gap of two lengths. Brookfields Lad was sixth.

just beating Cardinal King, and Dunblane was in a gap at the rear. The first half mile was run in 52 3-ssec. the last half in 51 4-ssec. Late Challenge Matauwhi pegged Brown Watch back with a brilliant late challenge in the Coldstream Handicap. the second leg of the double. Brown Watch, a hard puller when he sees daylight, sped clear inside the first two furlongs. He shook off challenges from Irrepressible and Keep Time in the straight, but then went under by a head to Matauwhi. Matauwhi followed Brown Watch. Nasib, Irrepressible, and Keep Time around the home turn and was fourth into the last furlong. He caught Brown Watch two or three strides from the post.

Irrepressible was two lengths back third. She delayed the start, and drifted on the inside when the field was sent away. Coming to the straight she made a sharp run on the outside to range up close to Brown Watch, but she could not master the Oamaru sprinter.

Keep Time was a weakening fourth a length and a half back. He appeared to have a chance when he moved through on the inside in the straight.

Gaytana was fifth in a small gap three lengths ahead of Nor'east. Next were Marsana. Waterfall. Kelp, Nasib and Mitre Peak. Mitre Peak lost three or four lengths at the start.