Gay Ribbon Finished Fast To Win

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29398, 28 December 1960, Page 4

Gay Ribbon Finished Fast To Win

Gay Ribbon gave G. S. Barr's Riccarton stable a clean sweep in two-year-old races at the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting when she brilliantly, won the Hopeful Handicap at Wingatui yesterday. Gay Ribbon's stablemate Burgos won the Champagne Stakes on the first day of the meeting. Gay Ribbon was also an acceptor for the Champagne Stakes, but was withdrawn and kept for yesterday’s race. Gay Ribbon if an attractive bay filly by Isaac of York from Lady Yelverton, and is a half-sister to Ray Ribbon, a good winner in z New Zealand and Australia. Like Ray Ribbon, Gay Ribbon is owned by Messrs C. R. Newman and C. Pateman. She had to be smart to win the Hopeful Handicap. She was second last from the stalls, and had to be eased off the heels of one of her rivals inside the first furlong. Then R. J. Skelton took her quickly through a gap on the inside, moved her one off the rails to go past Lord Fair in the middle of the field. Lucky Streak and Baalbek then led and Explain was trailing. Lucky Streak soon dropped back beaten leaving Baalbek with a short lead going to the last furlong. Explain was Baalbek's first challenger, and she came to the front, only to go under to a powerful challenge from Gay Ribbon. .... The winner's margin was half a length, and she was quickly widening it. Baalbek was a tiring third three lengths and a half back and a length and a half clear of Star Quality. Lucky Streak was four lengths back fifth and two lengths clear of Marlow, which went back quickly near the half-mile. Strong Finisher Fire Bar. a lightly-raced gelding to by Defaulter from The Grate, finIshed fast from the ruck for a

meritorious win in the Summer High-weight He got there by only a short head, but would have had something to spare only for running about when challenging in the last furlong. Fire Bar is owned by his breeder, Mr D. P. Wilson. He has done little racing because of unsoundness, but he could yet improve a notable family record. Fire Bar, the 2/4 favourite, lust caught the little-fancied light-weight Panther, which made a fast run on the outside coming to the home turn. Kintail Loch, another light-Weight. was a length and three-quarters back third. She ran close to the front all the way. but appeared to be squeezed for room near the end. Mangus and Indian Ocean were close up fourth and fifth and Skylight weakened to sixth just ahead of Hunted, Cheroot, and Gladwyn. Double For Meeting Becharre cleared hack class by winning the Champion Hack Handicap narrowly but well for her Gore owner, Mr S. G. Farry. This half-sister to Liban won the corresponding race on the first day of the meeting and one of her other wins was at Wingatui in February. Becharre caught the Riccarton hack Studio close to home and beat him by a neck. Then there was a head to the light-weight Super Glen and half a length to the stronglv-finishing Last Link. Studio pulled his way to the front inside the first half mile, and found the task of pacemaking a little more than he could manage. Becharre ran in the third line alongside the favourite Roseair along the back straight and around to the turn. Then she left Roseair behind to chase Studio and Super Glen into the last furlong. Super Glen had his chance. He trailed, and slipped through on the inside to challenge Studio on the hqjne turn. Last Link’s fourth was

a feature of the race. He was one of the tall-enders when the race was half over, and gave the leaders a big start from the three furlongs. Roseair was fifth, narrowly beating Solus and Glendale, but the others were beaten off. Well-Earned Win Gay Filou led for the last six of seven furlongs in the Improvers* Stakes, and he won in style by three lengths. It was certainly a wellearned win for this Riccarton three-year-old, for it followed a string of minor platings. Gay Filou was third In the corresponding race on the first day of the meeting' when he ran. greenly. Owned by Messrs Reece Smith and D. D. Fea and trained by R. E. Johnstone. Gay Filou was ridden by G. W. Mein. Captain Morgan and the second favourite Stormai came from well back for the minor platings behind Gay Filou. Stormai’s third was specially meritorious, for she was second last from the stalls. The others were beaten off, but the Riccarton-trained Zetland Leigh showed ability for his fourth. He ran greenly In the straight and C. McDonald had to straighten him to avoid going over on horses alongside him. Depend and Abdicate led the others in. Goodbye, the fourth favourite, lost his chance at the start. At Good Odds Napra caught the favourite Golden Glynnis In the last few strides to win the Abbotsford Handicap. Napra ran the six furlongs brilliantly in Imin 12 3-ssec—only threefifths of a second outside the course record. It was smart sprinting for a hack. Napra, a failure in the corresnonding race on the first day of the meeting, was seventh favourite. She was not well placed to the straight, and had to give Hundred

Grand, the leader on the turn, a good start. Hundred Grand weakened to fourth after a sustained tussle with Golden Glynnis, which moved up to challenge early in the run home. The light-weight Magic Casement came strongly near the end to cut Hundred Grand out of third.

Reshine was fifth, close up, pnd Blue Haven and Picright led the others home.