Regal Duchess Wins Sprint

Press, Volume C, Issue 29467, 20 March 1961, Page 5

Regal Duchess Wins Sprint

Regal Duchess, whose best efforts in 10 earlier races this season had been two minor places, out-ran a strong sprint field in the Hurunui Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday. Regal Duchess began smartly from the 12-yard mark and was mid-field, after a furlong. She made ground steadily until she reached the fourth line alongside Calumite on the home turn. There No Comment was the pacemaker and Jolly’ Hal trailed on the inner of Commonwealth Dark Louise was on the inner of the next line and TerryGowan and Laughlin’s Lass ran alongside her. There was little between about seven horses a furlong from the end. but Regal Duchess gradually worked ahead and won handily by half a length from Calumite, which finished well wide out on the track. Dark Louise was two lengths back third. She might have been a little unlucky for the race was almost over before her driver could work her away from the fence. Commonwealth was a weakening fourth a length and a half behind Dark Louise. - but he managed to beat No Comment. also tiring, by half a neck. There was half a length then to Terry Gowan and a length and a naif to Laughlin’s Lass, which was followed in by Sanfarer. Royal Prince, and Somerset Rose. Irish Wit and Medalla were slow beginners and Young Betty swung around at the start causing Dusky Bay. which lost her driver, to collide with her. Neither took any part in the race. Favourite Wins The odds - on favourite. Southern Cross. led for the last five furlongs in the first division of the Trial Handicap and did not have to be driven out over the concluding stages to beat Beeside, which finished on from the fifth line at the straight entrance, by a length. Regina Chief, which had been alongside Beeside five furlongs out but one place ahead of him on the home turn, battled on for third a length and a half back. He beat the faster finishing Runfree by half a length then came Semi Circle. Kenora and Copper Bob. which had all been close up on the home turn. Gold Globe succeeded in leading throughout the second division but had to be hard driven close to home to hold off a determined challenge from Countess Hanover by a head. Bum’s Rival, which had received the run of the race to J straight, was a battling third four lengths back. He beat Ayrite. which improved two places in the run home, byhalf a length, then there was a nose to Rosina and two lengths to Rosalind Globe. The others were headed half a length back by Dorothy Lee. John Black Gets Up A solid run from the furlong carried John Black to a half a head victory over Gay Gillian,

one of the long-shots. In the Domett Handicap. Gay Gillian had tried to lead for the last nine furlongs and John Black had run in the third line. He was brought out to challenge at the furlong and ran the distance out a bit better than the pacemaker. Gift Brigade, which was four places from the lead till the straight, battled on for third a length back. He beat the unlucky favourite, John Scott, by a neck. John Scott had made the early pace then trailed behind Gay Gillian to the straight but he had to wait till Light Regiment tired on the outer before he could work clear and the race was almost over then. Oakleigh Lad battled on for fifth three length and a half back, then there were threeparts of a length to Light Regiment, which was followed in £ a PS by Kuyaway and Mina Lass. Clear Cut Win Abu Simbel shared the third line with Van Buren from the half-mile to the straight in the Parnassus Handicap, ran into the lead a furlong from the end and drew out to beat Van Buren by four lengths. Threea length back Worthy Flicks was third half a length ahead of Whipaway. Worthy Flicka had run on'the inner about five places from the straight, but Whipaway had to make his run wide out in the straight and came from the middle of the field. Dieman Dan. which dashed past the pacemaker. Terrace Dale, as they straightened for the run home, was a weakening fifth a length and a half back. He beat Gold Maru, which was handy’ to the lead throughout, by a similar margin then there was a length to Meadow Haze, a fast finisher after a slow beginning. and another to Ladv Slam which was followed in by Wait Now. Anama and Terrace Dale. Spotswood Handicap Pacework, which had finished ninth of 16 in the Trial Handicap earlier in the day. ran the last furlong of 12 too strongly for her rivals in the first division of the Spotswood Handicap. £*acework shared the fourth tine from the half-mile to the straight, ran up to the leaders quickly at the furlong, and drew out to win by three lengths. In a tight finish for second Ladeka nosed Darkie Hanover out of that place and Simmonds was a neck back fourth. Lakeda had trailed behind the pacemaker Axis to the straight. Darkie Hanover came from the fifth line, and Simmonds from the line behind him. Axis battled on for fifth half a neck back. He beat Anterior bv a head and the favourite. Blackball, in a small gap. headed the rest. Local Princess joined Astute in the lead on the home turn in the second division, drew away from that rival outside the furlong, and lasted to win by’ three parts of a length from

Young Mina, one of the longshots.

There was a spectacular finish for the minor places. Meadow Jewel was a nose back third, and My Share fourth a similar distance back. The latter was close up all the way. but Meadow Jewel came fast witie out from the middle of the field. There were two lengths then to Cointreau, which was followed in by’ Sabrina Fair, Elpestre and Lady Aroon. Slow Pace Pohutakawa came out best after trotting two miles leisurely —it took 4min 35 l-ssec—in the Southbrook Handicap. He ran from the trailing position just Inside the last furlong and drew out to win by two lengths. Kerry Keel, which shared third place with John Black on the home turn, out-ran the latter for second by two lengths. There w r as a length then to the weakening pacemaker. La Gloria, and seven lengths to Mina Lass, which had been alongside the winner on the home turn and until he pulled out inside the last furlong. Huntington and Arizona Gal headed the others. It was an unspectacular contest from the start. After the first half-mile the 13 runners were spread over three parts of a furlong and half mile from home there were only six left wdth any chance. The favourite. John Black, and the second choice. Courtesan. were two of the early breakers, and others to make mistakes at the start or soon after were Marcelline. Full Measure, and Light Heart.