STABLE’S DOUBLE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29480, 5 April 1961, Page 4

STABLE’S DOUBLE

Gay Ribbon Wins Gay Ribbon completed a double in two-year-old races a( the meeting for G. S. Barr’s stable by winning the Autumn Nursery Handicap at Riccarton yesterday. She had a hand in all the pacemaking, came to the last furlong with a handy lead, and won by half a length from Scribbler, a strong finisher. Gay Ribbon is a stablemate of Burgos, winner, of the Champagne Stakes on the first day of the meeting. These two-year-olds won the corresponding races at the Dunedin Cup meeting last December, Burgos, the superior galloper, also winning the Champagne Stakes there. Gay Ribbon is a half-sister by Isaac of York to the good stayer Ray Ribbon, and she races in the same ownership, that of Messrs C. R. Newman and C. Patecnan. Second choice in a field of 10, she was ridden by R. J. Skelton. Better Chance Her winning chance brightened when Bridie O’Cally drifted early. The favourite Bridie O’Cally made a big run down the outside and finished only three parts of a length behind Scribbler, which was never far from the lead. Bridie O’Cally beat Marlow by a neck for third. Marlow contended for the lead with Gay Ribbon and Jamie to the half-way mark, but did not have Gay Ribbon’s finishing speed. Jamie dropped out after running wide when they came to the straight. Hiaway was beaten off fifth in a gap of three and a half lengths. She beat Star Maiden by three-quar-ters of a length. Hyde, which had tailed off early after giving trouble at the start, ran up to seventh. Naval Recruit, a surprise third favourite, beat only Jamie. W. D. Skelton rode Naval Recruit, and that probably accounted for that Washdyke colt’s high place of favour.