Fend Wins Steeples At Ellerslie

Press, Volume C, Issue 29537, 12 June 1961, Page 4

Fend Wins Steeples At Ellerslie

The Press' S| AUCKLAND. Jun* 11, hand took the McGregor Grant Steeplechase by half • head al Ellerslie yesterday. Triple Score ran second and between the two the honours were even. Had Triple Score hot misjudged the thitd-to-la*t fence—’he second on the hill—he might have won. Fend, on the other hand, lost several lengths through trying to dodge the one near the mile start. Otherwise he might have scored by a clearer margin The fence near the mile start—a tall brush—is the one a’ which Fend baulked in the Great Northern Steeplechase the previous Monday, when going well. This time he approached it in two minds and required the sternest encouragement from hi* rider. J. A. Gibbt. before jumping. With that exception Fend put on a very solid display, fencing well and showing fine speed. It was nevertheless only in the getaway from the last jump that he gained a slight break on Triple Score. Until then, Patrick Molloy and Yardgar were just about on terms with the other two In spite of the notoriety which he has won himself as a gelding of moods. Fend was the 2-3 win and place favourite for the McGregor Grant Steeplechase, being the beat-backed after Patrick Molloy. His dividends were £5 is Sd and £2 Ss 8d and the place returns on Triple Score an I Patrick Molloy were £4 8s and £1 16s. Yesterday’s success was Fend's first over country, his best effort beforehand being

when he came third in the Waikato S'eeplechase. A!) going well his next big assignment will be the Wellington Steeplechase next month, in which he will be very hard to beat. Before tackling the McGregor Grant Steeplechase Triple Score had not raced for about nine months. That he lasted the course so well said much for the preparation that his owner-trainer, L. C. Cole, had given him. Triple Score is also likely to be on hand at Trentham and he will compete meanwhile at Tauraniga on Saturday week. The fine Matamata sprinter. Phoenician, completed a most notable hat-trick with hi* success in the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the York Handicap. His return with Fend was £136 for £1 and his dividends for a win and place were £lO 8« and £4 0s 6d. Phoenician had won the Members' Handicap, seven furlongs, on the first day and the King George Handicap, over the same course, on the middle day. This time, going a mile, he beat his opponents for speed all the way. It was a splendid display of wet-weather galloping under the steadier of 9-11. Craddock, with a battling finish along the inside, was the next best after Phoenician. Beauzami ran third. The margins were two and a half lengths and half a length. After steady mid-week rain the weather became fine, although cool. The going was very holding. The attendance was 17JWJ0, compared with 17,136 on the third day last year. On-course the totallsator handled £206.401 10s (including £44.825 on doubles) against £lB2 029 5s on the same day last year. The investments for the three days totalled £1.132,552 15s. compared with £1,007.899 15« last year. First Oat Triple Score took the first jump slightly ahead of bls opponents in the McGregor Grant Steeplechase and was then joined by Fend, Marvo and County. As they approached the hill for the first time Fend led by a length from Triple Score. Marvo. Patrick Molloy. Yardgar, Overseas and Royal General, which kepi in close order. Cabot drifted Coming to the flat again Fend held command and cleared the double in front ot the stands just ahead of Triple Score and Patrick Molloy. The others were well in the race, headed by Yardgar, Marvo, Dunray and Orelino. At the fence near the mile. Fend went to stop and lost ground. But he recovered well with some urging and disputed the pacemaking with Patrick Molloy as they neared the hill again. After the second jump on the rise the two were just showing out from Yardgar. Triple Score had lost a little ground. Orelino came next. Racing to the flat, Patrick

ipaeMi aervtc* Molloy, Fend and Yardgar ran almost together, just ahead of Triple Score. Coming to the last jump Triple Score joined them. Yardgar was close. Once over. Fend had a slight lead on Triple Score. They battled hard until the finish and Fend just lasted from Triple Score, which made ground again right st the finish Four and a half lengths further back was Petrick Molloy (third) Yardgar was just shaded by Patrick Molloy and there was a gap of 12 lengths to Orelino (fifth) Cabot plodded into sixth, ahead of Jewel Denby. Royal General. Dunray and Marvo Oversea* was tailed off. York Handicap Good St Elmo drifted and Captain Lancaster, Dipnoi. Blue Beard (Ineide), Phoenician, Lord Sasanof and Seafarer showed up first in the York Handicap. Black Lad was also prominent. Hioenician dashed ahead and led past the eix furlongs by two lengths from Black Lad and Captain Lancaster, which had On Demand right on their quarters. Seafarer was next, then Dipnoi, Blue Beard, Lord Sasanof. Play Prince, Fair Filou and Uppercut. Phoenician went further ahead taking the ri*e near the five furlongs and reached the half-mile four length* clear of Black Lad. There was a length to Captain Lancaster and On Demand and another to Seafarer. Jim'* Count. Lord Sasanof (outside). Blue Board and Dipnoi. Craddock ran thirteenth on the inside. Coming tq.the streight, Phoenician continued to run freely with a commanding lead. Black Lad, On Demand, Jim’s Count and Ruthless Tax chased him hard to the last furlong and Craddock made a run on the inside. None had a chance and Phoenician won by two lengths and a half. Craddock was second by half a length from Beauzami (third). Ruthless Tax ran fourth and Relight fifth, shading Airephelia (sixth). There was a further length to Black Ijid, Uppercut and Good St. Elmo Then came Jim’s Count, On Demand, Seafarer. Fair Filou and Dipnoi.