Cretan Best Of Trentham Hack Hurdlers

Press, Volume C, Issue 29567, 17 July 1961, Page 4

Cretan Best Of Trentham Hack Hurdlers

Cretan came through the Wellington winter meeting with the honours among the hack hurdlers when he carried the top-weight to an easy win in the Talavera Hurdles at Trentham on Saturday. The Matamata-trained Shikari gelding won the corresponding race on the first day of the meeting for Mr N. Grafas and was third last Wednesday.

Cretan ran each race alike, leading the chase after the pacemaking Collector, which jumped fast in the lead. On Saturday Cretan outjumped Collector at the five furlongs, went two lengths clear at the half-mile and was holding a wider lead when he went badly at the penultimate jump. J. A. Gibbs was thrown up on his neck for a moment but was in no real trouble and there was no ground lost. Cretan was six lengths clear on the home turn and ran right away to win by 15 lengths from Hippology,, which caught Collector close to home. Hippology was fourth starting the last half-mile. Solitude was a distant fourth, leading a tired lot home. Westbrook, the win favourite, tailed the field for a good way and made little progress for a distant sixth. Camp Out ran off at the last jump when well beaten. Favourite Wins Blue Packet, the each-way favourite, won the Novice Handicap with a performance marked by gameness. She was favourite after placed form against hacks and won fairly decisively, but she had to meet a late challenge from Captain Gau. which was fast reducing her lead Owned and trained at Rotorua by Mr D. G. Parker, Blue Packet was ridden by R. W. Taylor. Taylor was never able to have her closer than three wide in the second line. She followed Belle Son, The Drifter. Sporting Silver and Gold Moon around the home turn, came to the front under vigorous handling soon afterwards and led to the furlong. She was inclined to shift ground towards the inside there, but was well clear of any of the others. Captain Gay come strongly in the middle of the track, but the favourite beat him by half a length. Kapqi Gunner, one of the outsiders, finished fast for third only a nose back. He drifted after starting fairly wide out and was a good way from the lead on the home turn. Shady was two lengths back fourth, just beating Belle Song. Dame Jolie, the second favourite, was sixth just in front of The Drifter Form Justified Golden Fortune led from near the furlong for an easy win in the Croften Handicap He was second favourite after a third to Matauenga and Drumhirk in the corresponding race on the first day of the meeting. On July 1 he beat a strong field of hack sprinters at Hastings. Owned by Mr F G. Woods and trained at Ashhurst by A C. Fowler. Golden Fortune was ridden by R. W Taylor, who won earlier in the dav on Blue Packet Golden Fortune was sired by Mangatiti, a Lang Bian horse which showed very smart form under winter conditions. Golden Fortune was in the middle of the field at the half-mile but ran un quickly into the leading bunch on the home turn. There he was close behind Drumhirk which had displaced Lady Mov in the lead at the three furlongs. Persian Fair was also in the leading line on the turn

and shaded Golden Fortune outside the furlong. But the Ashhurst horse was well in command soon afterwards. Sham made a solid late run on the outside for third, a head behind Persian Fair Wishing also made ground late in the race for a good fourth ahead of Crystal Coral. Gambol was slow away from wide out and finished thirteenth. She finished two positions ahead of Pitch, which tired. Ridden Confidently Golden Dreamer was ridden confidently with the tailenders for the first seven furlongs of the Kia Ora Handicap, made a strong run very wide out on the turn, and led from outside the

furlong. He was challenged near the end by Rapanui but ran the race out gamely to win by half a length.

Rapanui did well for his placing. He drifted to the tail of the field at the start and was still last at the halfmile. The favourite Wind vale Lad carried top-weight of 9-6 into third place. It was a game attempt to come through the meeting unbeaten in three starts. He ran two wide close to the lead all the way but was inclined to float early. Windvale Lad beat Blue Pacific by three-quarters of a length. Blue Pacific was alongside Windvale Lad all the way. Special Terms, the third favourite, improved a few places for fifth ahead of Yakima, Anahita and Trueaii.