Racing EXHIBITION OF SPEED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29609, 4 September 1961, Page 4

Racing EXHIBITION OF SPEED

Fountainhead’s Win

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, Sept. 3.

The New Zealand sprinter, Fountainhead. produced such an exhibition of speed to win at Canterbury yesterday that bookmakers slashed his odds for the £lO.OOO “Daily Telegraph” Stakes. Fountainhead beat his good-class -rivals In the Flying Handicap (six furlongs) by three lengths and a half easing down. Wenona Girl was second with Game Trail a neck back, third. Fountainhead, which made a reappearance after a spell, is regarded as one of the best-weighted gallopers in the “Daily Telegraph” Stakes, with 8-9. Rpuntainhead had the race In his keeping after going two furlongs. He was travelling so smoothly just after the start that although the leaders were going flat out he had to be eased off their heels. On a previous trip to Australia Fountainhead suffered a bowed tendon. After treatment in Australia from the trainer J. Denham, he returned to New Zealand, where he was spelled for 12 months. The heavily-backed Metropolitan candidate. Stipulate, failed to show up in the Canterbury Park Handicap (eight furlongs and-b half)., Stipulate, which was heavily backed for the Metropolitan last week, finished fifth, five lengths and a half behind the winner, Walray. Last week Stipulate was coupled With all the favoured horses in the “Daily Telegraph" Stakes. Stipulate firmed to equal fourth favourite for the Metropolitan. The Metropolitan (13 furlongs) will be run at Randwick on October 2.

Bookmakers anticipated a big improvement by Stipulate yesterday and opened him favourite. Stipulate was well back in the field and "bottled up” for most of the race. Campsie Stakes Theatre’s decisive win in the Campsle Stakes (11 furlongs and 65 yards) has earned him a start in the Metropolitan. The trainer, T. J. Smith, said this after the New Zealandbred Theatre led throughout in a game display. Theatre (12 to 3) beat Hero Bird (5 to 1) by one length and a quarter, with Early Hope (5 to 1) half a length away third. Theatre, which formerly raced as Whiphand, was the top-priced yearling at the 1958 New Zealand Yearling Sales. He cost tOOOgns, but was a disappointment. A month ago he was sold to the well-known Singapore sportsman, Mr R. Shaw. Mr Shaw races horses in Singapore, England, and Australia.

The top jockey, G. Moore, chalked up his third winner of the afternoon when the hot favourite, Oakland, smothered the pacemaker. Funicular, inside the last furlong of yesterday’s welter. Oakland, after standing Funicular a long start at the top of the straight, came home to run out the winner by two lengths, with Lady Webb a long neck away in third place. Son of Surrey,. New Zea-land-bred. displayed promising sprinting ability when he won the First Ashbury Stakes (six furlongs). Son of Surrey proved too strong for Emperic in the run home, winning by two lengths and a half, with Avian Star two lengths away third. The trainer, M. McOerten. bought Son of Surrey, now a four-year-old. at the New Zealand National Yearling Sales for the Scarborough Art union. The Scarborough Art Union, an organisation in Redcllff. Queensland, buys yearlings each year at the sales for art unions to raise fund* for Catholic schools.