Schoolboy Rides Winner Of Motukarara Race

Press, Volume C, Issue 29657, 30 October 1961, Page 4

Schoolboy Rides Winner Of Motukarara Race

A 15-year-old Riccarton schoolboy did a man-sized job in winning the Brackenfleld Hack Handicap on Bodkin at Motukarara on Saturday. He is R. W. Donovan, who attends Riccarton High School and is in the second year of his apprenticeship to the trainer, J. L. Barr.

Donovan had his first race ride only last Monday, and he was applauded after his win on Bodkin on Saturday.

Donovan and Bodkin were set a hard chase In the straight. Great Heights and Payout were battling it out for tire lead, well clear of the others, early in the run home, but Bodkin responded generously for his young rider, and came to the front in the last 20 yards to beat Payout by half a length. Great Heights was three-quar-ters of a length back, third, and the others were beaten off. This was Bodkin’s second win for Mrs G. L. Rutherford, and it came after a sound run for fifth against the hack stayers at Trentham. Payout was each-way favourite and Great Heights was second choice. Both won at the North Canterbury meeting. Held Her Form North Canterbury form proved valuable at the start of the programme, Certainly winning her second race inside a week for Miss J. E. and Mr L W. Storry. Certainly became the third winner for D. J. O’Connor’s Riccarton stable in eight days. She made all the running and won by half a length from Brydone, whose performance was more in keeping with the ability he shows in training. The Orari stable-mates. Master Main and Edict, were in tthe next two positions. Edict tired after trailing, but Master Main ran on after being taken wide on the home turn. Springsure. a surprise third favourite, was one of the first beaten; he finished twelfth. Easy For White Skies South Canterbury stables provided the three dividend-payers in the Kaituna High-weight. The Washdyke-tralned White Skies beat a weak lot easily after forcing the pace over the last six furlongs.

Munster King made a run at White Skies coming to the home turn, but tired to third a length and a half behind Obeyance,

which was responsible for a very slow pace early. White Skies was favourite for a place. Packwood, the win favourite, drifted on the inside near the half mile and finished a moderate fifth, a length behind Flying Lancer. Tame Race The widest winning margin of the day was six lengths, held by Picket at the end of the Duvauchelle Handicap. No. 2. This Pietavia gelding was R. J. Skelton’s third winner on the programme. Skelton tried to restrain him early in the hope of getting a trailing run, but none of the others wanted the pacemaking, Picket found front running no disadvantage in this company; he ran right away from the others in the straight. Polly Alonzo came with a rush to beat Riboflavin narrowly for second, and the each-way favourite, Speciality, was a close fourth. Polly Alonzo was hampered by a riderless horse about halfway through the race, so there was fair merit in her placing. Araphoe and Golden Cassock collided before the half mile and both dropped their riders. It was thought Golden Cassock clipped the heels of another runner. His rider, R. McDonald, was

sent to hospital for observation, but was discharged and back on the course before the racing ended. Favourite Wins Explain, the each-way favourite. was too good for her four three-year-old rivals in tire Little River Hack Handicap. She pulled very hard In the lead alongside Hiaway in a slow procession along the back straight, but had the reserves to draw clear going to the furlong. She won by two lengths from Methuselah, which beat Scribbler just as easily. Scribbler lost a chance of running second when he became pocketed on the home turn. Explain is owned and trained at Riccarton by Mr H. O. Baker. She won at Westport and was third in the John Grigg Stakes earlier in the season. Top« Weight Successful Tarmine carried the top weight of 8-10 to a decisive win for the Waimate trainer. P. H. R. Andrews. in the Halswell Hack Handicap. It was his second win in eight days; the other was in the highweight on tlie first day of the North Canterbury meeting at Rangiora. F. H. Skelton brought Tannine forward with a steady run to follow Candida and Roa to the last furlong. Candida felt the strain of pacemaking there, and Roa came to the front, only to go under to Tarmine’s sustained challenge close to home. Ghana outfinished Candida for a fair third. He ran on fairly well, after a slight check inside the last half-mile. The favourite, William David, ran up quickly to a handy position going to the half mile, and was third on the home turn. Then he tired to sixth. It was his first race for several weeks, and he should be fitter for his races at the New Zealand Cup meeting.