RACING STUDIO LOSES FIRST TO COMPENSATE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 4

RACING STUDIO LOSES FIRST TO COMPENSATE

Relegation After Win In Metropolitan Studio accomplished the formidable task of leading throughout in the Metropolitan Handicap, one mile and a half, at Riccarton on Saturday, but at an inquiry opened after the race he was relegated to third behind Compensate and Desert Chief. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s judicial committee found that Studio had shifted ground towards the outside and caused interference to Compensate and Desert Chief.

Studio was first home by a neck and his win backers on the course had a tantalisingly brief look at a win dividend of £l7 14s. The siren sounded before the jockeys weighed in. and some time later Compensate was declared the winner at slightly longer odds than Studio. The Metropolitan offered the most spectacular finish of the day. Any one of four had a winning chance 50 yards from the post where Studio was battling to hold his lead just ahead of Quick Time (rails). Desert Chief and Compensate (outside). Desert Chief had been switched closer to the inside when Studio changed his line in the straight The promotion of Compensate to first continued a remarkable run of successes by members of the Skelton family in the Metropolitan. F. H. Skelton, who rode Compensate, has not won the race before. But members of his family have now ridden the last five Metropolitan winners. Compensate paid £lB 3s 6d for a win and won the first leg of a substantial fourfigure double. Mr V. A. Voyce’s seven-year-old Balloch gelding carried £2639 15s of a doubles pool of £56522 10s. Against all recent form. Royal Leigh won the second 1-g. the Members' Handicap. His very last stride gave him a nose victory over the popular fancy. Bellarook. Royal Leigh started his career brilliantly three years ago by winning the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes, but has done little of any account since. Now a five-year-old. Royal Leigh is trained at Riccarton by P. H. Jones, and was ridden by the successful appren-

tice, O Arming, who had three wins for the meeting. Royal Leigh showed signs of soreness when he trotted back after his win. He carried 78 five-shilling tickets off-course and 30 oncourse. The double was worth £1730 4s for £l. The racing was held in warm, windy weather. The track was hard and fast Wide Lead Early Studio opened up a lead of four lengths after two furlongs in the Metropolitan Handicap. McCool, a dear second then, —as joined soon after by Kelton, which was hanging. McCool and Kelton were a length and a half behind Studio starting the last seven furlongs. Windvale Lad, Desert Chief, Personify and Quick Time completed a dose-running bunch and most of them were pulling while Studio was Ixiwling along easily in front. Desert Chief passed McCool and Kelton to fellow Studio around the home turn. There was a length between them there, and McCool was close behind on the inside a length dear of Kelton. Then there was half a length to Quick Time. Desert Chief found the opposition tough when he went out after Studio. Studio did not keep a straight line going to the furlong, and Desert Chief was switched inside him. Quick Time was making a run down the inside. and Compensate was coming right on the outside. Studio showed marked gameness to last for a neck victory from Compensate, which beat Desert Chief by a nose. Quick Time was half a head back fourth. Then there

was a gap of three and a half lengths to Personify, half a head to McCool, half a length to Kinross, a length to Waitaria, two lengths to Windvale Lad, a neck to Kelton, a neck to Yahom and a length and a half to Hand Over. Nose Victory Royal Leigh nosed Bellarook away from victory in the last stride in the Members’ Handicap. There was only a nose between them and three-quarters of a length to Carbonett, a strong finisher wider out. Bellarook went out quickly from the inside stall, and was in front in a few strides. Then L. M. Casey was able to restrain him and trail when Minglow dashed forward. Roman Maid dashed up to Minglow going to the halfmile, where Bel’arook was alongside Hunted and Cheveux. Royal Leigh was then several places back in the ruck, but took a gap quickly down on the inside in the straight and caught Bellarook just when the top-weight seemed likely to round off a good double for the meeting. Carbonett, a strong finisher, was three-quarters of a length back, third. Then there was a gap of two lengths to Abou Ben Adhem and a length and a half to Safe Harbour. Cheveux was only a fair sixth, just beating Treasure Mine, which performed much better than her stronglybacked stablemate, Hopeful. Hopeful started wide out. ran close up in the leading bunch to the home turn, and dropped right out to the tail of the field.