SMITH BOOED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 5

SMITH BOOED

Demonstration At Caulfield (N .Z .P. A,-Reuter—CopyrtglK) MELBOURNE. Nov. 26. The farmer New Zealand light-weight jockey, W. A. Smith, was booed after the New Zealand-owned Astronaut ran off the course in yesterday’s Rosstown Plate at Caulfield. Backed from 6'4 to 4/5, Astronaut was closing on the early leader and ultimate winner, Victorious, on the turn, but he failed to make the bend and ran right off the track.

By the time Smith had straightened Astronaut and got going again the race was as good as over and the Sydney colt could finish only eleventh.

Smith has won the Caulfield Cup. Williamstown Cup. Bendigo Cup and yesterday’s Eclipse Stakes in recent weeks and has been the idol of the racing public. However, when he came back to scale punters forgot his record and hurled abuse at him. The outburst was most unwarranted as Astronaut was hanging badly all the way. After the race, Smith said: “He was gone long before the turn was reached. He was hanging badly and had no hope of making the turn.” Victorious, which was solid in the market at 8/1. showed speed to lead all the way and struggle on to beat Bengal Tiger (7/!> by a head with Two Crowns (15/D two lengths and a half away third.

Eclipse Stakes In the Eclipse Stakes Smith rode Teppo Star (9 '2) to victory from Grand Print (6/1) with the 7/4 favourite, Dhaulagiri. two lengths and a half away third. The New Zea-land-bred Havelock was fourth.

Dhaulagiri carried 9-12 and his supporters were surprised when the jockey. G. Lane, raced him up on the outside to take the lead seven furlongs from home. With his weight he could not hold this position and Teppo Star passed him at the half-mile. Lane said afterwards that circumstances forced him to take Dhaulagiri to the front. The trainer, B. Courtney, said Dhaulagiri would be spelled before he returned to full training for the big autumn meetings. Royal Centaur, the favourite at 2/1 on, showed his class when he carried 9-8 to victory in the Stansmore Two-year-old after being headed in the straight by Dusky Land, which had 131 b less. It was Royal Centaur’s fourth win from six starts He has now earned £3200. which is £2OOO more than he cost as a yearling in New Zealand.

Royal Centaur was heavily supported and started at 11/A with Dusky Land at 7/1 the only other runner under 255. Red Flam finished third at 100'1. Results:—

ECLIPSE STAKES, Of £3000; one mile and two furlongs.

TEPPO STAR (EmpyreanLady Teppo) 7-9 W. A. Smith 1 GRAND PRINT (Carbon Copy—Darling) 8-7 J. Purtell 2 DHAULAGIRI (High PeakSolar Circle ) 9-12 G. Lane 3 Seven started. Length and a quarter; two and a half lengths. Time, Janin 3 7-10 sec. Betting: 9/2. 6/1, 7/4.

Kelso Horse Of Year <N.Z Press Assn.— Copuncnt) NEW YORK, November 25. Kelso, America’s fine weight-carrying galloper, was unanimously selected horse of the year yesterday—for the second successive year. The four-year-old bay gelding by Your Host out of Maid of Fleet became the third horse to achieve such a double since the honour was first introduced in 1936. The choice was announced by the “Morning Telegraph,” the racing daily whose turf writers, along with those of its sister publication, the “Daily Racing Form.” vote the annual award

Kelso this year won American racing's rich triple crown of the Metropolitan. Suburban and Brooklyn Handicaps. His season’s record was seven wins from nine starts.