R. J. Skelton’s Fine Record At Wingatui

Press, Volume C, Issue 29706, 27 December 1961, Page 5

R. J. Skelton’s Fine Record At Wingatui

The leading jockey, R. J. Skelton, has now ridden the last four winners of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Champagne Stakes.

His fourth victory came at Wingatui yesterday when he rode the odds-on favourite, Cobble, a brilliant grey filly owned by Messrs J. E. Reaves and G. B. Thomson. Skelton won on Burgos last year, on Astra in 1959 and on Desert Chief in 1958. As well as winning the Champagne Stakes yesterday, Skelton won the Dunedin Cup on Great Sensation and the Novice Stakes on Royal News. Cobble is now unbeaten in three starts on her home course. She won two races including the McLean Stakes at Wingatui in the spring and at Riccarton last month she was runner-up in the Welcome Stakes and the Pioneer Handicap. She led over the first two furlongs yesterday, but was eased to a trailing position behind Idol Prince and Bronze Knight before the race was half over. Bronze Knight went clear for a moment in the straight, but Cobble challenged on the inside and steadily gained mastery close to home, drawing out to win by a length. Scuffle was Riccarton’s best. She was third a length and a quarter back, coming to the end of a likely-looking run close to home. Idol Prince tired to fourth but was clear of the others. The last two home were the stablemates, Canadians and Yosemite. Royal News, R. J. Skelton’s first winner yesterday, ran the Novice Stakes out much too strongly for Cardrona, his most strongly-backed rival. Cardrona did the pacemaking. but Royal News was never far behind, and came to the front quickly well inside the last furlong. Royal News is by King’s Command from Social News, a fair sprinter a few seasons back. At Good Odds Dormic won the Summer High-weight at good odds for a form horse. He was the runner-up in the correspond-

ing race on the first day of the meeting, yet paid £7 Ils for a win. Panther and Mighty Smart, two other form horses in the field, were the minor placegetters behind Dormic. Doune, the win favourite, faded to seventh after making a run on the outside on the home turn. The Tartar Beaten Gracefield's Pride ended a sequence of wins by the Invercargill hack, The Tartar, in the Champion Hack Handicap. The Tartar was unbeaten in four starts earlier this season, but Gracefield’s Pride beat him by four lengths yesterday. Gracefield’s Pride, a winner against the hack milers at Beaumont two starts earlier, but unplaced against the hack stayers at Wingatui last Saturday, was confidently ridden by the Riccarton jockey, A. J. Stokes. She was the tail-ender at the mile, had only one straggler behind her at the half mile, but had the race won a furlong out. Owned by Messrs B. and W. Smyth, she is trained at Riverton by J. S. Crawford. Hy, the extreme outsider for a place, was third half a length behind The Tartar

and was clear of the others. The Riccarton . trained Rustle, one of the popular fancies amongst the lightweights, lost a good position on the inside before the race was half over, and finished well back tenth. Southern Host ridden at 51b overweight by the former Riccarton jockey, R. W. Gould, came within inches of victory at very long odds in the Abbotsford Handicap. She was caught on the post by Golden Glynnis, a Gold Nib mare from R, Heasley’s Wingatui team. Corvale, Persian Light, and Tombob were the best of the others in a tight, interesting finish.