Gay Filou Leaves Hack Ranks With Flourish

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29739, 5 February 1962, Page 4

Gay Filou Leaves Hack Ranks With Flourish

Favouritism for the £2750 President’s Handicap, one mile and a half, run at Trentham in six weeks’ time, may have been settled in a hack race at Riccarton on Saturday.

The W.R.C. President’s Handicap may be the first open-class test for Gay Filou, which left hack ranks with a flourish by winning the Halswell Handicap under 9-7 at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s summer meeting.

The ease with which Gay Filou beat the other hack stayers on Saturday was one of the features of the meeting. Messrs D. D. Fea’s and R. Smith's four-year-old Le Filou gelding has now won his last four races. The Riccarton trainer, I. McClure, thought he had a good galloper in his stable when Gay Filou won at Washdyke in December. Now he thinks Gay Filou is better than Navarro, which won four races in successive starts for the McClure stable last autumn.

McClure's opinion is shared by N. Eastwood, who has handled both horses. Eastwood was not so sure until Saturday, but was convinced when Gay Filou won in a romp by three lengths and a half from Sailorman Sailorman. the second favourite, shaded Tarmine and High Score. Gay Filou did not show any signs of greenness on Saturday. He ran kindly in a trailing position, and came to the fron* so quickly in the straight that Eastwood was looking behind him for any possible challenger outside the furlong. A surprise aftermath of the Halswell Handicap was some enthusiastic galloping by Tarmine. He defied M. J Skelton’s efforts to halt him after passing the post and covered another round.

Unlucky With better luck. Treasure Mine would have given the favourites a successful start for the day in the Hornby High-weight. A. Cowan failed to find racing room for Treasure Mine on the inside early in the run home, and the Treasure Hunt mare could not peg back Forsythe and Magic Circle when brought wider Forsythe showed gameness for his win; his rider, T Wilson, pulled the whip on him before the home turn, and the Massowa gelding responded generously when Magic Circle challenged. Forsythe had earned this win for Mr C. L. Austin after four placings including two seconds earlier in the season Clean Hart followed the first three place-getters in. but was in a gap of three lengths, Good Odds Brown Erocade won the Trial Stakes at good odds for a form runner. Miss J

Edgar-Jones's Massowa filly sped to the front outside the furlong, won by two lengths, and paid £ll 3s 6d for a win.

She had earned this win after minor placings in two of her three starts earlier in the season. D. N. Hadfield brought Brown Brocade into a challenging position behind Glentarkin and Harewood on the home turn.

Glentarkin did not put up much fight, and Harewood could not match Brown* Brocade for finishing speed. Yankinville, the second favourite, took a gap on the rails in the straight and took second place by a length from the surprise favourite, Lady Denzil, which was a determined finisher. Harewood was a fair fourth, beating Montez by half a length. Unbeaten

Cranbrook preserved his winning record by winning the Middle Park Plate at his second start for Mr E. Jackson.

The Washdyke - trained Trovato gelding ran clear early, and kept up such a strong gallop that he had most of his rivals in difficulties well outside the furlong. Deladana led the chase after Cranbrook and ran him to half a length, but she was no more impressive than the third place-gutter. Share.

Share, the second favourite, ran the last furlong brilliantly after appearing to strike trouble and becoming badly placed earlier in the race. Canadians was fourth in a gap of two lengths, narrowly beating the favourite, Bronze Knight. Outclassed Field Picket made an exhibition of a moderate lot in the Lyttelton Handicap. This win, his second for Mr D. F. Dailey, was one of the easiest of the day. He won by five lengths from Magic Flute, which shaded the favourite. Royal Appeal, and the second choice. On Account. Picket had a hand in all the pacemaking. Bar Kochba was in close attendance for a time, but when he dropped away there were no more challengers.

G. W. Mein looked behind two or three times in the straight, but could have saved himself the trouble. Picket had the race well won a furlong out. Necks separated Magic Flute, Royal Appeal and On Account and then there were gaps to the others. Favourite Wins Neron emphasised the value of Trentham hack form with a sound win in the Post Handicap. This Oamaru-trained War Game gelding was the popular choice after a third in the Kaitoke Handicap, his only race at the Wellington Cup meeting. W. D. Skelton brougnt Neron in a challenging position behind Certainly and Derailment on the home turn, mastered those Riccarton hacks going to the furlong, and drew out to win by two and a half lengths from Cranston. Cranston nosed out Derailment with a solid challenge on the inside.