TROTTING International To Royal Rick; Patchwork Last

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29850, 16 June 1962, Page 4

TROTTING International To Royal Rick; Patchwork Last

(NX. Press Assn.— Copyright) s NEW YORK, June 15. New Zealand’s champion pacing mare, Patchwork, and James Scott, the Australian pacing champion, both , finished out of a place in the 50,000 dollars* International Pace at Yonkers Raceway last night, but their drivers were both confident that they would benefit appreciably from the hard race. James Scott was given every chance by the Sydney reinsman, P. J. Hall, and finished a good fourth, while Patchwork was last of the eight-horse field, which represented the best

pacers in the world. Royal "Rick, a handsome dark-tab, brown, took over the lead from James Scott after half a lap and thereafter was unchallenged to win the mile and a half event by two and a half lengths. He was fourth choice in the .race at slightly better than 9/2 and ran the distance in 3min 4 3-ssec, a mile rate of a fraction better than 2min 3sec. Another American horse, Irvin Paul, swept up from seventh to snatch second place from the former New Zealand horse. False Step, which beat James Scott by a nose far third. False Step, now raced by American interests, started favourite at slightly under 5/2. He was the initial leader, remained in third place in the middle lap when the field was in single file, and was coming on steadily at the end, but with not too much dash.

Hall and R, Young, the Christchurch trainerdriver of Patchwork, both said they had every chance, but their horses were in need of the race. It was their first race since arriving in the United States five weeks ago. The 49-year-old Hall said: “I had every chance. He just wasn’t good enough on the night. He’ll do better next time—l hope so, anyway. The race will do him good. I certainly had no excuses, though.” Hall said James Scott had a touch of catarrh about a week ago, but had fully recovered from that now, and it did not affect his performance. “Not Herself’ Young said Patchwork “had not been herself,” because of a cold which she had only just shaken off. But, he said, she went quite well, in his opinion. “She was all right until the last sprint, when they left her behind,” Young said. He said that in next Thursday’s 65,000 dollars Good Time Pace the mare would probably not be at her best either because the distance of one mile and a quarter would be too short for her. “We will have our best chance in the two-mile race, the 75,000 dollar National Championship Pace on June 28,” the 56-year-old New Zealander said. Below Best Form He said Patchwork was “well below her best New Zealand form,” judging by last night’s run. Both Hall and Young paid tribute to the winner, Royal Rick. “He ran them all off their legs,” Hall said. Young was particularly impressed ■ with the second horse, Irvin Paul. “He came from behind me and finished very fast.” he said. Hall said James Scott began well and went to the front past Falase Step when they straightened out in the back stretch for the first time without too much trouble.

“I was sitting pretty when Royal Rick rushed up to take the lead. It would have been better for me if someone else had come up and ‘taken him on’ in front instead of them racing in single file.” Hall agreed that James Scott collapsed rather suddenly on leaving the back straight on the last lap. Just when most observers who knew James Scott’s reputation expected the Noble Scott horse to draw level with Royal Rick, it was quickly apparent that he could not hold his position.

“That’s what makes me think he needed the run,” Hall said. “He would have battled on to the end if he had been right at his top form.”