RACING Easy Win For Key In Challenge Stakes

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 4

RACING Easy Win For Key In Challenge Stakes

“The Press" Special Service

WELLINGTON, December 16.

Key’s eclipse of a strong field of milers at weight-for-age, a last stride win by Apa in the principal handicap and High Disdain’s sustained run for major sprint honours were the features on the opening day of the Manawatu Racing Club’s summer meeting. Key’s success was in the Manawatu Challenge Stakes. After beginning brilliantly she was steadied and raced contentedly in equal third place to the three furlongs. She then went to the front and the pace sharpened appreciably. Key turned for home with a two-length advantage and more than doubled it in the straight.

Key ran the distance in Imiin 36 4-ssec, time wtaoh is rarely bettered at Awapuni. The track record is Imin 36sec. established by India several years ago. As the pace was not fast in the early stages, Key must have run the final three furlongs in exceptional time. It j was her second consecutive I weight-for-age win so she should have outstanding prospects in the Clifford Plate and King's Plate at Ellerslie during the holidays. The patience of jockey L. J. Hodren was the major factor in Apa's success in the Louisson Memorial Handicap, the first leg of the T.A.B. double. Apa shared equal second with El Ganador behind Studio to the straight and they then engaged in a desperate struggle. Apa had his head in front at the furlong, but in the final 20 yards El Ganador got the upper hand. It was not till then Hodren resorted to use of the whip and with several hard cuts he virtually lifted has mount to a nose victory.

It was Apa’s third win in his last four starts. He completed a double art the Naipier Park meeting, but made little impression at his next start at Woodville, when his saddle slipped. In the circumstances he was at good odds being the 8/8 favourite in a field of 15 and paid £l3 16s 6d and £4 12s for a win and place. R. W. Taylor gave El Ganador no chance to fall Into his habit of hanging. He had him on the rail throughout and he had a hard squeeze to get through on the inside of Studio at the top of the straight. The Matamata visitor. Lavish Countess, after being seventh into line, made ground for third a length and three-quarters away.

As on the second day of the Napier Park meeting. High Disdain completed the TAB. double with Apa, this time in the Wood Handicap. The double dividend was £59 18s for £l. High Distaln was one of the slowest away and was not in a good position at the straight entrance. But once In the clear he finished resolutely and wore down Funny Story, to win by • long neck. Other notable performances were Clearway's Eulogy Stakes win and the effort of Teachers to complete a hat trick tn the Gillies Hack Handicap. It was a good day for the Awapuni trainer. E. Temperton, and the stable horseman, R. W. Taylor. The combination won the non-totallsator event with Conspirator and then succeeded with Copper King and Clearway. The weather was fine and the track was fast. There was a moderate attendance. LAST-STRIDE WIN Apa gained a last-stride win at the expense of the favourite, El Ganador, In the Louisson Memorial. Studio was the pacemaker a round from home. He was followed by Apa, Big Mac and El Ganador (abreast), then Happy Venture. Copy Boy, Lavish Countess, Shan Jahan. Silver Pelt, Spondulicks, Air

Step. Coastguard, Kingdom. Doradeb, and WHd Duck Studio passed the half-mile two lengths ahead of Apa and El Ganador. which were clear of Copy Boy and Big Mac. Then came Air Step, Shah Jahan. Lavish Countess. Doradeb, Silver Pelt, Wild Duck, and Happy Venture Studio increased his advantage by a length at the straight entrance, but soon shortened stride. El Ganador and Apa went ahead to dispute the issue. Apa got in the deciding stride to win by a nose. A length and three-quarters away Lavish Countess was third. Happy Venture made ground for fourth ahead of Copy Boy. Kingdom. Doradeb. Studio. Silver Pelt. Spondulicks, and Big Mac.

Easy For Key Key led for the three furlongs to win the Manawatu Challenge Stakes easily. Sigh was slowest away and numquh dropped back soon after the start Key. Auriette, Teneriffe. Acis. Aqaba, and Gold Ruth were prominent in the early running and just behind them were Outcome, Moy. Disorder, Picaroon, and Equal Terms.

Gold Ruth went ahead at the end of two furlongs and at the half-mile was just in front of Teneriffe, Acis and Key (bunched). Then came Disorder, Auriette. Moy. Outcome. Picaroon. Fqual Terms, Baloo. Sigh and Ilumquh. Key went clear at the three furlongs and turned for home with two lengths on Gold Ruth, which was attended by Outcome. Acis, Moy, Teneriffe. and Baloo.

Key ran away to win by five lengths from Gold Ruth, which lasted to beat Baloo by a nose Picaroon was fourth and he was followed in by Moy, Outcome, Ilumquh. Equal Terms, Acis. Sigh, Aqaba. Auriette. and Teneriffe.

Strong Finish High Disdain finished with a sustained run from the bunch to win the Wood Handicap impressively. Silver Theme delayed the start, breaking out of the stalls twice without her rider. On each occasion she was caught within a furlong. When sent to the outside she got the best of the start and was followed early by Funny Story, Sonare, Plantation, Hornpipe. Selwyn, Astrid, Safe Harbour, Starborough, and High Disdain, which was slow away. Sonare took charge at the end of a furlong and led past the half-mile from Planation, Astrid. Silver Theme, Hornpipe, Funny Story, Selwyn, Safe Harbour, Starborough, and High Disdain, with She!: ah Dhu at the head of the others. High Disdain improved to seventh at the straight entrance otherwise there was no change in the order. Funny Story looked a likely winner at the furlong, but High Disdain finished brilliantly and beat her by a long neck. Selwyn was a length and three-quarters away third, and Plantation was a close fourth just ahead of Sonare and Starborough. Then came Astrid, Tyrol. Safe HarHornpipe, Plain Fox, Silver Theme, Sheilah Dhu. and Sampler. Results.— TOKOMARU HIGH-WEIGHT. £500; 11f.—3/3 POLO (19) 9-0 V. R. Coley I; 1/1 ARAKHAN (4) 9-9 B I. Waerea 2; 5/5 SWINBROOK (10) 9-3 A Skipper 3 Scratched: Lady Stephen. Broieford Lady Midday Song Yeti. Three and a half lengths long head. Paper Felt fourth. Time: 2:20. Win: £5 19s 6d. Places: £2 5s £1 18s 6d £3 10s 6d JUVENILE HANDICAP £500; 51f.—2/2 COPPER KING (5) 8-13 R. W. Taylor 1; 4/4 RECIPROCAL (2) 8-5 A. T. Jones 2; 1/1 HUMBER (3) 8-6 C A Bowry 3. Scratched: Arbelle. La Golondrlna. Skye Hermalon Anntlc, Our Pride, double Life' Neck two and three-quarter lengths. Boundless fourth. Time: 1:7 1-5. Win: £2 18s. Places: £1 ss. £2. £1 3s

GILLIES BACK HANDICAP. £500; It.— l/2 TEACHERS (1) car 8-3 D. DoeU 1; 2/1 KAIUNX (2) 8-8 K. S. Cullen 2; 3/3 TENSION (4) 8-7 A. T. Jones 3. Scratched: Sir Mink Cheaterman, Gymkhana. KUleymoon, Adler. Aurora's Wedding Vogel Bloem. Rlchetta Ruthless Even. Sir Torre. Two and a quarter lengths, length and a quarter. Khurpen fourth. Time: 1:25 1-5. Win: £3 10s 6d. Places: £1 14s. £1 14s £1 19s 6d EULOGY STAKES, £625; three-year-old fillies; Im.—4/4 CLEARAWAY (7) car 7-9 R. W. Taylor 1; 1/1 TILKA (3) 8-5 L. N. McCutcheon 2; 3/3 NORANDA (5) 7-12 A. T. Jones 3. Scratched: Careater. Damselle, Aiemeda Doressa Near Time, Rely. Tempt. Length and s quarter three-quarters of a length. Harvest Moon fourth. Time: 1:38 2-5. Win: £8 10s «dPlaces: £2 la 6d. £1 3s 6d. £1 14s LOUISSON MEMORIAL, £1500; IM. 8/8 APA (5) 8-4 L. J. Hodren 1 Ml EL GANADOR (2) 8-11 R. W. Taylor 3 3/3 LAVISH COUNTESS (4) 8-9 .. A T. Jones 3 2/2 Big Mac. 11/11 Silver Pelt, 5/5 Happy Venture, 9/9 Copy Boy. 7/7 Studio. 4/4 Doradeb 12/12 Wild Duck. 6/6 Kingdom, 13/13 Spondulicks. 14/14 Air Step, 10/10 Coastguard. 15/15 Shah Jahan also started. Nose, length and three-quar-ters. Happy Venture fourth. Time: 2:17 2-5. Win: £l3 16s 6d Places: £4 12a £1 16s. £2 Bs. MANAWATU CHALLENGE STAKES. £1500; weight-for-age- Im.—l/1 KEY (13) 8-9 J. Anderson 1; 8/9 GOLD RUTH (10) 8-11 W D Skelton 2; 5/5 BALOO (3) 9-2 R. W. Taylor 3. All started Five lengths, nose. Picaroon fourth Time: 1:36 4-5. Win: £2 5s 6d. Places: £1 2s 6d, £5 19a 6d. £3 15s. WOOD HANDICAP, £800; 7f. 2/3 HIGH DISDAIN (5) car 7-62 .. K. S. Cullen 1 4/3 FUNNY STORY (4) car 7-31 .. V. Tinsley 3 9/10 SELWYN (18) car. 7-0 J N. C. Collins 3 3/4 Astrid 1/1 Starborough, 10/10 Silver Theme. 5/5 Sonare. 6/6 Hornpipe. 8/7 Plain Fox. 7/8 Plantation. 11/9 Safe Harbour, 14/14 Sampler. 13/13 Sheilah Dhu. 12/13 Tyrol also started Long neck length and threequarters. Plantation fourth. Time: 134 4-5. Win: £5 Ils. Places: £2 3e 6d. £2 3a 6d £6 17s 6d. TARARUA HACK HANDI. CAP. £550; Im.—6/5 SIR BARTON (Ma) 7-10 A. C. Masaarvy 1; 13/13 SLOWCOACH (8) 8-3 C. A. Bowry 2; 6/5 REGAL CRESTAL (24) 7-3 W. J. Doyle 3 Scratched: Arlington, Vixen s Pride. Maid of the Oaks. Carnmor. Three-quarters of a length length and a half. Bandon fourth. Time: 138 1-5. Win: £lO 4a 6d. Placet: £7. £8 10s. Bracket: Sir Barton and Regal Crestal.