TROTTING WILDWOOD CHIEF IN STAKES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 4

TROTTING WILDWOOD CHIEF IN STAKES

Owner’s First Win In Over 30 Years

More than 30 years without a success at a totalisator meeting ended yesterday for Mr W. A. Prendergast, of Hyde, when Wildwood Chief beat Cathpete and the surprise favourite, La Scala, in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes at Ashburton.

W. R. Butt had Wildwood Chief prominently placed throughout a most interesting race and although he was inclined to run about inside the furlong, he ran on much too strongly for his rivals to win handily. * Wildwood Chiefs win marked Butt’s first training and driving success in the race. He went close to success in 1961 when Wildwood Chiefs sister, For Certain, ran Lordship to a close decision. •

U’fid wood Chief’s win was not really a surprise as he had finished a splendid fifth at Addington last Saurday. He was the 44 favourite and paid £tO 16s for a win and £2 18s 6dlfor a place. Wildwood Chief was bred bj{ Mr Prendergast, who bought his dam. Little Doubt, in; foal to Meadow Chief, for BC*ns at the dispersal sale of« Mr D. Green's stock at Tejnpleton three years ago. He had tried without success to win a race at a totalizator meeting for more than 30 years, said Mr Prendergast af|er the race. He had trained, driven and ridden wfoners at gymkhanas in Central Otago, but had never had a horse of much ability, added Mr Prendergast. Wildwood Chiefs win was to* decisive for excuses to be. offered for the beaten hcfrses. Cathpete, a slow beginner, did well to finish second, with La Scala making a late bid to shade Bellaj illy to* third. The Southland pacer, Proce©a, gained an outstanding win in the Durbar Handicap. th| first leg of the double. He started from 48 yards, and inforoved wide out in the back straight. He was a coleader at the straight entrance and fought on in grand style to beat Vanderfojd easily. Procella recorded the splendid time of 4rfiin 22sec for the two miles. IlJe leaders took 60 l-ssec for th* last half-mile. Two-thirds of the field in th* second leg, the Harvest Handicap, lost their chances at the start when the front barrier strand caught in the harness of Scotsbum. Spring Garrison escaped trouble and fovght on to shade Jilaire arid Mars in a dose finish. The Procella—Spring GarriA>n double paid £77 8s 6d for £l. The meeting was held in fine, cool weather. There was a large crowd for an oftThis included most of th* visiting England Rugby te|m, the members of which liagi a most unsuccessful day financially until Cheta won tii* last race, the Rakaia Hndtjap. The track was in good order. Totalisator investments oncourse amounted to £41,468, including £4772 10s on the dcuble, compared with £42,834 10s last year when th* meeting was held on a Saturday.

Sapling Stakes Alpine Lady. Hangover. Loohie. Tact us. Rocky Star Cathpete. Patchy. Grande Ganueon and Batoairn were the slowest beginners in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes Peerswick led out from Snare Cadet Beresford Lady Bella) ily, Lochie, Falstaff Wildwood Chief and La Scala.

lochie moved up on the outside of Beresford Lady just behind Peerswick. at the mile post where Space Crdet was on the outside of Falstaff followed by Bellajily a d La Scala. Patchy and Wildwood Chief. Tacitus. Kildare Kate Bakeirn. Rocky Star and Ca'hpste. Peerswick was pulling hard and he was eased in behind Patchy at the seven furlongs However. J D Litten sent him to the front again before the six furlongs. Tactus moved into second before the half-mile. where Kildare Kate. Alpine Lady and Cathpete were improving Cath pete was almost on terms with Peerswick at the furiong, where Bellajily Patchy Wildwood Chief Tactus Hindu Prince and La Seals were spread across the track behind them Peerswick was soon beaten and Cathpete looked like a winner Then Wildwood Chief joined in. He responded best to win by a short length even though he was inclined to run about Cathpete held second by a short length from La Scala with a heed to Bellajily. a

length to Patchy, a short length to Beresford Lady, a neck to Hindu Prince, a nose to Fadstaff, a length to Peerswick, a length to Kildare Kate, a short length to Balcairn, half a neck to Grand Garnison and a gap to Tactus and Rocky Star. Durbar Handicap Lord Pelser was alow, and Massacre. Robyn and Aiblins broke st the start of the Durbar Handicap. Stand In led ou* from Bay Prince, Li leas and Trade Talk, with Vanderford. Estimation. Parados and Bonnieburn showing up. Vanderford took over at the end of half a mile, but a furlong later Bay Prince worked clear. Procella was thirteenth in a close-running field at this point. Trade Talk worked to the front with nine furlongs and a half left. Shortly after, Procella began to improve, three wide. Trade Talk dropped out on reaching the straight and Procella worked up to Bay Prince in the lead. They were on terms racing to the final furlong, with Vanderford, Bonnieburn, Happy Songster. Estimation, Parados and Stand In close up. Procella took a short lead.

but was immediately challenged by Vanderford Procella showed gameness in a hard finish and came away to win well by a length. Bonnieburn raced up to his best to finish third, but he was three lengths away, with a similar gap to Parados, which battled on gamely over the last furlong. Bay Prince was a short length back, fifth, a head in front of Estimation, with half a neck to Bobbinet, a short length t» Stand In, a length and a half to Massacre, a head to Happy Songster, a heed to Kyle View, half a length to Lileas. half a neck to Marquess, and a gap to Loyal Brigade. Close Finish Spring Garrison, Jilaire and Mars fought out a desperate finish to the Harvest Handicap and they finished in the order named with narrow mar gins between them. Talent led out from Elusion, Ice Fall. Ray Preston, Tavistock, Spring Garrison. Belroy, Jilaire and Bazax, the only horses to escape trouble caused by the barrier strand becoming entangled round a carrier strap of Scotsbum. Belroy took over with seven furlongs and a half left Mars rushing dear near the five furlongs.

Mars continued in front to the furlong where Automatic, Spring Garrison, Talent, Ray Preston and Jilaire were handy Spring Garrison joined Mars and then Jilaire moved up to them. Spring Garrison did best to win by a nose from Jilaire, with a head to Mars, a length and a half to Talent and half a head to Automatic, which was followed by Belroy. Baaax, Elusion and Ray Preston.