TROTTING Rannack Song Stays Best At Nelson

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30154, 11 June 1963, Page 4

TROTTING Rannack Song Stays Best At Nelson

(From Our Own Reporter)

NELSON, June 10.

Rannack Song gained his third successive win in 10 days when he outstayed the hot favourite, Automatic, in the Winter Handicap at Richmond Park today. This was the main race and first leg of the double on the second day of the Nelson Trotting Club’s winter meeting.

Rannack Song was favourably placed in about seventh position in the middle stages of the race. He improved to be fourth into the straight and gradually moved up to the leaders, Charlesworth and Chief Lynn, with Automatic following him through.

Rannack Song and Automatic had a great struggle, with Rannack Song fighting back strongly to win by a neck. He was the second favourite and paid £4 9s 6d for a win.

The Automatic-Pancho Boy bracket was a dominating favourite, its supporters receiving a place dividend of 18s 6d.

Rannack Song. a four-year-old gelding by Flying Song from Seclusion, is raced in partnership by A. K. Holmes, who has driven him in his three wins, and another young reinsman, N. F. White. He is trained at Belfast by F. Loffhagen. who has been locking after C. S. Donald’s team while the latter has been overseas.

Rannack Song has shown gameness in his races in recent weeks and he looks as though he will continue to be a profitable proposition. Mirubuka, one of the slowest beginners, recorded an outstanding effort to get up and win the Achilles Handicap. the second leg 'of the double. He just caught the near outsider, Young Peg, in the last stride or two andbeat her by a neck, with narrow margins to the favourite. Frugal, and Shepherd’s Brook. The race was one of the best of the meeting and the finish was a gruelling one. The Rannack Song—Mirubuka double paid £4O 13s 6d for £l.

The meeting was held in fine weather before a fair crowd. The track was heavy. Totalisator investments on-course amounted to £24.647 10s, including £2784 10s on the double, compared with £26.894 last year. The total for the two days was £50.447 10s, compared with £56,702 last year. First Leg Willycan, Automatic, Bold John, Magic Scott, Talent. Ray Preston, and Yale lost ground in the first furlong of the Winter Handicap. Thrift. Chief Lynn. Charleeworth, and Light Away got away best, Charlesworth working to the lead at the end of two furlongs. Charlesworth was followed by Chief Lynn on the outside of Thrift at the end of three furlongs, with Maud Noble. Light Away, Borodin. Rannack Song. Dieman Lad, Maggie Spangler, Pancho Boy, and Automatic handy.

Ray Preston improved to about fourth by the half-mile, but he began to drop out before the three furlongs. Charlesworth continued in front to the straight, where Chief Lynn, Thrift, Rannack Song (improving), Maggie Spangler, and Automatic were showing up. Charlesworth and Chief Lynn were together on straightening up, but they were joined immediately by Rannack Song and then Automatic.

Rannack Song and Automatic shook the others off and in a keen finish Rannack Song did best to win by a neck. Chief Lynn was a length and a half behind Automatic, with a similar gap to Charlesworth. Maggie Spangler was a useful fifth, ahead of Dieman Lad and Pancho Boy, with a break to Thrift and Borodin and another to Yale. Slow Away The two favourites, Frugal and Mirubuka, were two of the slowest beginners in the Achilles Handicap. Kelso Lady, Mystery Jim. and Nelson Ahoy were also slow. Garralia broke near the seven furlongs, and was pulled up. Hydro Power w’as rushed to

the lead at the end of three furlongs. He opened up a lead of four lengths, but was back with the field with nine furlongs left. At that stage he was followed closely by Stormy Mile. Iniquitous, Kinsella, . Garralia, Young Peg, Kelso Lady, Kaipuke, and Rangipo, with Frugal improving two places further back, and another seven places to Mirubuka, which met trouble when Garralia broke.

Kelso Lady took the lead at the seven furlongs, and two furlongs later Frugal was trailing her. Kelso Lady led to the straight ahead of Shepherd’s Pride and Frugal, with Kinsella, Young Peg, Mirubuka, and Rangipo handy. Frugal soon had Kelso Lady covered and then Young Peg ohallenged with Mirubuka and Shepherd’s Pride right up. In a desperate finish Mirubuka won by a neck from Young Peg, with a head to Frugal and another to Shepherd’s Pride, which was clear of Kelso Lady, Kinsella. Rangipo, and Four Squares.