RACING MELODIC “STOLE” RACE ON TURN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30171, 1 July 1963, Page 4

RACING MELODIC “STOLE” RACE ON TURN

Six-Length Lead Was Too Much

Enterprisingly ridden, Melodic came back to winning form for the Auckland-Southland partnership of Messrs F. R. Allen and M. A. McKenzie in the Donald Grant Memorial Stakes at Washdyke on Saturday.

D. N. Hadfield won the race for Melodic by sening him out to a lead of six lengths on the home turn. Double lost no stature in failing to pull her backers through for there was only a head in it at the end.

Hadfield said he “got the surprise of his life” when he saw Double the closest of the others all of

three lengths behind

the pacemaking Melodic going to the three furlongs. "Melcdic was going eaaily, too, just lobbing along. Doable didn't seesn to be going so badly either, so I thought I would give them something to do,” Hadfield •aid after toe race. lit was then that Hadfield allowed Melodic to spurt ahead and widen his lead by at least three lengths. Only Double and ShangriLa, the runners whieh had dominated the betting, could make any appreciable progrew after Melodic going to the furlong. Double’s rider, R. J. Skelton, was heartened when he saw Hadfield go for the whip. Skelton said: "I (twsjght I would win then, but Double came to the end of her run short at the post, and Matodic fought her oft." Winter Cup Start Earlier last week, shortly after a weak run at Ashburton. Melodic's connexions decided against a start in the Whyte Handicap at Trentoam this week.

The main item on Melodic’s winter programme will now be the Canterbury Jockey Club's Winter Cup. Melodic, the sixth favourite on Saturday, has now won two races in nine starts since he joined L McClure's Ric-

carton stable early last season. The other win was in the Riccarton Handicap at the last New Zealand Cup meeting. Melodic was sixth favourite on Saturday and paid £l4 16s for a win.

He carried £1903 5s of a doubles pool of £36,820 Double was the most popular fancy with £11,131 and Shangri-La wm next in favour with £7822 15s.

Shanfri-La ran one of her usual sound races for third, two lengths behind Double and two lengths clear of Ravels ton. Next best behind Ravelston was his stablemate Kumai, which came from the middle of the field. Warfare, another runner for Wingatui. was sixth a head behind Kumai, and was followed in by Approval, Gold View, Count Pierre, The Wanderer, Wind vale Lad, Corvale, and Gold Find.

Second Leg Rhythm Rein outstayed the kmg shot Orderly to win the Thomae Seaton Memorial Handicap, second leg at the double. Rhythm Rein has reserved some of his best runs for overseas trips by his Christchurch owner, Mr R. C. Miens, and this wm one of them. Mr Idiens left on an overseas holiday early Last month.

Trained at Washdyke by J. C. McKerrow. Rhythm Rein was ridden by R. J. Skelton.

The leading jockey thus managed to level his score against D. N. Hadfield, who had so narrowly’ beaten him in the Melodic-Double duel. Hadfield rode Orderly,

which went under to Rhythm Rein by half a length. Orderly nearly managed to lead for the last six furlongs, but Hadfield was not allowed to get far away from the pack, as he had done with Melodic.

Rhythm Rein was no more than three places back on the turn, and caught his Washdyke rival a few of his long strides from the post. Samsi made an encouraging open-class debut with a strongly • finishing third another half length back. The Melodic-Rhythm Rein combination carried 575 5s tickets and returned £2ll 14s for £l. William David was the favourite way with 1819 tickets. Orderly carried 241. He could have lost the race right at the start when he failed, from the inside, to jump away as quickly as most of his rivals. Sixth was the best William David could manage, Happy Venture and Summer Star separating him from the divi-dend-payems. It was Happy Venture’s best race Since he was bought in the North Island by Mir A. Scott and came to Riccarton to be trained.

Summer Star came from well back in the field for her fifth.

McGregor, the top weight and the 3/5 favourite, was seventh. He was well placed on the inside early, but drifted out of it nearing the home tom when some of the others made ground wider out.

Next, in finishing order, were: Donna Maria, Central Flight, Melotone, Navarone. White Skies, Vamoose, and Flagon.