Polished Display By Grand Monarch

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30179, 10 July 1963, Page 5

Polished Display By Grand Monarch

Grand Monarch gave a polished display of leaping to beat his six rivals soundly in the Tilford Memorial Steeples at Washdyke yesterday. The Wingatut ’chaser was at generous odds in this, his winning experience as a jumper. He was 7/6 favourite of seven, and paid £25 10s 6d and £8 6s 6d for a win and a place. Grand Monarch was patiently ridden by the former Riccarton horseman, O. Aiming He started the last round ait the rear with Packwood, but sound jumping carried him forward steadily in the back straight and he had Dark Jester and CaUamara well within range two fences from home.

Grand Monarch closed on Dark Jester, which had led for a mile and a half, as they approached the last fence and he clearly outstayed the pacemaker in the run home to win by three lengths. Dotterel, which had been in the first three or four all the way, plugged on to beat Callamara by two and a half lengths for third but he was seven lengths behind Dark Jester.

There was a fair gap then to the place favourite. Packwood, which could only plug on in the straight. Surhine was next and the win favourite, Goodbye, was last in a gap. He kept handy for the first mile and a half, but tired very quickly on the last round.

At Good Odds Etoile Este outpaced 12 rivals to win the Opihi Maiden Stakes at good odds for her South Canterbury owner, Mr J. B. ParceJl. The Washdyke-trained filly was the eighth favourite of 13, and paid £l9 14s for a win

C. T. Wilson brought Etolle Este four wide to challenge inside the last furlong, and she ran the race out solidly to win by a neck. Side Saddle, one of the slowest beginners, came home well from the ruck for second. She outfinished His Host, which trailed to the straight, by a length and a half. Glenmorven, which shared the trail to the straight and which was in front for a few strides at the furlong, weakened to fourth. He was a neck from His Host and half a head in front of the faster-finishing Cumberland.

The favourite, Mossbum, faded to eighth. She shared most of the pace and was clear into the straight. Notable Victory The Frenchman carried topweight of 10-11 to a notable victory in the Kerrytown Hack Hurdles, for which he was the fifth favourite of nine.

AS a jumper The Frenchman leaves a lot to be desired, but there is no question about his pace on the flat. Three bad jumps early in the contest put him right back at the rear, and he still had only Slatey behind him five furlongs from home. He warmed to his task closer to home, but still looked only a place prospect on the home turn.

Hunting Horn jumped to the front past the pacemaker. Race Card, two fences out, and Morelia was close up. well clear of Waaco. Magonza, and The Frenchman.

The Frenchman was still fourth in a gap of six lengths at tile last flight. But in the last furlong he swamped the others for speed and went on to win by a length and a half. Hunting Horn was second by a length from Morelia and Race Card was fourth in a gsp of three lengths.

Easy for Fine Chase Fine Chase, a four-year-old Foxshar gelding trained at Gore by R J. Cochrane, gave his rivals a galloping lesson in the Otaio Maiden Stakes.

Fine Chase shared the fourth line with the favourite. Full Course, to the straight, swooped on the leaders inside the furlong, and pulled right away to win by five lengths from Full Course.

Tracey's Comet, one of the long-shots in the field, fought on for third half a length back. He ran with Sirtax in the trailing position till the Straight.

Sirtax was fourth in a gap of two lengths, and Porangi Girl, which had every chance, led in the rest.

Won by a Nose Riccarton two-year-olds battled out the finish of the Juvenile Handicap, and Vivien Robe got there by a nose. Trove, Belltana and Joyean disputed the pace to the straight, and Vivien Robe trailed on the Inner of Royal Mile. Filspar was a place or two further back then. Filspar made a strong run to the front about a furlong out, and it looked as if it was all over then. But Vivien Robe, under one of W. D. Skelton’s most vigorous rides, fought back gamely on the inner and took the decision in the last stride. Benefice, one of the tail-end-ers three furlongs out, eame strongly for third a length and a half behind Filspar. He beat Pianelia, another solid finisher, by a length and a half, and Flashest led in the rest of a tired lot. The favourite, Golden Century, third on the inner on the home turn, weakened to eighth. First and Second The Washdyke trainer, W. M. Turner, saddled up Blue Harken and Dawsac io finish first and second against the hack milers in the Strathallan Improvers’ Handicap. Blue Harken's victory was popular, too, for it marked W. Traecey's first winning mount since he resumed race riding. Blue Harken was one of the slowest away, and Dawsac had drifted back with him at the end at a furlong. But both improved from the back on the home turn and reached contending positions outside the furlong. In the run to the post, Blue Harken did best to outfinish his stablemate for first by half a length. Ham improved two places for a third in the run home. He was a length from Dawsac and a length and a half ahead of Bandarshar. which had shared the pace with Highland Fair to the straight. Coral Morn, which had trailed to the straight, was a weakening fifth in a small gap. Good School By Coltara (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) MELBOURNE, July 9. The Grand National Steeplechase favourite, Coltara, schooled over fences for the first time at Epsom today. Ridden by T. Jones, Coltara jumped four brush fences confidently and cleanly. His trainer. D. McCormick, was pleased with the performance He said the horse might yet be schooled over fences again before Saturday. After his schooling today. Coltara worked over 12 furlongs at about half-pace Coltara won the Grand National Hurdle by 25 lengths last Saturday. Another Grand National Steeple horse. Wirth Discretion. will school over 16 fences of. the steeple course tomorrow as his final test for the big event. With Discretion ran fourth in the Grand National Hurdle, after stumbling at the second-last jump while challenging for the lead. The Grand National Steeplechase is run over 25 fences spread over three males and one furlong. Rehandicaps For Waimate (N.Z. Press Association) TIMARU. July 9. Rehandicaps for the Waimate District Hunt Club’s annual meeting on Saturday are:— RedclifT Handicap: Fine Chase. 21b to 8-2. Te Waimate Steeplechase: Grand Monarch. 71b to 9-7.