5391 DOUBLE AT RICCARTON

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 4

5391 DOUBLE AT RICCARTON

Royal Bid And Shakes Show Improved Form Royal Bid and Shakes, two failures in the Riccarton Handicap last Saturday, won the double at good odds on the second day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Riccarton yesterday. The Southland-owned and trained Royal Bid finished brilliantly from the ruck for a decisive win in. the first leg, the Fendalton Handicap. Shakes improved a solid record on his home course by winning the mile Jockey Club Handicap.

Holders of 719 5s tickets on the successful combination received £391 18s 6d for £l. Royal Bid is owned by Mr L. B. McKenzie, trained at Invercargill by D. V. Pankhurst, and was well ridden by J. M. Cappie. Improvement on his Ricoarton Handicap run was obviously expected, for he was fourth favourite and paid £7 3s and £3. Mhor, a consistent Riccar-ton-trained horse, was second, just beating Royal News and Saitorman. Shakes, winner of the August Handicap over a mile ait the Grand National meeting, showed his liking for that distance on his home course by winning the Jockey Club Handicap. After a failure in the Riccarton Handicap on Saturday he was at good odds, paying £l7 4s 6d to win and £5 Os 6d for a place. Stakes was bracketed with Tremble and their owner, Mr A. R. Bussell, had to take a wide view of the race to follow their progress at the end. Tremble was one of the tail-enders. Shakes is trained at Riccarton by G. H. Murfitt. jun., and was ridden by W. D. Skelton, who had formed a successful combination with the hardy Pictavia gelding long before he moved to live in the North Island a few weeks ago. Racing was done on a firm track, and there were several fast gallops. The programme was a financial success. On-course the totalizator handled £92,871. compared with £B9-859 10s Inst year, an increase of £3Oll 10s. The off-course turnover was £176,379 15s compared with £110,479 ss, an increase of £65.901 10s. Doubles investments

amounted to £85,122 15s (offcourse £74,625 15s; on-courae £10.487). The off-course substitute was Wildlife. Early Setback Picright lost at least three lengths at the start of the Fendalton Handicap, and Robin Adair and Personify were also slow into stride. Royal News led into the second furlong, but Cobble passed him after passing the mile. Cobble led past the six furlongs from Royal News and Francisco. Sudd El Nil, Safe Harbour, and Sailorman made up the next line, ahead of Wyebank and Zinder, and Royal Bid with next, alongside Mhor. Mhor worked a bit closer to the lead at the half mile, but there were few changes in the front bunch at that stage. Cobble held her lead to the home turn, but only just, from Mhor, Royal News, Sailorman, Safe Harbour, Happy Venture. Personify. Zinder. and Royal Bid. Sailorman, Royal News, and Mhor were heavily engaged in the front line at the furlong; but Royal Bid had the strongest and last run. and he pulled away in the last few strides to win by a length. Mhor saved second by a nose from Royal News- Then there was a neck to Sailorman. and half a neck to Picright, which finished at a great rate after having to shift ground in the straight. Safe Harbour was sixth, a nose behind Picright, and Robin Adair was the best of the others. Second Leg Shakes led from just inside the furlong to win the Jockey Club Handicap, the second leg of the double. He won by a long neck from the fastfinishing favourite. Wilful, which cleared a pocket late

in the race and ftniteied better than anything else. YanklnviUe tost at laast three lengths at the start and Tremble, Royal Leigh, and Beginner's Luck gave ground. Royal Estate, Lucky Son. Harvest Moon and Melodic formed the front bunch when they had gone a furlong Harvest Moon and Melodic, both going keenly, took charge near the five furlongs and led into the last halfmile from Royal Estate. Lucky Son, Seaend, Fine Time, and Gabbler. D. N. Hadfield tried to slip the field on Melodic on the home turn, but he was never allowed to get far away and was beaten well outside the furlong. There was little between Seaend, Fine Time, and Shakes at the furlong, but Shakes was in front a moment later and the fast-finishing Wilful could not reach him, though she cut into his lead near the end. Royal Leigh did well to reach third position after a slow start. Royal Estate, weakening slightly at the end. was threequarters of a length back fourth, just beating Fine Time. Yankinville provided a feature of the race with a brilliant finish for sixth.