Semprini Runs Record Mile At Te Rapa

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 5

Semprini Runs Record Mile At Te Rapa

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, February 16. Semprini, a four-year-old from Te Aroha, ran a track record to take die £2500 Royal Waikato Cup at Te Rapa yesterday. From a furlong out he looked the likeliest in a packed field and he reached the post with just half a length to spare.

. In his winning run Semprini covered the mile course in 1:35 4-5, a full.second'inside the best for Te Rapa. Even allowing the favourable conditions’ of weather and track it was a great, performance. Three months before at Te Rapa, Semprini played “giant-killer” in beatihg the top sprinter’ Final Command. In between times he wpn the £2500 Newmarket Handicap on the first day of the Auckland summer meeting, but his form more recently at Trentham was of such moderate quality that he rah this time at odds of 30 to one. :

In the win and place betting Semprini was the fifteenth and sixteenth favourites and his dividends were £32 12s and £lO 3s. With Lionheart in the Empire Intermediate Handicap he made a TA..B. double return of £143 3s 6d. Challenger Spent From the moment he took the front Semprini was run closest by Sir Henry, which made his bid- a trifle wider on the track. With 100 yards to go the Te Awamutu gelding was at Semprini’s quarters. It seemed he might go close, but he was spent just before the finish and all out to keep second from Tilka, which made a strong late run.

Only inches separated Sir Henry and Tilka. Karinx was. just about in line and Wilful and Damian’s Pride completed the first tight bunch. Tilka and Sir Henry were the second and third favourites. Summer Regent, the first favourite, ran creditably even though only eighth. He was a long way better than the other popular candidates, Boundless and Hilldale, which did not come anywhere near expectations. Lionheart, a four-year-old stablemate of Tilka, ran a dozen opponents off their feet in the Empire Intermediate Handicap. With a furlong covered he was clear in front and he ran the remaining nine at such a rate as to allow none of the others a chance.

Half-way through the 10 furlongs he was out by a couple of lengths, galloping boldly, and he reached the post four lengths in front. He set a track record of 2min 2 4-ssec—a fifth of a second inside the previous best, by Lord Sasanof. Lionheart carried 9-3, giving away 171 b to Ravenwood (second) and 61b to Gay Parade (third). The others, headed by Lady in Blue, were made to look of very little account. The weather was hot and humid and the going in excellent order after a period of regualr watering. Slow Away Gay Cobbler dwelt badly at the start of the Royal Waikato Cup and Supreme Gold, Melodic and Sir Henry were slow. Karinx showed up on the outside and Starborough got away fast. Hilldale led to the coupe proper with Starborough and Damian’s Pride. Karinx kept a forward position and Brown Hair, Kitty Kildare, Gitano, Wilful, Semprini and Melodic were the next group, just ahead of Summer Regent and Garden Place.

After they had run a couple of furlongs Brown Hair dashed ahead. In no time she was well clear. Passing the half-mile she was out by four lengths from Starborough, which had a couple, of lengths on Hilldale and Kitty Kildare. Wilful was next after a short gap, leading Gitano, Summer Rgent, Melodic and Llanelly. Vogel Bloem improved quickly to trail Brown Hair as they came to the straight. Kitty Kildare and Semprini were prominent arid Karinx and Summer Regent and Acis (wide) were right there. Brown Hair tired quickly. Semprini collared Vogel Bloem with a strong claim out toward the centre. Toward the end he was challenged hard by Sir Henry, but he held on gamely and won clearly. Tilka, with a late run, all but caught Sir Henry and Karinx, Wilful and Damian's Pride were almost in line fourth, fifth and sixth. Then came Kitty Kildare, Summer Regent, Melodic, Vogel

Bloem, Gitano, Garden Place; Supreme . Gold and Yonda. The tail-enders were Starborough, Gay Cobbler, Boundless, which failed to get out of the last bunch, and Gold Chick. Disputed Lead Elkayel, Prince Mahmoud, Gay Parade, Ravenwood and Lionheart (wide) disputed the lead as they left the straight in the Empire Intermediate Handicap. Lionheart then took command, galloping boldly. With a mile to run Lionheart was out by a length and a half from Gay Parade, which had a length on Ravenwood and Maimoa. A couple of lengths away Vinesse, Lady in Blue and Prince Mahmoud

were together, leading Elkayel. - Lionheart kept dear crossing the top. In the run to the turn he was dear of Ravenwood and Gay Parade. The others were struggling to keep up. None had a chance with Lionheart in the finish and he won easily. Ravenwood and Gay Parade kept up their hard battle, and Ravenwood took second by a nose. Lady in Blue, was a moderate fourth, followed by Vinesse, Lucy Gray, Mexicali, Blue Heather, Ashbourne Blue -and Prince Mahmoud. Results:— FRANKTON BRUSH HURDLES. £1000; about Ifm:— 6/9 LORD NIKITA (2) 10-3 B. Clements 1; 9/8 IWIROA (5) 9-12

K. Old 2; 7/4 JOLXTOM (6) 9-12 J. Humphries 3. Scratched: Aroha Prince, ' Caherclveen, Chequed, King Sol. Two lengths and a half, half a length. Taringama fourth. Time 3:11 4-5. Win: £l3 2s. Places: £4 Is 6d. £3 18s £3 2s. JUVENILE HANDICAP, £1000; two-year-olds; 6f.—2/1 WATER WAGON (4) 8-5 G. M. McLeish 1; 4/4 ARABELLE (6) 8-3 G. F. Hughes 2; 3/3 THUNDERHEAD (2) 8-8 W. J. Mudford 3. Scratched: Velusha, Honey Blonde,. Landby- Mt. Wyn. Raaj Kumaar. Five lengths, one length and a halfHigh Voltage fourth. Time, 1:11 4-5. Win: £3 2s 6d. Places: £1 Ils, £1 17s. £1 17s.

VICE-PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP £1000; Im —2/2 LU FILOU (3) 7-13 J. P. Riordan 1; 5/5 PIAKONUI (6) 7-12 J. F. Grylls 2; 4/4 FAIR TIGER (9) 7-9 R. Laing 3. Scratched:-Gold Tax. Three-quarters of a length, half a length. Court Beau fourth. Time. 1:37 3-5. Win: £6 Os 6d. Places: £2 0s 6d. £3 Is 64. £2 Bs. WAIKATO STAYERS’ PLATE, £1000; 2m.—4/4 IRISHMAN (1) 8-12 J. P. Riordan 1; 6/5 SHERRYWINE (15) 8-4 D. J. Wyatt 2; 8/9 CARACAS (6) 8-6 G. Willetts 3. Scratched: Tomwatha. Gold Tax Neuchatel. Half a length, one length and a nah. Sea Battle fourth. Time, 3:26 2-5.

I Win: £7 14s 6d. Places: £3 12s, £8 18s. £4 ss. COMMONWEALTH STAKES ' HANDICAP, £1250; 11m.—2/3 BLACK TUbOB (5) 8-1 L. Tournier 1; 1/2 FENCOURT (1) 9-0 D. J. Wyatt 1; «/6 MISS EUNICE (9) 7-13 N. Eastwood 3. Scratched: Dandelnee, Weather- ' ley. Red Crest Half a length, one length and a half. Clayton ; King fourth.-nine, 2.-S 4-5. Win: . £4 4a'6d. Places: il Us. £1 IDs. . £3 15s. ROYAL WAIKATO CUP, £2500; Im. ; 15/16 SEMPRINI (11) 8-0 . [ ”S. J. Ganley 1 1 3/3 SIR HENRY (12) 8-0 •• J. F. Grylls 2 . 2/i TILKA (16).7-11 I N. Eastwood 3 i 1/1 Summer Regent 10/12 s Gitano. 5/6 Boundless.' 16/15 . Gold Chick. 13/13 Ads. 11/8 Ka- . rinx. 7/U Gay Cobbler. 4/9 t Hilldale, 9/7 Llanelly. 14/14 . Supreme Gold, 18/18 Melodic. 21/20 Brown Hair. 22/22 Straight I Irish. IVIO Damian's Pride. 6/5 Starborough, 8/5 Kitty Klidace, 80/21 Khoraxaml, 19/10 * Yonda, > 6/4 Garden Place, 6/4 Vogel Bloem, 16/15 Wilful also started. Half length; nose. Karinx fourth. Time: 1:35 4-5. Win: £32 13s. Pisces: £lO ; 3s, £3 14s. £3 4s Sd. WHATAWHATA HANDICAP, £1000: 7f.—2/1 BRIDOON (4)

8-10 J. f. Grjlls 1; 4/4 BRIGHT IDEA (10) 8-3 M. D. Rlordsn 2; 3/5 NOW THEN (8) 8-4 W. Skelton 3. Scratched: Cheque Day, Blue Holly. Splendour. ChaUmede. Crystal Dawn. Digger, Flanders Ridge, Royal Life. Sunny Dakar. Two length:-, nose. Anato fourth. Time. 1:25 2-5. Win: £4 ss. Places: £1 16s, £2 13s. £2 14s. EMPIRE HANDICAP, £1250; Um. 1/1 LIONHEART (1) 9-3 J. F. Hughes 1 3/4 RAVENWOOD (11) 7-13 ,D. Peek 3 6/7 GAY PARADE (2) 8-11 G. McLeish 3 10/10 Elkayel. 5/5 Lady In Blue. 2/2 Vinesse. 9/9 Blue 'Heather. 8/8 Ashbourne Blue. 13/13 Prince Mahmoud, 11/11 Chickmaster, 4/3 Mexicali, 11/12 Maimoa, 7/6 Lucy Gray also started. Four lengths; nose. Lady in Blue fourth. Time: 1:1 4-5. Win: £3 ss. Places: £1 13s, £2 3s 6d. £4 16s. BEERESCOURT HANDICAP, £1000; Im.—2/2 PETER GEORGE (4) 8-1 G. McLeish 1; 8/7 ASCOT ROSE (10) 7-9 D. J. Wyatt 2; 3/4 PREFERABLE (1> 8-5; D. Findlay 4. Scratched: Innes Maid; Lordcation. Length; half length. Cardlne fourth. Time: 1:38 2-5. Win: £6 Is 6d. Plkces: £2 ss. £4 4s 6d. £3 2.-.