RACING Former Stablemates In Riccarton Double

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30405, 2 April 1964, Page 4

RACING Former Stablemates In Riccarton Double

The former stablemates Sailorman and Shakes won the totalisator double at good odds on the second day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting at Riccarton yesterday.

Shakes, the star of the Murfitt stable at Riccarton, was applauded for a meritorious win in the Templeton Handicap, the second leg of the double. He was third favourite, and at false odds after his win in the Great Easter Handicap on the first day of the meeting. Sailorman, which has done most of his racing from the Murfitt stable, but has been prepared this season at Washdyke by W. P. Hogan, won the first leg, the Dominion Handicap, by half a length from Sir Athol, which shaded Royal Crest, Birthright, and Picright in a spectacular battle for the minor places.

Sailorman was the seventh favourite and paid £ll 14s 6d —good odds after his fourth in the George Adams Handicap on Monday. He had heavier support on the double, being third fancy behind Hushaway and Zinder, and carrying £7353-15s of a pool of £54,796. The Sailorman-Shakes combination carried 4033 5s tickets and paid £53 2s for £l. Champ, runner-up to Shakes, was the hot fancy with 10,745 tickets. Shakes has now won five races this season for Mr A. R. Bussell and they have all been at Riccarton. Navarone lost three lengths at the start of the Dominion Handicap, Marwon, Birthright, Rhythm Rein, and Royal Crest also gave ground. After a furlong Vivid Light, Hullabaloo, and Sir Athol were running abreast in the lead, and Mighty Smart was trailing on the inside just ahead of Wyebank and the hard-pulling Hushaway. Sailorman was then two or three places back.

Sir Athol went clear by a length and a half going to the half mile. Hullabaloo, Vivid Light, and Hushaway

stayed handy, but did not look like getting any closer when they straightened up. Sir Athol held his lead to the last furlong, but it was anyone's race there. Good Challenge Challenges earne thick and fast, and Sailorman’s challenge was the best of them all. The Washdyke grey kept up a brilliant run from the three furlongs, and won fairly narrowly but very well. Sir Athol saved second by a head from Royal Crest, which made his run from far back with Birthright, which got up for fourth. Picright, one of the outsiders, was half a head back fifth. Then there was a gap

of three lengths to Panther, which just beat Magician and Marwon.

Hushaway tired badly after pulling hard and finished 13th. Vivid Light, the only North Islander, was fourteenth. Shakes was confidently and enterprisingly ridden for his win in the Templeton Handicap.

He was slow away, and was tailing the field going to the five furlongs. His jockey D. N. Hadfield realised that the pace was fairly slack and could see some of his rivals up near the front being checked and squeezed for room, so he made a move on the top weight going to the half mile and looped the field in a furlong or so.

Shakes was in front on the home turn, and none could deprive a great battler of that lead, though Champ reduced it near the end. Champ ran keenly near the front for a start but was squeezed up near the half mile and went back a few places on the inside. He came strongly when brought to the outside in the straight and ran a creditable second a length in advance of Royal Estate. Careen, the second favourite, was three-quarters of a length back fourth. She was back with Shakes in the early running, but dashed up to the front bunch earlier and was about third on the home turn.

Apache, another slow beginner, was a fair fifth, just beating Picca Leigh and Royal Leigh.