RACING Apprentice s Lucky Mount In Cup

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30406, 3 April 1964, Page 5

RACING Apprentice s Lucky Mount In Cup

(From the Australian Correspondent of "The Press”)

SYDNEY. Summer Regent had the Sydney Cup won everywhere but the last bit, and then was edged out of the race by the Victorian horse, Zinga Lee. River Seine then cut the favourite, Grand Print, out of third place, to complete the eclipse of the favourites.

Zinga Lee, a five-year-old by High Peak (imp.) ran only sixth in the Millers Lager Handicap on the opening day of the A.J.C. autumn meeting, ridden by his regular Melbourne jockey, A. Burton. Burton would not return to Sydney to take the mount again, and the Sydney apprentice, D. Royle, gained a lastminute mount to win his first major race. Summer Regent arrived from New Zealand in the pink of condition, and showed himself ready for the engagement in the Cup by winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at weight-for-age. In that race the customary tactics of taking him to the front were adopted and there was never a doubt about the result. In the Sydney Cup it seemed his Sydney rider, G. Podmore, would hold him back behind the leaders. That was the way the race started, with Oliffea making the pace, which was not unduly fast. With a litle more than six

furlongs remaining, Podmore took Summer Regent to the lead. The brown son of Summertime seemed to relish the race, and went off with a smooth easy action that characterises his racing. Round near the three the field closed on him slightly. Among those getting ready for the strike was Grand Print, which had run along in the rear division until near the five furlongs. Probably by design Zinga Lee lost ground at the start, and Royle let his mount run along until the race was well on its way, gradually moving up on the run between the six and the turn into the straight. Grand Print was the favourite and when his run round the turn was continued his success was taken as assured by the public. But he had not caught Summer Regent, which still had plenty in reserve to beat off that challenge. However Zinga Lee had too much stamina in reserve and beat Summer Regent by a length and threequarters.