TWO G.G.’s WIN AT ODDS OF 120-1

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30443, 18 May 1964, Page 5

TWO G.G.’s WIN AT ODDS OF 120-1

General Gilbert And Great Guns Succeed

Several people who settled for a day with the horses at Amberley on Saturday thought they couldn’t do better than bet on the “G G’s” on the double. And they were so right. There was only one possible combination for those working along those lines and their choices General Gilbert (Amberley Gup) and Great Guns (Starky Memorial) won at odds of better than 120 to one.

This was a combination that would have appealed, also, to a military man; and the form followers would not have been very far astray either. General Gilbert has been one of Ricca rton’s more consistent performers and had built up a string of minor placings.

Great Guns, though a failure in his three previous races, raced pretty consistently in staying hack races through the summer and autumn. General Gilbert resisted a solid challenge from Picca Leigh to win the Amberley Cup by half a length in the colours of his Riccarton trainer. J. L. Barr.

A four-year-old gelding by Avocat General from Ramona, General Gilbert was ridden by the stable apprentice, B. D. Collins.

He has no immediate engagements, will be rested for a week or two, and may race at the Oamaru winter meeting.

The peculiarities of the Amberley course were evident when Waverley and Certainly, which had both beaten General Gilbert at Ashburton a fortnight earlier, finished far behind him this time.

Waverley and Certainly both started wide out, never got close to the inside on the turning course, and were beaten a good way out. D. N. Hadfield, who had ridden Certainly, had better fortune with Great Guns, a de-

cisive winner of the Starky Memorial. Great Guns, like General Gilbert, was the fifth favourite, but at shorter odds. This former North Islander has now won two races for Messrs J. A. McDonald and R. J. McKeich, and four altogether, the others being for Mr J. G. Alexander. Great Guns won Saturday’s racing going away by a length from Gold Shower, which beat Clipper as easily. His win brought a change of luck for his Washdyke trainer, E. J. Ellis. The General Gilbert-Great Guns combination carried 572 5s tickets and returned £l2l 5s for £l. General Gilbert had carried £1439 10s of the doubles pool of £20,982. Waverley all but dominated the doubles betting, carrying £7248 ss. Speed Duel Waverley was third last when they cleared the stalls in the Waverley Cup, and it was a speed dual dominated by Lucerna, General Gilbert, and John Jameson early on. Waverley made a run four wide past several rivals to reach the leading line approaching the straight but he

was beaten on straightening, and General Gilbert battled to a short lead. Picca Leigh reduced that lead slightly but did not look like closing it completely. Picca Leigh beat the littlefancied Hullabaloo by a length for second.

Apache finished faster than most if not all the others for a good fourth. Waverley, Lucerna and Bridie O’Cally were next almost in line. Second Leg Great Guns was brought forward with a steady, strong run to win the Starky Memorial going away from the field. Hadfield had him in the tail-end group a round from home, and still fairly well back at the six furlongs. But he had only four to pass at the half-mile and only Gold Shower to master when they came to the straight. It was Great Guns’s race in a few strides, though Gold Shower battled it out pretty well for second a length in advance of Clipper. Gold Shower and Clipper had both been close to the lead from the start. None of the others was concerned in the finish. First Time weakened to fourth in a small gap after attempting to lead for the last five furlongs. He beat the plodding Avast by a length. Moorooka was unable to make much ground after a slow start and finished 10th.