RACING Fleeting Moment Wins Manawatu First Leg

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30468, 16 June 1964, Page 4

RACING Fleeting Moment Wins Manawatu First Leg

“The Press” Special Service PALMERSTON NORTH, June 15. Fleeting Moment and Croydon’s Gold won the T.A.B. double at the Manawatu Racing Club’s postponed meeting at Awapuni today and paid £49 9s for one pound. The holders of 7157 five-shilling tickets participated in a gross pool worth £107,056, a record for the club.

The off-course substitute, Money, carried 12,238 tickets, mainly the result of the nine scratchings from the field of 23. She finished fifth.

By winning the Awapuni Winter Cup, Fleeting Moment qualified to accept for the main Weiiington Racing club races, including the Parliamentary Handicap. As usual, he was at the back early, but he improved on the inside at the turn and led at the furlong. He carried on to win by two lengths and a half, mainly the result of his rider L. K. Tinsley getting a winning break at the right time. Straight Time came on well for second, but he had too much ground to make up. Vigour, handy all the way, was a close third and Paromac, win favourite in a bracket with Action Packed, was almost in line fourth. He, too, looked likely at the furlong. Dowdex weakened slightly to fifth and African ran on well for sixth, ahead of Top Lad which had led into the straight. Action Packed * was next after making a short challenge at the top of the straight. Second Leg Similar successful winning tactics were adopted with Croydon’s Gold in the second leg, the Members’ Handicap. He was with the leaders all the way, but L. Gestro pushed him to a clear lead at the furlong and he had too much of a break for Return’ Fare and That’s That, which both finished solidly from the body of the field at the turn. Croydon’s Gold won by two lengths and a half, but it is probable that Return Fare would have won had Croydon’s Gold’s run been delayed a fraction longer. Red View was just behind That’s That in fourth place and Money and General Derby were close up next. Money did not have a clear run in the middle part. The feature jumping race, the Manawatu. Steeplechase, was a near fiasco. Strydom. winner of the race for the two previous years and second favourite this time, took the wrong track when leading after the first fence. He continued on the course proper instead of following the steeplechase course and by the time he was taken back he was a furlong behind the remaining five runners. The next casualty was Baron’s Craig, which lost his rider when leading with a round to go. Then the riderless horse severely hampered Orellno and effectively settled any chance he had. Solitude The winner was Solitude, a good wet weather horse and a sound stayer. He is a nine-year-old by Golden Souvenir from Triumphant, owned by Mr R. E. Punch and trained by I. Bradbury at Woodville. His jockey, C. McGovern, took him to the front after

Baron’s Craig tossed out, and Solitude won by six lengths. Summer Day and Count Lin were next but they never looked like catching the winner in the last part. The on-course double was won by Copper Fair and Harvest Fair and paid £228 4s 6d for £l. The weather was fine, apart from two light showers and the track was heavy. There was a good attendance for a week-day. The totalisator on-course handled £49,430, a decrease of £20,072. Dine and Dance went to the front soon after the start of the Awapuni Winter Cup. He was followed by Gold Splice, Bagush, Vigour, Paromac, Top Lad .(wide), Action Packed, Dowdex, Rely, Nampa, Commodore Roberts, Straight Time, Grand Coeur, Sparkling Maid, Fleeting Moment and African.

Dine and Dance and Top Lad were together in front down the back, just clear of Dowdex, then in a bunch Gold Splice, Vigour, Bagush and Commodore Roberts. Fleeting Moment was still second last Top Lad led to the straight just ahead of Dowdex. Vigour (wide) was next. Fleeting Moment was coming near the inner, followed by Straight Time, Action Packed and Paromac challenging wider out, and Commodore Roberts was on the extreme outside. Fleeting Moment led narrowly at the furlong, but at the post he was' out by two lengths and a half from Straight Time which beat Vigour by a long neck. Paromac was almost in line fourth and Dowdex was a close fifth, followed by African, Top Lad, Action Packed, Sparkling Maid and Commodore Roberts. The last two were Gold Splice and Grand Coeur. Second Fence Strydom, which was in the lead, took the wrong course coming to the second fence in the Manawatu Steeplechase, leaving- Baron’s Craig in front with two rounds to go. Orelino was next, then Count Lin and Solitude with Summer Day two lengths back. Baron’s Craig led for all that round, but at the second of the stand double with a round to go he hit hard and dropped his rider. Solitude then went to the front and at the half-mile was out by three lengths from Summer Day and Count Lin. Orelino, which was being hampered by the riderless Baron’s Craig, was dropping back. Solitude took the last fence safely and won by six lengths from Summer Day, which beat Count Lin by half a length. There were 50 yards to Orelino and a fence away

Strydom completed the course for fifth. General Derby lost two lengths, at the start of the Members’ Handicap, and Half Nip dropped back just after. Ruthless Eve, Maskour, Croydon’s Gold, Red View, General Derby (running up). Money and Return Fare was the early order. ..

At the half-mile General Derby had continued through on the inner to lead Just Tommy, Croydon’s Gold, Maskour, Ruthless Eve, Money, Redview, and Return Fare.

At the turn it was General Derby, Ruthless Eve, Just Tommy, Croydon’s Gold (moving up), and Money, with Return Fare and That’s That both improving but further back.

Croydon’s. Gold went clear at the furlong and though both Return Fare and That’s That ran on, Croydon’s Gold won by a length and a quarter from Return Fare which beat That’s That by a length and a half.

Red. View, Money and General Derby were close up next, • then Ruthless Eve, Golden Fortune, Exador and Chesterman. The last three were Just Tommy, Gold Moon and Half Nip.