RACING St. Malo Back In Form For Washdyke Win

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30479, 29 June 1964, Page 4

RACING St. Malo Back In Form For Washdyke Win

St. Malo resisted a sustained challenge from Kumai for a sound win in the Donald Grant Memorial Stakes at Washdyke on Saturday. The Hororata-owned, Waimate-trained St. Malo was the only three-year-old in the field and the outsider but one in a field of 10.

This was his fourth win and his first since the Dunedin Guineas last spring. It came after a lean patch of form, and against one of the stongest fields assembled on a South Island provincial course for many years.

St. Malo is owned by his breeder, Mr J. F. Thwaites, is trained by P. H. R. Andrews, and was ridden by D. N. Hadfield, who won this race last year on Melodic. St Malo won on Saturday on a good winter track. He is an accomplished galloper as well in heavy ground, and under any conditions he will be a strong fancy for the

Winter Cup at Riccarton in August Hadfield had him close to the pace right from the start in front going to the halfmile, and clear by a length or so from the closest of his rivals on the home turn. Kumai was tracking him when they straightened up, and went through with a determined run on the inside. He kept reducing St Malo’s lead, but not quickly enough to gain mastery. Trentham This could have been Kumai’s last race before the Parliamentary Handicap next week. He is engaged in the Whyte

Handicap on the first day of the Wellington winter meeting, but his Wirigatui trainer, H. A. Anderton, said on Saturday that a start against the milers was not certain. Great Sensation, a dominating favourite, was allowed to settle into the tail-end group from the start and found the task of giving St. Malo and Kumai a longish start in the last half-mile a bit more than he could manage.

He made a solid run down the outside from the home turn for third a neck and a length from the winner. Gladaub outfinished Shakes for a fair fourth, half a length from Great Sensation. Shakes ran up wide out in the leading bunch early in the race and drifted out of contention from the home turn. It was his first race since Easter, and should have been of much value in fitting him for the Whyte Handicap at Trentham. Explain, the third favourite to win and only the eighth fancy for a place, never managed to raise her backers’ hopes after giving a bit of ground at the start. St. Malo carried £1535 15s

of a doubles pool of £36,469 15s.

Second Leg

The Wellington-owned, Ric-carton-trained Count Pedro showed gameness under vigorous handling from N. Eastwood to win the Thomas Seaton Memorial, the second leg of the double. He won by a head from Royal Crest after a sustained battle in the straight. Supporters of the successful combination on the double received £163 3s for £l.

Zinder was half a length back third, making ground after losing a forward position near the home turn. Count Pedro is owned by Mr G. A. Lang and trained by C. G. Humphries. He was the best hack stayer at Trentham in March and he may return there next week for the Parliamentary Handicap if he qualifies by winning the Fraser Memorial on the second day of the South Canterbury meeting next Saturday.

With a better run inside the last half-mile Foxy Boy, another member of the Humphries team, would have probably been Count Pedro’s strongest rival.

He finished fast to miss third by only a nose.

Count Pedro was just behind the middle of the field and just ahead of Foxy Boy at the five furlongs, but Eastwood took him forward quickly coming to the home turn, and the four-year-old led on straightening up, quickly mastering the Wingatui pair, Sir Athol and Lucky Son. Royal Crest chased him into the last furlong, going through with a strong run that had brought him from near the tail of the field. The best behind the first four were Timna, Silver Kingdom, and Marwon.