Game Call Best In Hurdles

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

Game Call Best In Hurdles

Game Call, a four-year-old and the youngest in the field, was also easily the best in the A. S. Elworthy Memorial Hurdles at Washdyke on Saturday.

The Gore-trained Trovato gelding showed superior stamina to the others after being in front from the start.

Game Call is now unbeaten in two starts over hurdles for Messrs J. F. Grant and M. S. Turton. He is prepared by R. J. Cochrane, and was ridden by S. D. Hawthorne. ' Corduroy and Domain were alongside Game Call in the lead starting the last mile, but Domain found the pace too solid a little later and dropped back through the field. Domain’s bracketed mate, Grand Prix, took up the chase after Game Call when Corduroy began to give ground before the home turn, but he was outstayed for second by William David. This consistent Riccarton jumper gave Game Call a big start in the last mile, and might have been hard to beat only for an inferior leap at the secondlast hurdle.

Corduroy, which is going to Trentham for hack hurdle races, tired to fourth three lengths clear of Rhythm Rein. Anouk fell at the secondlast jump when beaten off. Knight, the third fova.i terw Knight, the third favourite, was pulled up before the end and walked back lame. Led Throughout Race Card recorded his first win for the season, and his first over country, in the C. L. Orbell Memorial Steeplechase. It was another front-run-ner’s victory by this six-year-old King’s Command gelding which was described in the official race card as a mare.

Some of Race Card’s jumping was uneven, but he was never in real trouble, and he had pace and stamina to run out a decisive winner by a length and a quarter from the favourite, Grand Monarch. Owned by Mr H. G. Jamieson, a steward of the club, and trained by E. P. Corboy, Race Card was ridden by G. T. Dobbs. A fortnight earlier this combination beat all. but Mandalay in the steeples at Oamaru.

Grand Monarch, an acceptor for the Wellington Steeples, was unchallenged for second. He outstayed The Watch by four lengths but could not find the pace to draw level with the winner in the last furlong.

Tidal Rip was fourth and had his chance. He finished well clear of Night Soek and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Several felt the strain of a fast-run race inside the last mile, but it was a spectacular race, and it was a close-run-ning field for a good way. There were no falls.