San Rafael Outclasses Milers At Washdyke

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

San Rafael Outclasses Milers At Washdyke

San Rafael gave R, J. Cochrane, of Gore, his second training success for the day and R. J. Skelton his lone winning ride when she outclassed a big field of milers in the Kingsdown Intermediate Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday.

Mr R. W. D. Mackie’s four-year-old daughter of Howe and Arosa was the popular fancy after a sequence of four minor placings. She paid £4 17s and £2 Is for a win and a place.

While Castle Air carried the field along at a fairly strong clip Skelton had San Rafael going kindly bn the inner of Sura in the third line. She challenged the pacemaker outside the last furlong and it was all over over then.

San Rafael pulled right

away to win by three lengths from Baywyn, one of the longshots which ran in the line behind the winner till the home turn.

Baywyn saved second by a head from Avast, which had been in mid-field for much of. the race.

Star Quality, fourth-last when the field settled down, made a late bid from the ruck for fourth half a length back; Donna Gola, mid-field on the home turn, made ground for fifth but was two lengths away. Lucerna, which shared the same line as Baywyn to the straight, was next and Fieldmaster, the early tailender, led in the others. Queen’s Desire broke through for her first win when she out-ran her stablemate William Robert in the Winchester Stakes, an event for two and three-year-old maidens. Both the winner and runner-up are three-year-olds prepared by W. M. Turner, at Washdyke. While William Robert was trying for an all-the-way win Queen’s Desire was about five places back till the home turn. She came at her stablemate inside the last furlong and ran it out best to win by a length. The Riccarton-trained Pawnee, which was in touch with the pace all the way, was the best of the two-year-olds. Victory for her looked likely inside the last furlong and it might have come off under a more vigorous ride. Pawnee was three parts of a length from William Robert and beat Marquette, which shared the second line with Aghadowey to the straight, by half a length for third. How Lucky was fifth and

the favourite, Channel Fleet, which shared the third line with Pawnee to the straight, was a weakening sixth. AIl-The-Way Win Research gave Riccarton stables their first win for the day when he led all the way In the Caroline Stakes for which he was the 2/2 favourite of 20. Research’s only serious challenger in the last furlong was Gilpey, which had led the chase to the straight. Gilpey got to within three parts of a length of the winner and was three lengths ahead of Opportunity, a 33/1 shot for a place. Opportunity improved a few places in the run home. He beat Mission Girl, which had been in touch with the pace all the way, by half a neck.

Casstay, which had every chance, led in the others which were headed by the favourite Prince Callan. He did not come on the scene till late in the race.

Lone Apprentice B. D. Collins, from Riccarton, was the only apprentice to ride a winner at the meeting. He got Llanawyn home at long odds in the Beaconsfield Improvers’ Handicap.

Llanawyn, which is trained at Amberley by A. L. Borcoskie, who races the three-year-old Llanstephen gelding in partnership with Mr J. F. Stewart, was the 9/10 favourite of 20 and paid £29 13s 6d and £7 12s for a win-and-place. Collins had Llanawyn well placed right through the race. He brought him out in midtrack to challenge outside the last furlong and in a battling finish he lasted it out best to beat Belle York by half a head.

There was much merit in Belle York’s placing for she was the slowest beginner and did not reach a challenging position until the race was all but over. Golden Century was half a length back third. Like Llanawyn he was in touch with the pace all the way, came to the front at the furlong but could not cope With the late challenges. San Saba, another which had a good trailing run, was a length and a half away fourth. He beat Omasong, which received the run of the race, by a head.

The favourite, Beau Seant, wilted to 12th after making the pace till the furlong.

Hawke’s Bay Inquiries

(N.Z. Press Association) HASTINGS, June 28. The form of the Riverton visitor, Tadpole, which was a firm favourite for the Hastings Steeplechase on Saturday but could only manage a moderate third, was the subject of a judicial inquiry. It was found that Tadpole (W. J. Hillis) wag asked for an effort when Musketeer- increased speed about a mile from home, but responded sluggishly. He then made a poor jump at the five furlongs arid a half and thereafter made little impres sion.

After the race it was found that Tadpole, a candidate for the Wellington Steeplechase this week, was blowing considerably. Baron’s Craig, which eventually finished second, almost lost rider, B. J Langford, at the fence seven furlongs and a half from the finish, but Langford made a fine recovery. He suffered minor facial abrasions in the incident.

About three-quarters of a furlong from the end of the first division of the Frimley Trial, Golden Bay (M. J. Dombroski) was tightening up when racing on the inside of Gold Look and the outside of Hyde Out and Misei-e.

The official observation was that the two inside runners had moved ground out during the run down the straight and that Gold Look had tended to move in under nressure.

K. A. Thomson, the rider of Goid Look, immediately corrected his mount, a point later confirmed by the film taken of the finish.

As the result of the race was not affected, no further action was taken.