TROTTING GARCON d’OR WINS: AT ASHBURTON

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30563, 5 October 1964, Page 4

TROTTING GARCON d’OR WINS: AT ASHBURTON

Lordship ’s Brilliant Run For Third Garcon d’Or graduated to New Zealand Cup class with a splendid win in the Ashburton Flying Stakes on Saturday. He was well back in the field until the straight entrance and then wended his way through the middle of the field. He was behind the leading bunch at the furlong and came through inside Avante to beat that runner by half a head in the last stride.

Lordship’s third placing was a feature of the race. He started from 48 yards and paced the 12 furlongs in 3:5 4-5, by far the fastest time for the distance recorded anywhere on a grass track.

Garcon d’Or’s win was an outstanding trial for the New Zealand Cup. He paced the distance in 3:9 2-5 and gained his fifth successive win for the season. The pace was solid all the way, the opening half-miles taking 1:4. Raced by Mr R. A. McKenzie, of Wellington, he is trained and was driven by G. B. Noble, who is enjoying his most successful season ever as a trainer and a driver. He is a five-year-old gelding 1 by Captain Adios from the - grand trotting mare, Scotch ’ Paree, a daughter of U. Scott and Parisienne. *; Avante went a surprisingly 1 good race for a horse in his • class to finish second after . hesitating at the start. He settled down quickly and was never far away. . Lordship made up little of • his leeway until the three , furlongs. He came home in grand style wide out on the ‘ track and was far from disgraced. The leaders took • 1:1 2-5 for their last half--1 mile, so Lordship must have • bettered one minute for this ; section after covering a lot - of extra ground. • Cairnbrae, after being .' checked at the start, was a

• good fourth, after being just ’ in front of Lordship over the • last six furlongs. • Vanderford received a shocking run and was badly • checked at the seven fur- ; longs. He finished tenth, making up ground in the straight. ' It was the first occasion this season that he had finished - out of a place. ; Few excuses could be ad- . vanced for the other beaten • horses, the three most dis- « appointing runners being Deft (eighth). Junior Royal • (thirteenth) and Flying Blue . (fifteenth). The Running • Avante, Cairnbrae, Admit, • Lordship, Van Rebeck, Lady . Charles, Fox Able and Rustic Lad lost ground at the start, 2 following a false start, - caused by Lordship’s barrier 2 failing to release. 2 Garry Logan led out from • Highland Step, Smokeaway, 2 Chiffon, Jay Ar, Deft, Lady • Charles, Garcon d’Or, Flying • Blue and Avante.

Lordship had 17 runners in front of him at the six furlongs, Cairnbrae and Vanderford being just in front of him, with Garcon d’Or on the rails three places further up towards the leaders. Peel broke at the seven furlongs and checked Vanderford, Dandy Briar and Admit Garry Logan led past the six from Highland Step, Smokeaway, Deft, Junior Royal, Jay Ar, Flying Blue, Safe Return, Avante, Chi.~on and Oreti, which were racing in close order.

Garry Logan was inside Highland Step and Junior Royal at the three furlongs, with Smokeaway, Safe Return and Deft together next The others were starting to bunch, with Garcon d’Or working off the rails. Highland Step raced clear on straightening up and he led by three lengths at the furlong, with Junior Royal, Flying Blue, Garry Logan, Avante, Lordship, Cairnbrae and Garcon d’Or all prominent. Avante took a short lead about the half-furlong, with Garcon d’Or coming inside him. Garcon d’Or was driven confidently and won by half a head. Avante was a length and a half in front of Lordship with two lengths to Van

Rebeck, which made up a big stretch of ground. Highland Step was another length back, two lengths in front of Oreti, with a head to Deft, a nose to Lady Charles, a neck to Vanderford, and half a neck to Jay Ar, which was clear of Garry Logan and Junior Royal. Second Leg Strip, from Oamaru, completed a double worth £5l Os 6d for £1 when she outstayed her rivals in the second leg, the President’s Handicap. Strip led out from Burns Rival, Dieman Lad and Sirretta, the last-named moving up to take control at the end of two furlongs. Strip received a perfect trail - afterwards. She raced past the tiring Sirretta outside the. furlong, the pair being followed by Dominica, Bay Prince, Solemn, Spring Garrison and Jilaire.

Strip was always jn control and she won handily by a length from Spring Garrison, which did well to finish so close up after starting frota 36 yards.

Dominica tired a shade inside the furlong, but lasted for third a nose back, half a length in front of a bold finisher in Jilaire. Flying Over, which received a poor run, was beaten off fifth, ahead of Bay Prince and Solemn, with a gap to Happy Sam.

Flying Over, Paddy's Day, Tibet, Happy Sam, Angkor, Aiblins, Why Not, Carver Doon and El Adem lost ground at the start.