RACING VETERAN WINS GOLD CUP AT RANGIORA

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30580, 24 October 1964, Page 6

RACING VETERAN WINS GOLD CUP AT RANGIORA

The nine-year-old Gay Defoe cut his younger rivals down to size with a powerful winning gallop in the North Canterbury Gold Cup at Rangiora yesterday. Mr K. G. McLaughlin’s veteran showed he is wearing wonderfully well in giving 10 rivals a sound beating. The Washdyke-trained Defaulter gelding was the sixth favourite and paid £lB 3s 6d and £5 ss.

Washdyke also supplied the runner-up in Morris Francis, leaving small pickings for Riccarton - trained horses, which were in the majority.

Gay Defoe, which has been a big winner from G. G. Hampton’s stable, and has invariably done well on holiday campaigns in the North Island, showed yesterday that when the ground is firm he is still capable of winning good races. He has won two Metropolitans at Riccarton, and that race will probably be on his programme again this season. Gay Defoe was ridden yesterday by the successful apprentice, C. L. Reeves. Gay Defoe carried £2186 5s of a doubles pool of £48,209 ss. Reeves had Gay Defoe near the tail of a tight-running field until close to home. Fast Run He made fast progress between the half-mile and the home turn, where he was about fifth, and he went through with his run strongly to pass Silver Kingdom and Morris Francis inside the last furlong. At the end Gay Defoe was

a length clear, and going away, from Morris Francis, which beat Silver Kingdom by half a length. Morris Francis looked awkwardly placed on the inside close to the tail of the field near the three furlongs, but was ahead of Gae Defoe on the home turn and gave his win backers high hopes for a moment near the furlong. He could not find anything extra for Gay Defoe’s solid challenge, but his second held out hopes for an early win at a middle distance.

Silver Kingdom was two lengths better than the fourth horse, Ashleigh, which came right from the back in the last half-mile.

Ashleigh just caught Magician, whose finish was disappointing after getting the trailing run behind Silver Kingdom. Royal Leigh was close up sixth, but he had weakened after disputing the lead at the half-mile. The others were well beaten. Brown Brocade led them in. Count Pedro, last early, could not make much progress when switched to the outside in the middle stages and finished ninth behind the each-way favourite, St. Malo. Second Leg Foxy Boy rounded off a double worth £376 15s 6d for £1 when he came out on top in a tight finish to the Ronald MacDonald Handicap. This was his first show of form in four starts this sea-

son and he paid £24 9s 6d for a win.

Foxy Boy showed he was a versatile performer in his racing for Mrs C. G. Humphries last season, winning from seven furlongs up to a middle distance, but he had done nothing to inspire confidence in a win over six furlongs against some quick sprinters yesterday. Being fairly fresh probably helped him to stay close to the pace yesterday, but he still had heavy work ahead of him on the home turn, where Sailorman had taken an inside gap to run to a short lead. Newbrook followed Sailorman through on the inside and was in front for a stride or two, but Foxy Boy pegged him back brilliantly close to the post and won going away by three-quarters of a length.

Newbrook, which was attempting to win his third Ronald MacDonald Handicap saved second by a head from Sailorman. Then there was another head to Fieldmaster, whose finishing run was a feature of the race. Fieldmaster’s chance looked slim when he drifted at the start. He still appeared to be hopelessly out of it half way through the race. Approval, the win favourite, finished fifth after being at the girth of the pacemaking Deladana from the three furlongs until near the home turn. Deladana tired to sixth and Marlow, Canadians, and Vitamise led the others in.