Disband First After Mix-up

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 4

Disband First After Mix-up

Disband recorded one of the outstanding performances of the meeting when she won the New Zealand Metropolitan Stakes. She w as badly checked in a mix-up after half a furlong and looked to be out of the contest soon after.

Her part-owner and trainer-driver, D. G. Jones, attempted to catch the driverless Super Chief after two furlongs, but the horse was taken in charge by the clerk of the course (Mr C. M. Williams), w ho made a good save.

Bar None set the pace from Password and Bob Again, with Tunnel Road and Heriot handy. Lumumba was well back in eleventh place at the mile post, with Disband two places further back. The field bunched near the half-mile, with Lumumba moving up three or four wide, and Disband following him through three lengths back. Lumumba took charge with two furlongs and a half left, and led for home ahead of Password, Local John and Disband, with Tunnel Road, Bob Again and Ulove handiest of the others. Lumumba was soon in trouble, with Disband racing clear. Disband finished full of running to win by three lengths, with Bob Again making ground for second, two lengths in front of the tiring Lumumba. Heriot went a i sound race for fourth a 1

length away, three-quarters of a length in front of Battlefield, which was followed in by Wove. Local John, Forbid, Martinique and Password. Battlefield met trouble and tangled after about half a furlong. In the mix-up which followed Super Chief, which lost his driver, Night Rocket, which was pulled up, Highland Raider, Disband and Cuddle Doon were checked. Lumumba was very slow at the start. At Good Odds

Spring Legs, one of the outsiders of the field, gave the Auckland district its first win at the meeting when she upset calculations in the Hayward Handicap.

Spring Legs began better In this race than she had earlier at the meeting and she was third on the inner for most of the race. Jilaire, trailed by Fundamental, set the pace and they were followed into the straight by Spring Legs. This trio had a great battle for first, with , Spring Legs, on the outside, getting in the deciding stride. Fundamental paced a splendid race for second, shading Jilaire, with Toby Brigade making up a long stretch of ground for fourth, ahead of Medico, Dominica, Quesnel, Admiral and | Hurry On. Toby Brigade, Admiral, Dominica and Hurry On lost ground at the start. Finished Well Space Cadet worked clear from an awkward position racing to the straight in the D. F. Glanvllle Handicap and after giving the leaders a good start, he finished boldly to win easily. Overnight set a strong pace and led for home ahead of Sirretta, Bellajiiy and Cloudage, with three lengths to Gold Maru and Space Cadet, which had had trouble working clear of tiring horses. Bellajiiy raced through on the inside about the half-furlong, with Space Cadet closing rapidly r.n her further out. Space Cadet got up to win well by half a length from Bellajiiy, with two lengths and a half back to Cloudage, which was pushed

back a length or two by tiring horses near the three furlongs. Sirretta was well beaten in fourth place after having every chance, with Legendary, Forshy and Ruling Caste following at intervals. Johnny Supreme's driver was . tipped from the sulky after half a furlong, while Grande Garnison. Sand Drift, Legendary and Forshy lost ground. Dead-Heats A dead-heat for first and a dead-heat for fourth marked a keen finish to the Certissimus Handicap. Just when Highland Countess looked to have the result in safe keeping, Asia Minor finished at a great rate and got up to dead-heat. Highland Countess took the lead after three furlongs and set a sound pace, with Asia Minor back beyond the middle of the field. Asia Minor was sixth, and several lengths away, at the straight entrance. Good Luck, after being handv all the way and appearing to be beaten racing to the straight, came again for third a length back, a length in front of Seven Nights and Trapper, which deadheated. Seven Nights broke racing to the straight and did well to finish so close up. The favourite. Dark Shadow, was close uo all the way, but he tired to sixth, another length away, clear of Ali Bev, which broke near the three furlongs. Cloudy Bay. a place-getter in two of his other three starts this season, gained a deserved win In the First Maiden Event. He was never far away in the running and was seventh turning for home. He was inclined to race greenly, but outfinished his rival* to win by half a length. Golden Sunset, which was awkwardly placed most of the way, finished with a great run for second, a length in front of Winning Song, with a nose to the unlucky Blue Pin. which did not get a clear run in the straight. Sonny Jim tired to fifth, ahead of Romantic Chief and Angel Lass. Major Upset Lakeda, which had been out of form earlier in the season, caused a major upset when she won the Le Lievre Handicap. She received a splendid run on the inside all the way, and

challenged strongly over the final furlong. Whaka took the lead after three furlongs and set a solid pace, with Lochgair, which had broken at the start, towards the tail of a spread-out field, with Avante also well back.

Whaka led for home ahead of Marquess and Anarca Direct, Soanfra, Lakeda and Lady Charles, with Lochgair starting to improve, but some lengths from the lead.

Lakeda caught Whaka just short of the post and beat him by a length, with Lochgair finishing strongly into third place another length back. Marquess was two lengths back fourth ahead of Lady Charles, with gaps to Highland Step and Procella.

Anarca Direct, Lochgair, Terrace Dale and Massacre lost ground at the start.

| Driver Tipped Out D. D. Nyhan, the driver of Johnny Supreme, in the D. F. Granville Handicap was tipped from his sulky soon after 'the start. The incident was caused by Anterior, driven by IJ. G. Hampton, running outand locking wheels with Johnny Supreme. After the running of the New Zealand Metropolitan Stakes an inquiry was held into the accident which involved Super Chief, Highland Raider and Night Rocket shortly after the start It was found that Highland Raider had failed to begin correctly and Battlefield in avoiding Highland Raider touched Night Rocket, causing this horse to break and run in. Super Chief, which was moving up fast on the inside, struck Night Rocket's sulky, tipping G. J. Hampton from the sulky. Hampton was taken to hospital for observation.