RACING PICKET HAS WIN AGAIN AT GREYMOUTH MEETING

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 4

RACING PICKET HAS WIN AGAIN AT GREYMOUTH MEETING

(From Our Own Reporter)

GREYMOUTH, December 21.

The double on the second day of the Greymouth Jockey Club’s Christmas meeting was won by Picket and Glenmist. Picket was the winner of the chief

event on the first day, and the six-year-old Pictavia gelding, owned and trained by S. W. Gillman at Omoto, again just defeated the hot favourite, Morris Francis, by a similar margin of a nose.

The doubles dividend was £B4 16s for £l. The on-course double of Silver Shell and Walhalla was £3O 19s 6d. The meeting was held in! fine humid weather after a little light rain early in the* afternoon. There was again a small attendance, although the totalisator on-course in-i vestments were almost equal: to those of Satuday. They: were £7651 10s, including! £904 10s on the double. The: total for the meeting was £15.369 10s. As in the main event on the first day, Picket and thehot favourite, Morris Francis. I had the finish to themselves in the Black Duke Handicap today and the margin was the same—a nose in favour of Picket. Picket began well and with a quarter of a mile covered he was three lengths clear of Morris Francis, Silver Kingdom, Shanty Town and Marlow. This order was maintained to the half-mile post where Morris Francis had moved up to be less than a length behind Picket.

This pair turned for home] almost together and 50 yards: from the post the favourite got his head in front. Picket, however, responded gamely to the urging of A. J. Stokes and he just got there in a most exciting finish. Shanty Town was third three lengths back, with a length and ahalf to Marlow and Silver Kingdom bringing up the rear. CLEAR RUN Serengeti attempted to lead all the way in the second leg of the double, the Dark Arrow Hack Handicap, and it was only over the last 50 yards that he succumbed to Glenmist, v/hich got a clear run through on the inner entering the straight. Serengeti, Sirtax, Mushtara, Corneil. Prize Melody, Glenmist, Prince Callan and Ben Blue was the early order land there was not a great Ideal of change with half a mile to run. Serengeti was first to turn for home, with ■ Corneil starting to weaken. Prince Callan, Glenmist, Prize Melody and Sirtax foli lowing. In a spirited finish Glenmist did best to win by half a length from Serengeti. Prize Melody was a moderate third, two and a-half lengths back, and the next to finish were Sirtax, Mushtara, Ben

Blue, Prince Callan and Corneil.

After leading all the way in the opening event, the Tonka Hack Handicap, Silver Shell just held on to defeat Sirtax by a nose with Filspar only another nose away in third place. Jayess, Sirtax, Silver Princess, Mushtara, Filspar and Patrician was the early order and it remained much the same expect that Filspar had moved into second place at the half-mile. There was little between Silver Shell and Filspar as they turned for home, with Jayess, Mushtara and Sirtax handiest of the others. Sirtax actually finished best, but could not quite overhaul the leader. Jayess was two lengths behind Filspar and then came Mushtara, Patrician and Silver Princess. TRIAL STAKES

Walhalla completed the oncourse double with Silver Shell by winning the Trial Stakes. Before they had gone half a mile the top weight, Cleopatra, a winner on the first day, had taken the lead from Walhalla, Idle Chatter and Glen Harp. Walhalla finished best to beat the top weight by a length and a half. There was a similar gap to Idle Chatter and six lengths away came Madras, Glen Harp, Lucky View, Lord Jester, Princess Donnington and Fairayne.

There was another excellent finish in the Arrow Rose Hack Handicap. Vivien Robe drew the inside position in this short distance contest and began well but was quickly passed by Kummel and His Host. This pair made the pace a cracker and it eventually proved their undoing. Jet Girl and Vivien Robe gradually drew up to the leaders and in the run down the straight Vivien Robe reached the front less than 100 yards from the post to win by half a length from His Host. Filspar made up ground for third a similar distance away. The concluding event, the Appreciate Handicap, was won well by Totara Lad, which was rather unlucky in finishing second to his stablemate, Rae’s Hope, on the first day. Rae’s Hope ran another honest race for second. As in the final event on Saturday, Page Boy made the pace all the way but he was not allowed to get far away from Totara Lad, Rae’s Hope and Belle York.

They raced in this order along the back but there was not much between Page Boy and Rae’s Hope entering the straight, with Totara Lad challenging. In a great race home Totara Lad got the verdict by a neck, with Page Boy a length and a half back third. Belle York was well beaten and Gold Find a poor last.