Racing Sir Dane Tired Fourth In Gloucester Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30711, 29 March 1965, Page 5

Racing Sir Dane Tired Fourth In Gloucester Cup

(N.Z. Press Association) MELBOURNE

The New Zealand-bred stayer. Sir Dane, finished a tired horse in fourth place In the Duke of Gloucester Cup, over a mile and a half, at Caulfield on Saturday. Sir Dane, the top-weight with Ost 31b, hit the front approaching the home turn and led Into the straight, but had nothing left to give and drifted to fourth.

The cup was Sir Dane’s eighth start in eight weeks 1 and he was feeling the strain.

The winner was the New Zea-land-bred Havelock, from Grand Print, with Metamyl third. Havelock, an aged gelding by Targui, took the lead fiom Sir Dane with a furlong to go and seemed set for the easiest of wins, but had to unwind completely to hold out the fast-finishing Grand Print. With the form Grand Print showed In this race he has moved forward several points In the favouritism for the iwo-mile Sydney Cup, to be run 11 Easter. The slow pace of yesterday's race was against him and he was unable to accelerate when the field packed up. Grand Print was taken wide at the entrance to the straight and over the last 100 yards was go-

Ing two to Havelock's one. Havelock held on to win by threequarter! of a length. TO HAVB SPILL

Immediately after the race Sir Dane’s trainer. R. J. Shaw, announced that Sir Dane would not be competing In any further races this autumn. Instead he will be turned out for a spell and then brought back for ■ aces in Queensland during the winter.

The cup marked the first time In eight races that Sir Dane had failed to finish in the first three, but he still collected £250 for his fourth. The New Zealand horses Bon Fllou. which finished fifth, and Elkayel, tenth, will run in the Sydney Cup. Bon Fllou did well considering he was carried wide on the home turn and made up a fair amount of ground In the straight. Elkayel's jockey, J. Courtney, said afterward! It was a slowlyrun race and his mount had pulled himself Into the ground. The New Zealand sprinter. Super Alton, continued his consistent record since being brought to Australia, and won the five furlong and a half Caulfield Sprint by a comfortable margin, m four starts in Melbourne. Super Alton has not been further back than second.