Nelson Specialist Wins At Blenheim

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30741, 4 May 1965, Page 5

Nelson Specialist Wins At Blenheim

(brom Our Own Reporter)

BLENHEIM.

Grand Coeur, winner of the last two Nelson Cups showed that he will be one of the major contenders in that event next Saturday when he won the Richmond Brook Handicap, first leg of the T.A.B. double at Blenheim yesterday.

Grand Coeur won by a head after a hard tussle from the furlong with the Goretrained favourite, Tundra. Tax Evader, running on, was a length and a half back third.

It was Grand Coeur’s first victory for his Wellington owners, Mr M. N. Manthel and Mrs W. N. Norwood since his Nelson Cup win nearly 12 months ago. His best this season was one third and two fourths.

For all that. Grand Coeur, which is prepared at Awapuni by E. Temperton, was only the 6/6 favourite of 15 and paid £l2 6s 6d and £3 8s for a win and place. In a double pool worth

£27.595 he carried 4249 j 10s tickets.

First Leg

Silver Kingdom went ahead for a start but was quicklyjoined by Friendly Miss in the Richmond Brook Handicap. Tundra. Grand Coeur. and Bandarshar (three wide) shared the second line as the field left the straight. Bon Voyage and Totara Lad were next, then came Tax Evader. St. Malo, and Golden Vanitybeginning to improve around the outer. At the half mile Friendly Miss worked clear but Grand Coeur moved up to join her on the home turn and Golden Vanity continued her run to be three wide in the lead. Tundra moved off the fence to follow- the leaders.

Friendly Miss was beaten as soon as they straightened up. and Grand Coeur and Tundra began the last furlong almost together. After an even struggle the honours went Grand Coeur’s way narrowly. Lorastan came from the back to cut Golden Vanity out of fourth place. After the v first five came Bon Voyage. St. Malo. Friendly Miss, and Silver Kingdom. Sprint Victory Rae’s Hope won his third race on end and his second at the meeting for his West Coast owner, Mr G. H. Dalzell, when he out-sped the open sprinters in the Flying Handicap. This race completed the T.A.B. double. The holders of 535 5s tickets, 52 of them on-course on the Grand CoeurRae’s Hope combination, received a dividend worth £l7O 10s for £l. Rae’s Hope, a six-year-old Prize Money gelding trained at Totara Flat by W. J. Dud-

ley, gave the Riccarton horseman, G. W. Mein, his first win since he resumed race riding at the C.J.C. autumn meeting last month. Rae's Hope was soon in front. He was followed into the last half-mile by Flying Trix and The Wanderer together, while Golden Rom ance and Vivien Robe shared the third line ahead of Etoile Este, Waverley, and Donna Gola. Toureg and Combination ran together at the rear, and Arbelle was just ahead of them.

Rae’s Hope continued to gallop freely in front around to the straight. Flying Trix led the chase after him at the furlong, but she was making no progress. It was left to Vivien Robe to create interest in the finish but Rae’s Hope beat her by three-parts of a length. Flying Trix battled on for third half a length away and Etoile Este finished solidly for fourth a similar distance baek. Toureg made ground for fifth ahead of Waverley, Combination, and The Wanderer.