Blissful Lad Proves Best In Rotorua Mud

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30764, 31 May 1965, Page 4

Blissful Lad Proves Best In Rotorua Mud

"The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND. Blissful Lad slogged gamely through mud and rain for an impressive win in the first leg of the T .A.B. double, the Autumn Handicap, at Rotorua on Saturday.

Blissful Lad had to go wide after the leaders on the bend from the three furlongs yet outlasted them all by a good length.

From the furlong home Clarendon put in a determined challenge and a little further on Otakiri Boy, the biggest of outsiders joined the chase. For a few strides Blissful Lad seemed ready to falter but in the last 100 yards he rallied and edged away again for a decisive victory. Blissful Lad is a five-year-old gelding, by Clarification from Lady Glenda, and one of a team owned and trained by Mr K. N. Neville-White at Waiuku. In spite of a good form background he was the tenth favourite each way and his win and place returns were £lB 2s and £5 15s 6d. Mr Neville-White took over the preparation of Blissful Lad when the horse finished a summer spell. Previously Blissful Lad was prepared at Takanini by G. G. Cameron, who brought him into open company midway through last season with a run of very fair form. Altogether Blissful Lad has had six starts this season and only three since he resumed racing after his let up. Before being put aside he notched a third in three starts and his three recent races have brought in two firsts and a fourth. His other success was two starts ; back, in a middle distance at Gisborne on May 12. Notable Failures Craddock and Captain Rebel were the notable failures of the Autumn Handicap, although Captain Rebel, after being forced to go wide, managed a sixth that was fairly creditable. Craddock ran prominently until about three fur longs from the finish and then . gave ground quickly.

Craddock was the each-way favourite and Captain Rebel was 2/2. Clarendon was the nextbest backed on the win machine. Otakiri Boy was the rank outsider except for King’s Credit and he paid £29 13s for a place. The 10 furlongs took Blissful Lad 2min 27sec, which is a trifle more than 10 seconds slower than Action Packed’s winning gallop last year. In the second leg, the Borough Handicap, Alkaid took imin 16 3-ssec for the six furlongs—3 3-ssec outside Impressario’s winning time last year, , , , -• In his first race since last November, Alkaid began quickest and led the Borough Handicap field all the way. In the finish he had two lengths on his closest pursuer, Equality, and upward of four lengths on the best of the others. Alkaid was having his first race from the stable of A. Cook, of Te Awamutu, who did an excellent job in preparing him for such a quick return to form. He was ridden by G. L. Willetts, who has lately enjoyed a very good innings. Results:—

kawerau hack hurdles, £409; 13Jf.—5/4 ROYAL FILOU (8) 9-2 P. R. Wilson 1; 9/8 SONNY DAKAR (16) 9-0 G. Anderton 2; 1/1 GOOD DAY PETER (1) 9-7 J. Hely 3. Scratched: Paper Sister, Old Puriri, Peter George. Roko, Tot. Three lengths, nose. Mo-I-Rana fourth. Time 3:7. Win: £9 16s 6d. Places: £2 9s fid, £7 0s 6d, £1 2s fid. FOREST MAIDEN HANDICAP, £450; 6f.—First Division: 4/4 FINE SUMMER (1) car. 8-5 J T. O’Hearn 1; 7/7 JULIUS (11) 8-9 B. Andrews 2; 3/5 ASTRUM car. 8- A. Griffin 3. Scratched: Hoa. Half a length, three lengths. Summit Chief fourth. Time, 1:17. Win: £4 15s fid. Places: £2 9s, £3 10s fid. Second Division: 1/1 HONI (2) car. 8-7 D. K. Moore 1; 5/3 PEPPERMINT TWIST (12) car. 8-13 R. J. Leggett 2; 10/14 LA JOLLA car. 8-3 K. Potter 3. Scratched: Camden Town, Naval Cadet. Length, half a length. Arlanda fourth. Time, 1:17. Win: £2 17s 6d. Places: £1 16s fid. £2 8s 6d. . Brackets: Julius and Manca; Monk and Peppermint Twist. TAUPO JUMPER’S FLAT, £600; Urn. and 80yds.—10/13 HARLECH (9) 9-10 N. Treweek 1; 1/1 REGAL RULER (13) 9-8 K Mauriri 2; 4/5 PAROMAC (3) 10-4 G. Lewis 3. Scratched: Emsie, Triple Count, Mesopotamia. Length, neck. Danesway fourth. Time, 12:26. Win: £2l 17s. Places: £7 10s fid, £1 10s fid. £3 12s fid. LAKELANDS HACK STEEPLES, £500; 21m.—2/2 HOSS (5) car. 9-1 R. J Leggett 1; 6/6 ALPHIE (4) 9- B. L. Hillis 2; 4/4 RING FORT 9-2 A. T. Haitana 3. Scratched; Kingston. Three lengths, five lengths. Court Fair fourth. Time, 6:15. Win: £5 Ils fid. Places: £2 4s fid, £5 10s fid. FIRST KIA ORA HANDICAP, £500; Sit.—2/2 IN-THE-BLUE (10) 7-12 G. R. Edge 1; 5/4 MY SURPRISE (11) car. 7-9 D. A. Peake 2; 1/1 URSIHUS (12) 7-12 B. F. Andrews 3. All started. Two lengths each way. Hygi fourth. Time, 2:8. Win: £7 7s. Places: . £2 10s, £3 14s, £1 19s 6d. AUTUMN HANDICAP, ; £1200; Um and 180yds. 10/10 BLISSFUL LAD (7) 7-5 B. F. Andrews 1 3/4 CLARENDON (3) 8-4 G. R. Edge 2 20/19 OTAKIRI BOY (14) car. : 7-14 T. J. Rudd ; 9/9 Action Packed, 1/1 Crad 4 dock, 5/6 Kaupane, 4/3 Old Parr 11/11 Surging. 12/12 Bryon, 2/2 i Captain Rebel, 6/7 White Strand 7/8 Countax, 16/16 Khadija, 15/11 Carlynn, 17/21 Chatsgay, 18/11 r Clayton King, 19/18 Ellesdee 21/20 King’s Credit, 13/13 Odeon 14/14 Silver Eagle. 8/5 Taws Mahal, 8/5 Trossach also started Length, half a length. Khad ija fourth. Time, 2:27. Win: £lB 2s. Places: £5 15s fid £3 10s, £29 13s. e COUNTY HANDICAP, £450; fit 0 —2/2 KING OF LUCK 8-11 G. R e Edge 1; 10/10 FAIR CREST car 7-12 D. Seaborne 2: 5/4 CARA MELLE 8-8 J. S. Humphries 3 Scratched: Francis Castle, Beat Seant, Blissful Lass, Fair Claim Lady Wilkes. Nose, four lengths Blue Baron fourth. Time, 1:17 i- Win: £6 7s 6d. Places: £2 2s fid £7 8s fid. I. BOROUGH HANDICAP, £7OO ; 6f. 2/5 ALKAID (12) car. 7-7 ’ G. L. Willetts 4/3 EQUALITY (16) car. 7-3 „ D. A. Peake * 19/19 PASSIONATE (23) 7-6 " B. F. Andrews '■ 14/14 Supreme Gold, 18/1* Fol skin, 7/6 Court Beau, 1/1 Kang aroo Town, 15/13 Anywhere. 3/ Prince Manu, 8/4 Supreme Com age, 5/7 Loyal Ruler, 20/20 R< pel. 17/17 Te Awhina, 9/10 Ar t. tao, 13/12 Black Sage, 8/9 Fa

Tax, 11/11 Greymoon, 16/15 Khan Sahib, 12/18 Killeymoon, 10/8 Red Crest, 10/8 Seasonal also started. „ Two lengths, each way. Red Crest fourth. Time. 1:16 3-5. Win: £6 17s. Places: £3 8s 6d, £3 2s, £l6 12s. SECOND KIA ORA HANDICAP, £500; 94f.—6/6 TOPSIL (2) car. 8-34 N. B. Holland 1; 1/4 GOLDEN SUMMIT (1) car. 8-1 G. Bell 2; 5/5 STIRLING CASTLE (12) car. 7-124 R. Fitzgerald 3. Scratched: Tin Tacks, Lady Eulogy, Magnificent Seven. Six lengths, length and a half. Olala fourth. Time, 2:8. Win: £lO 10s 6d. Places: £3 6s, £2 5s fid, £2 7s.