Smoke Ring Again

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 4

Smoke Ring Again

(From Our Own Reporter)

TRENTHAM. Smoke Ring showed his machine-like qualities in winning the Kilbirnie High-weight with ease at Trentham yesterday. The general opinion is that this performance, under 11-1. must have been the equal of a winning run in the Parliamentary Handicap from the minimum on the same programme. "How could they have beaten him with 7-7 in the Parliamentary Handicap?” That question was asked on all sides after Smoke Ring’s superlative run yesterday. This was Smoke Ring’s sixth “straight” win, three of those wins have been on the flat since Mr M. C. Conway's Ascot Lad gelding won the Great Northern double at Ellerslie in June. He has now won 14 races and has earned £16,390. R. J. Leggett rode Smoke Ring confidently yesterday. He had him in the tail-end group after a furlong, and kept him there to the five furlongs. Then he started on a run that carried him quickly to the leading group on the outside so quickly that he challenged Te Manihera and Magog for the lead.

Teak ranged up on the 'outside for a challenge just after straightening up. but he could not live with Smoke Ring, whose class and stamina made him a clear winner well out. At the end he was out by two lengths from Teak, which, like most of the Conclusion tribe, showed ability in the heavy ground but was unlucky enough to come up against a winter performer with freakish qualities. Magog weakened slightly from the home turn to finish third in a gap of two lengths and a half behind Teak, and some weary horses straggled home behind him. Royal Random was fourth. Sixth was the best Captain Rebel could manage.