RACING CARPENTER HAS NOSE VICTORY

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30856, 15 September 1965, Page 4

RACING CARPENTER HAS NOSE VICTORY

First Leg Triumph For Wingatui

Wingatui’s two runners, Carpenter and Birthright, cut the Canterbury horses down to size in the Tinwald Handicap on the second day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s spring meeting yesterday.

Carpenter lasted for a nose victory from Birthright in a finish with a strong family flavour.

The race took an ironic twist for Birthright’s trainer, J. Didham. He nominated Carpenter for the race on behalf of his father, A. E. Didham, who was absent from Wingatui at the time. A. E. Didham, who has trained Carpenter for most of his racing, then made first call on the services of another of his sons, E. J. Didham, to take the ride on the Dogger Bank gelding. The ride on Birthright then went to B. P. Kennedy. Like Royal Bid, the Ashburton Cup winner on Saturday, Carpenter is owned in Southland. This was Carpenter’s first-open-class victory for his Western Southland owners, Mr and Mrs J. S. Mclntosh, who bred him from the Irish Lancer mare, Te Whetuki, a member of the successful Francolin family. Carpenter had an unfortunate start to his five-year-old racing. He bolted in his preliminary for the Winter Cup at Riccarton, and had to be withdrawn from the race. Later at the meeting he ran sixth in the Islington Handicap, and he did not appear again until yesterday. E. J. Didham rode Carpenter in the best way possible to capitalise on the slack pace. He found a trailing position behind Bell Man early in the race, and stayed there to the straight. Birthright, on the other hand, had to start his run from the back, and he could have lost a winning chance when he ducked away from the whip near the furlong. Once straightened, he responded brilliantly, but the race was a yard short for him. Carpenter carried £5078 15s of a doubles pool of £47,507. Birthright carried £2340 10s, and Jester Jinks, the strongest fancy, £13.581 10s. Jester Jinks was a disappointing favourite. He was second to last. Newbrook rounded off a double worth £49 17s 6d for £1 when he came out on top against the sprinters in the Spring Handicap. Newbrook, a good third, after being checked in the running in the corresponding race on the first day of the meeting, has been a useful

spring performer in the colours of the Riccarton trainer, J. S. Shaw. The Carpenter-Newbrook combination carried 3148 5s tickets. The racing was held in fine, but overcast weather on a firm track. On-course the totalisator handled £23,539 10s compared with £31,915 10s on a Saturday last year. Off-course investments on yesterday’s racing totalled £83,963 compared with £71,256 10s last year, an increase of £12,606 10s. The total for the meeting, on-course, was £50,287, a decrease of £6283 10s on last year. Slack Pace Bell Man was left to make a leisurely pace from the start in the Tinwald Handicap. After three furlongs he was out by a length and a half from Carpenter, which was going easily clear of Standout and Dark Seaman. Jester Jinks and Fieldmaster were in the next line, and Yankinville, Morris Francis, and Birthright followed in close formation. R. J. Skelton took Jester Jinks forward on the outside to follow Bell Man and Carpenter past the half-mile just ahead of Standout and Dark Seaman. Birthright was starting his run from the back, leaving Morris Francis at the tail of the field. Bell Man held his lead around the home turn, but Carpenter was close to him at the furlong and took a short lead soon after. Only Birthright could take up the chase in the last half furlong. Birthright had to be straightened when being ridden right out, but cut into Carpenter's lead rapidly in the last 100 yards only to just miss. Bell Man tired to third a length back. Then there was a length and a half to Fieldmaster, half a length to Morris Francis, a length to Standout, two lengths to Yankinville, a length and a half to Jester Jinks and three-quarters of a length to Dark Seaman. Second Leg Donna Gola, Race Guide, and Mogambo drifted at the start of the Spring Handicap. Fairlane sped into a short lead straightaway from a tight bunch made up of Newbrook. Gabbler, Hushaway, and Gold View. Gabbler joined Fairlane In the lead before the half-mile, and Meandering ran up to third position on the outside. Newbrook, Apache, Hushaway. and Tumble were next in line. Gold View had drifted a few places and was next alongside Allegretto. Newbrook dashed through to join Fairiane in front going to the two furlongs, and it was as good as over just Inside the furlong. Allegretto was a fast finisher but Newbrook won more easily than the winning margin of three-quarters of a length might indicate. Allegretto beat Gold View by half a neck for second. Fairlane tired to fourth two lengths back. Mogambo, a strong finisher.

was fifth half a length back. Gabbler tired to sixth. Seventh was the best Hushaway could manage. He ran about early in the run home, and was beaten outside the furlong. The others, in finishing order, were Apache, Donna Gola, Race Guide, Tumble, and Meandering.