Hot Favourite Wins John Grigg Stakes

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

Hot Favourite Wins John Grigg Stakes

“Not a brilliant Dunedin Guineas trial, but a sound one,” that is how the Wingatui jockey, R. J. Skelton, summed up Captain’s Command’s winning performance in the John Grigg Stakes at Ashburton yesterday.

Captain’s Command, an odds-on favourite, won by a length from the long shot Quick Flight to preserve his unbeaten record in two starts at three years.

Mr E. M. Young’s big Messmate colt has now won four races altogether, and R. J. Skelton has ridden him in three of his wins.

Skelton feels that Captain’s Command will be better at a mile than at seven furlongs. “He can run close to the pace, but when you ask him for something extra he lacks

that sharp spurt—he takes a bit of time to wear them down,” Skelton said after yesterday’s race. Moment’s Worry Skelton said Captain’s Command gave him another worrying moment yesterday. “His hind legs seemed to go from under him about 50 yards from the post. There was nothing to account for it, and I’m only hoping he did not hurt himself. “He trotted back all right after pulling up.” Captain’s Command, a member of A. I. Powell’s team, gave Wingatui its second successive win in the race. He ran the seven furlongs on a firm track in Imin 25 2-5 sec, which is better than average in the last five years but nearly a second slower than Royal Burg’s time. The race record is Imin 23sec, recorded by Russleigh in 1954. Quick Flight held out high hopes for a successful three-year-old campaign with a good second to Captain’s Command. Hard Chase Improved by his race on Saturday, his first of the season, Quick Flight mastered Krazikid early in the run home, and set Captain’s Command a fairly hard chase for a time.'

“He would have been harder to beat if he had kept straight,” commented Quick Flight’s rider, F. H, Skelton. He added: “Captain’s Command was coming home straight, but my fellow was trying to duck in. Only for that Captain’s Command would have had to work harder.” Pee Wee, the second favourite, ran another of his solid races for third half a length behind Quick Flight. He drifted slightly at the start, had only one behind him at the half-mile, and kept up a resolute run under vigorous handling to beat the others easily. He was two lengths clear of Krazikid, which had attempted to lead throughout, but was ■ beaten outside the furlong. Sandbank was disappointing. He made a run into the front bunch coming to the home turn, but could not find anything extra in the last two furlongs and finished fifth. Count de Seine was sixth in a gap of two lengths, just beating Seminole. The others were outclassed.