Sobig Settles Some Doubts

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30884, 18 October 1965, Page 4

Sobig Settles Some Doubts

Sobig practically outclassed a strong field of milers in the Wainui Handicap at Trentham on Saturday and settled doubts about favouritism for the Harcourt Stakes next Monday.

Sobig’s return to winning form was applauded by many in the crowd of 11,390 at Trentham.

It was while he was at Trentham in the autumn that Mr G. A. Mitchell’s handsome colt developed a heavy cold that cost him a start against

Empyreus in the New Zealand St. Leger. He did not recover in time to come back to form before he was out aside for a winter spell. A few weeks later Mr Mitchell refused an offer of £40,000 for the colt, the offer coming from a syndicate headed by the Adelaide studmaster and trainer, Mr Colin Hayes.

Sobig was an odds-on favourite for the Wainui Handicap and won by three lengths and a quarter from the recent graduate, surf Boy, which shaded Roodyvoo. Sobig carried £5421 of the pool of >18,099 on the on-course double. Hatari rounded off a double worth £l7 6s 6d for £1 when he won the Heretaunga Handicap.

Hatari had to be good to win He was last from the stalls and struck trouble when mak ing ground on the inside, in side the first two furlongs.

Yet after those setbacks he took gaps brilliantly in the run home and won by half a length from Misjudge, Canterbury’s only dividend-payer on the programme.

Misjudge ran the race out gamely under a hard ride and beat Naneda by half a length for second. Prince Callan, also from Riccarton, improved four positions in the last five furlongs for fourth.

Mairin, the each-way favourite, stumbled and nearly fell on the home turn. She did well to finish sixth.