Played Up On Way, But Made Up In Cup

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30946, 30 December 1965, Page 4

Played Up On Way, But Made Up In Cup

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND.

Through his own misbehaviour in a horse transport on the way to Ellerslie, Grand Filou nearly missed a start on the second day of the Auckland summer meeting.

As it was, he had to pass a veterinary examination before going to the post for the big handicap, the Summer Cup—and he won at odds of 40 to one.

Grand Filou got down in his horse float between Matamata, where he is trained by T. C. Alcock, and Cambridge In the process he took a fair amount of skin from himself but an inspection after he arrived at the course showed no other damage. His finishing run from well outside the last furlong was too much for his opponents and he scored by the best part of a length. A four-year-old gelding, Grand Filou was lucky to be at Ellerslie in more than one why. After competing at Trentham last autumn he cracked a canon bone and it seemed he might not race again. It has been a notable achievement by Alcock to get him back into top form.

Grand Filou had three races in between his comeback and the Summer Cup The most recent beforehand was over 11 furlongs at Puke-

kohe on December 18 when he finished well back.

Fair Start

All the honours were with Grand Filou in the Summer Cup because he gave all except a couple of tail-enders a fair start from the mile. For all that he was trifle lucky to beat Wilful, the runner-up, by as much as he did. Wilful, while being kept for a rails run, was held up until almost half a furlong from the post before she came clear. She ran on deter minedly and took second clearly from Creolian. Clipjoint was fourth, ahead of Lionheart.

If he continues to do well, Grand Filou will be at Trentham next month for the Wellington Cup. He is such a promising stayer that even such a tough assignment might not be out of his scope. Only Kay Filou and Fathom were less backed than Grand Filou, which paid £4l 14s and £ll 8s 6d on the win and place. Late Run

The second leg was the open sprint, the Electric Handicap, which Silver Sunset

won with a brilliant late run, to complete a double paying £5OB 4s for £l. It was Silver Sunset’s second race in open company. On the first occasion she finished fourth at Pukekohe and her form in hack class was solid so she is evidently a mare of considerable quality. Silver Sunset overtook the pacemaker, Maria Mitchell, half a furlong from home and led at the post by a length and a half. She is a five-year-old mare, by Rejoicing II from Tudor Rosette, which has been well and carefully handled by the Te Rapa trainer, J. L. Jenkins. The notable failures in the double were Aro and Old and Bold in the Summer Cup and Alkaid in the Electric Handicap.

Alkaid ran prominently and so did Old and Bold for a bit but neither looked likely to be in the finish.

The weather was showery but the going remained good. The attendance was 11,834 against 13,115 last year. The on-cOurse totalisator handled £154,635 10s, including £33,084 10s in doubles, against £163,309 last year.