RACING ROYAL ESTATE-MIDDY WIN RICH DOUBLE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31032, 12 April 1966, Page 4

RACING ROYAL ESTATE-MIDDY WIN RICH DOUBLE

Riccarton Races A Triumph For Wingatui Royal Estate and Middy won a rich double for Wingatui stables on the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting yesterday.

Holders of 2469 5s tickets on this combination received £79 18s for £l.

Alert riding by the Wingatui jockey, R. N. Marsh, let Royal Estate win the £3600 George Adams Handicap handsomely at Riccarton. Marsh placed victory within Royal Estate’s reach by riding him into a clear lead on the home turn. There was a flurry and a rush behind him when it was seen that this close relation of Akba was running so well and so far in front so close to home. But all the efforts of the others counted for nothing. Sail Away, the surprise place favourite, beat Red Siren by a head fo second, and Court Belle was a nose back fourth. Royal Estate had won at Oamaru at his previous start, but his win surprised most of the big crowd. Confusion There was another surprise and no little confusion, when Capless, which had finished last, was placed second. The siren was sounded to indicate official puzzlement at this placing, but order was finally restored when Sail Away’s number was posted in its rightful place. It was not a race that will be fondly remembered by a few of the jockeys who rode beaten horses. Taxman tore away to a wide lead inside the first two furlongs. and all but R. N. Marsh on Royal Estate sat and waited. Marsh rode Royal Estate into a clear lead past the tiring Taxman on the home turn, and away to a lead none of the others had a chance of bridging. Compensation Mrs H. G. McLeod’s showy six-year-old was the 4/5 favourite, and his win was handsome compensation for a disappointing North Island campaign in the summer. He is trained by A. N. Didham, and Marsh has ridden him in most of his races. "The race was made for Royal Estate,” Marsh said later. "He was going so well at the three furlongs I didn’t give the others an earthly chance of giving me a start.” W. D. Skelton said it had not been Sail Away’s “kind of race.” He said the tough Woodville stayer had to be smothered up for one run. and it would have been "fatal” to

have taken up the chase after Taxman earlier than he had. J. R. Dowling had Red Siren well up to lead the chase after Royal Estate from the home turn, but the Gore stayer found the going tough close to home and Sail Away just nosed him out of second. Court Belle was fourth, almost in line with Sail Away and Red Siren. R. J. Skelton, who rode Court Belle, and R. W. Taylor, who secured the ride on Palisade. when Bandon was scratched yesterday morning, both said it was a race not run to suit their mounts. One-Paced “When the others sprinted at the three furlongs. Palisade just kept going at the same pace,” Taylor said. Palisade, the 1/2 favourite, was in the tail group almost from the start. Palisade carried £23.205 5s including £17,465 15s in doubles.

Court Belle carried £16,821 10s, including £12,974 on the double. Even Chance and Palisade were eased when the field cleared the stalls, and Taxman was clear in a few strides.

R. K. Moir allowed him to tear away to a lead of eight lengths inside the first two furlongs. Royal Estate was left in a gap ahead of Red Siren and Capless, and Court Belle was next alongside the rails with Sail Away on her right. Palisade was then in the tail group with Even Chance and Misjudge. Royal Estate reduced Taxman’s lead to five lengths at the mile, and in doing so widened his lead to six lengths over Capless and Red Siren. Half a mile out, Taxman’s lead was down to three lengths, but none of the others had got any closer to Royal Estate. It was as good as over when Royal Estate came to the front on the home turn. Nothing short of a sensational collapse could have let the others in, and there was no stopping Royal Estate. Shortening stride, but showing no lack of resolution. Royal Estate lasted it out well for victory by two lengths from Sail Away, which inched past Red Siren right on the post.

Court Belle, which had raced alongside Sail Away almost from the start, was a nose

back fourth, and three lengths and a half ahead of Palisade Even Chance was sixth, a head back and Misjudge was next, beaten off in a gap. Decisive Win Middy, the fifth favourite, beat a strong field hands down in the Great Easter Handicap. Mr G. B. Thomson’s stocky Messmate-Subtrist colt mastered Shipmate going to the final furlong and drew out to win by a length and a half. Shipmate beat his stablemate. Manana, the favourite, just as easily for second. This was Middy’s fourth win in his last five starts. The successful Riccarton apprentice, J. Messent, had Middy trailing from the start. He followed Solicitor early, and then had a good run when Shipmate ran ahead near the five furlong.

Manana, which had been ridden in the middle of the field, raised hopes when he came down the outside to take over the chase after Middy and Shipmate inside the final furlong but he came to the end of his run, and only just managed to beat Captain's Command for third. Solicitor was a close and useful fifth, and Careen did well to finish sixth after drifting to the rear at the start and being brought very wide on the home turn.