Agrippa Game In Battling Finish

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

Agrippa Game In Battling Finish

A steady dogged run carried Agrippa to a narrow win in the Champagne Stakes at Riccarton yesterday.

Bred and owned by Mr H. D. Greenwood, a steward of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Agrippa is trained at Riccarton by J. L. Barr and gave W. D. Skelton his third success in the race. One of the successful Agricola tribe, Agrippa is from the Foxbridge mare, Bridgeway, and on breeding and type should make his mark as a stayer next season. “He’s a staying type, and that’s all that won the race for him,” W. D. Skelton commented a few minutes after Agrippa had beaten Our Leigh, with R, J. Skelton up, by a head. W. D. Skelton said he had to give Agrippa two or three cuts with the whip early to hold his position down on the inside.

“Agrippa was going easily under a good hold coming to the junction, but when 1 asked him for something extra he kept going at the same pace,” the Levin jockey said. Agrippa’s gameness was put to the test in the final furlong when he had to make up half a length to draw level with Gay Doctor, and then resist a determined challenge from Our Leigh. It was a spectacular threesided finish. Gay Doctor was only a nose back third, but was a length and a half in front of Together, which tired in the last two furlongs after having her chance. Beau Supreme, near the tail of the field early, was a creditable fifth and Roman General led the others in.