RACING YOUNGEST BEST AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31054, 9 May 1966, Page 4

RACING YOUNGEST BEST AT TRENTHAM

Roman Consul And Whittle Easily Youth had its day at Trentham on Saturday when the three«year-olds, Roman Consul and Whittle, won the TA.B. double, which was worth £3910s for £1

Roman Consul, the New Zealand Derby winner this season, won the £2500 Gloaming Stakes Handicap by the handsome margin of three lengths in the colours of his veteran breeder, Mr C. T. Keeble.

The same margin separated Whittle from the best of the others in the Wadestown Handicap. With this win Whittle has become a notable bargain for a Wanganui tradesman, Mr G. J. Massey, who paid 150gns for her last year. In the meantime Whittle has won seven races, the last six in succession. Her win on Saturday alone yielded £975, and her earnings for the season total £2500.

Former Stablemales The best of Roman Consul’s rivals in the Gloaming Stakes was his former stablemate, Baloo. E. Ropiha trained them both when Roman Consul won the New Zealand Derby last November, but Mr Keeble transferred the three-year-old to the Awapuni stable of H. J. Waller in the autumn. After an easy win at Awapuni a week earlier, Roman Consul was the win favourite in the Gloaming Stakes and carried £18.978 of the double pool of £134,399 15s. Dhuran, the 2/1 favourite, made slight improvement from the half-mile for fourth but was in a gap of two lengths behind the consistent Gore-trained, Red Siren. Baloo was the only placegetter able to make much progress from well back in the field. The winner was in front for the last six furlongs and Red Siren was never further back than the third line, with Dhuran close behind. Disappointing Court Belle, the third favourite, never raised the hopes of her backers. She started from near the outside, and N. Eastwood settled her in the tail-end group. She was last of all going to the half-mile, started a run on the outside soon afterwards, but ducked in at least twice early in the run home. She finished 10th. Sail Away, the fourth favourite, was close behind the leaders on the home turn, but in going not completely to his liking, he faded outside the furlong and finished eighth. Bandon would have also appreciated firmer footing. He was sixth almost in line with Dhuran and Fleeting Moment, which could not be separated for fourth. Brilliant Run Whittles’ time of Imin 12isee for six furlongs in the Wadestown Handicap was an exceptional gallop in the conditions.

Her brilliant front-running gallop had the others in difficulties well out, and as far out as the two furlongs it was clear that she would come home alone. Mukupai made a big run to second going to the final furlong and lasted for second by a long neck from the light: weight, Sir Juvante. Passionate showed her appreciation of the change to winter track conditions with

a fast-finishing fourth, a placing that held promise of a win over seven furlongs on the second day of the meeting on Wednesday. My Cali was being hard ridden in about third position two furlongs out, and could not make progress. He was fifth just beating Royal Chasey which had an interrupted run early. The Canterbury sprinters, Manana and Shakes, finished almost together behind the middle of the field. Manana tailed off early and made some progress behind a wall of horses on the inside about half-way through the race.