Royal Bid Changes Pattern

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 1

Royal Bid Changes Pattern

North Island horses had almost a monopoly of success at Riccarton on Saturday when the Canterbury Jockey Club opened its New Zealand Cup meeting; but their run was broken by the Ric-carton-trained, South-land-owned Royal Bid.

Carrying the top-weight of 8-6, the seven-year-old chestnut horse took the lead early in the two-mile cup race and withstood a challenge from Red Crest, the only North Island entrant to get in the money, to win £3250 and a handsome gold cup. Undeterred by grey, misty weather, a crowd that reached 10,750 went to the course early, because before the New Zealand Cup race there was great interest in the New Zealand Derby Stakes, which attracted the country’s best three-year-olds, and the Welcome Stakes for two-year-olds. Mr L. B. McKenzie, who farms at Isla Bank, Southland, bred Royal Bid, and told the crowd on Saturday: “As a schoolboy I had two ambitions. One was to own a horse good enough to win a New Zealand Cup, and the other was to have a wife. Now I have achieved both.”

Royal Bid’s early trainer was D. V. Pankhurst, but for his most important successes he has been trained by V. D. Clutterbuck at Riccarton. JOINED BROTHERS F. H. Skelton came back to scale happy to have joined two of his brothers on the list of winning cup jockeys. His eldest brother, W. D. Skelton, won on Foglia d’Oro in 1959, and another brother,

R. J. Skelton, won the next year on Oreka. Sharing in the thrill of victory was the trainer’s wife, who had her left arm in plaster. It was fractured recently when Royal Bid bit her; but that was forgotten.

The way Royal Bid won was a thrill to everyone, said Mr H. F. Friday, the general manager for Australia and New Zealand of John Dewar and Sons, Ltd., which presented the £3OO gold cup. Mr Friday came from Sydney to see the race, and said he

enjoyed his first visit to Riccarton. Later, Mr Friday said the distillery company would give a gold cup again next year, for the third time. The crowd was generous in its applause when Royal Bid came back to the birdcage and showed enthusiasm again when Mrs D. W. J. Gould, wife of the chairman of the club, presented the cup to Mr McKenzie.

The Derby was Fair Account’s fourth win in succession. He was only a neck

in front of the hotly-favoured Raidan, a winner at its previous two starts, including the weight-for-age Harcourt Stakes, but a dogged run ensured victory. Following them home came the third favourite. Foxvale, which did not get a good run, and Roman General, from Riccarton, which did the best of the South Island runners. HAPPY RETURN

It was a happy return visit to Riccarton for the Takanini trainer, I. J. Tucker, who prepares Fair Account for an American owner, Mr J. M. Keele. Tucker last was at a cup meeting in 1962, when he won the Derby with Algalon. He has sent horses to Riccarton since, but they have always been in the care of his wife, who was with him on Saturday. Fair Account is an attractive colt by Comte de Grasse, which is now at the Hambletonian Farm stud at Amberley, out of Truly Fair. He was bred by Dr. J. J. Sullivan, of Auckland, who also bred Foxvale, which raced on Saturday for his wife in partnership with a Chicago woman. Fair Account was put up at the national yearling sales at Trentham in 1965. Mr Keele, who lives in the Bahamas but who spends a lot of time in Sydney and makes periodic visits to New Zealand, bought him for 750 guineas, Tucker's son doing the bidding. Mr Keele has been a New Zealand owner for about three years, and Tucker has trained all his horses, including New Tiki, Space Flier and Some Gent, all of which have had successes. SECOND TIME Fair Account’s win gave J. R. Dowling his second winning ride in the Derby. Last year he was successful on Roman Consul. At the presentation in the birdcage, the club’s honorary treasurer (Mr P. D. Hall) expressed appreciation of £5OO added to the stake by Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. This, he said, had helped to attract the best horses in New Zealand to Riccarton, and he was sure everyone was happy to see them. No-one could have been disappointed in the race. North Island horses won the first four races, which included the on-course double of Olympian and General Myth, both trained by E. Ropiha at Woodville, and then the two races after the cup.

Wavering, a sixyear-old mare from Marton, gave her younger and more fancied opponents, a lesson in sprinting when she won the Stewards* in the good time of Imin 10 4-ssec. After his success in the Derby, Tucker must have had high hopes of Star Belle, the highly-rated three-year-old Summertime filly which has been unbeaten in her last four starts. She was a disappointing tenth in the 16horse field. Mr Mink, another Takaninltrained horse and unbeaten in his last seven races, was an even bigger disappointment, finishing last.