Ulight Easily In Washdyke Race

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31275, 23 January 1967, Page 6

Ulight Easily In Washdyke Race

Ulight qualified to compete among the 2:14 class pacers at the Forbury Park festival meeting which will open next week when she beat Richard Hanover handily and 10 others easily in the South Canterbury Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday.

Although Ulight had won at Addington Raceway for her Methven owner, Mr T. D. Harrison, only a few weeks ago her subsequent form had been patchy and she was 4/5 favourite of 12 in the first leg of the Timaru Trotting Club’s T.A.B. double.

A disappointing feature of the South Canterbury Handicap was the failure of the popular fancies. The favourite, Atanui, beat only two home, and the second fancy, Sir Charles, was last in a gap. Ulight, which was handy on the inside for the first mile, improved to join the pacemaker, Alpine Lady, five furlongs out. She went ahead with Guyfa when the pacemaker came to the end of her run on the home turn. But Guyfa was beaten before the straight entrance and Ulight had a clear lead early in the run home. Richard Hanover was handy early, then eased, but was trailing again on the home turn. He gave chase inside the furlong but could not muster the finishing speed to beat Ulight. Richard Hanover was a length from Ulight and three

lengths in advance of Quality Inn, which made good progress from mid-field in the last three furlongs. Bass Straight, another well back in the field for the first mile but handy from the halfmile to the straight, was three lengths away fourth. Third Chief, third equal for much of the race, was a moderate fifth ahead of Lucky Tryax, running on from the rear.

Chaman, which received the run of the race till the home turn, weakened to seventh. Guyfa was next then came Vauxhall Prince. Alpine Lady beat only Sir Charles. Finished Fast Sandy Mac completed a double worth £142 13s 6d for £1 when he beat the others for finishing speed in the second leg, the Winchester Handicap. As on the first day Sandy Mac was a bit slow off the

mark. For the first mile he ran near the tail of the field but he made steady progress in the last round and was fairly close to the pace as they came to the straight. A strong run carried him clear just inside the furlong, and it was all over then.

Sandy Mac won by threequarters of a length from Flying Step, which finished fast from mid-field once in the clear.

Flying Step beat the favourite, Royal Fame, by a long head. Royal Fame sped clear early, but was eased to trail when Why Not went ahead with 10 furlongs to run. He had to wait for a gap on the inside early in the run home, but was clear soon after the furlong and did not put the same dash into his finish as on the first day. Dieman Lad, second equal but on the outside much of the race, battled on for fourth. He was a length and a half from Royal Fame and beat Trade Winds, third on the inner till the home turn, by half a length. Martinique, which tracked Dieman Lad to the home turn, weakened to sixth. Money wise, which failed to quicken, was next, then came Why Not.