Doug’s Choice Wins Easily

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31305, 27 February 1967, Page 4

Doug’s Choice Wins Easily

Doug’s Choice capped placings at his two previous starts with a most decisive win in the Timaru Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. The race was marked by the failure of both members of the favourite bracket— Atanui and Humphrey—to | complete the course.

Atanui’s trainer, W. E. Lowe, was unable to say why she pulled up distressed some distance from home. Humphrey

broke and was pulled up. Doug's Choice, raced and trained by C. A. C. Wilson at Kerrytown, was well positioned by J. A. Carmichael. He improved to fourth on the home turn and sprinted away over the final furlong to win by three lengths from Spry, which looked a little unlucky. T. H. Gleeson was all but tossed from the sulky at the start when a galloping runner collided with Spry. He had to work hard to take the lead at the three furlongs. He

fought on gamely for second, half a length in front of Yankee Dandy, which was always handy and which gave H. W. Skinner a difficult drive by hanging badly. Happy Sam, a slow beginner, made ground for fourth, but he was two lengths away, well clear of Grande Finale and Lucky Tryax. Medico, Student, Fox Able and Bob Again gave ground at the start. Snow Chief completed the main double for South Canterbury stables when he held off the favourite, Curragh Dan, by a neck in the Wai-iti Handicap. The Doug's ChoiceSnow Chief combination paid £lBl 13s 6d for £l. Snow Chief, trained at Geraldine by A. K. O’Brien, was left clear when Roydon Frost broke near the nine furlongs. R. Young rated him well and he just lasted for a narrow win. Curragh Dan was not disgraced and but for racing greenly he would have been harder to beat. Lee was a fair third, ahead of the unlucky Stereo Scott, Vaggi and Foaming Lass. Highlight One of the highlights of the day was the win of Wallacetown in the Claremont Handicap. A five-year-old gelding by Aksarben from Shepherd’s Brook, he is raced by the Yaldhurst studmaster, A. B. Holmes, and Mr W. E. Hazlett, of Invercargill, one of New Zealand’s leading galloping owners,'for whom he is trained at West Melton by J. D. Litten. Wallacetown was driven in his race debut on Saturday by E. Cowie, who took him away to a handy lead from the start He ran his rivals off their feet and won by 25 lengths after trotting the 14 furlongs in 3.56, more than five seconds faster than the time of Grace Harwar, winner of the Temuka Handicap later in the day. Wallacetown should not be troubled to graduate to the top in quick time. Highfire inade an overdue return to winning form in the Salisbury Handicap, the first leg of the on-course double. He won handily from Finesse and Boy Shepherd, with the others beaten off. The Highfire-Good Chase combination paid £l7 5s for £l, and the Highfire-Shep-herd’s Delight combination paid £l5 19s for £l.

Trader Hom, a close relation by Prince Charming to Cloudy Bay, added to the fine record of horses trained by J. W. Smolensk! when he outclassed the field in the First Seadown Handicap. He was two lengths in front of the unlucky Golden Variety, which beat Eden’s Choice for second.

Bold Chief, a half-brother to Golden Variety, won the Second Seadown Handicap by