RACING Chalmers Handicap Was Easy For Terrific

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 4

RACING Chalmers Handicap Was Easy For Terrific

Terrific, the only horse in the field with much claim to class ran away with the honours in the H. R. Chalmers Handicap at Trentham on Saturday.

Terrific’s winning margin of five lengths was one of the widest by a two-mile winner at Trentham for many years, and his time of 3min 36fsec on a heavy track was the slowest in the 16-year history of the race.

Although the race was run in driving rain on ground conditions such as at winter meetings at Trentham, top-weight of 8-12 was easy for Dr. A. McGregor Grant’s four-year-old, which was applauded when G. F. Hughes brought him back.

Terrific had made three previous attempts at two miles for a second in the Auckland Cup, a fifth in the Wellington Cup, and an unplaced run in the Melbourne Cup. But with average luck -he could have won either the Wellington Cup or Auckland Cup, and he was favourite for Saturday’s race from the time acceptances were taken.

For the last furlong or so G. F. Hughes was riding blind

with his cap down over his eyes. Just to be sure he rode the horse out with hands and heels, but he need not have worried.

Some of the others were so far behind they could have been having trouble keeping the Auckland stayer in sight. Terrific was riden at the tail of the field for the first mile and a half of the Wellington Cup. | On Saturday Hughes had

him in second position behind Castle Dee from the early stages, although the latter went away to such a long lead for a time that the top-weight was virtually pace-maker. Terrific, with Empyreus, Apa and Honestly close behind, carried the field closer to Castle Dee going along the back, and when Hughes allowed him to go past the weakening leader near the home turn there was not much doubt what would win. Dark Song had passed Honestly to reach second but he could not reduce Terrific’s lead in the final furlong.

Honestly was three and a half lengths behind Dark Song and Sparkling Maid was a dis-

tant fourth in the tamest of finishes.

Re-Echo gained heavy support when the track deteriorated and was made place favourite, but the eight-year-old’s run was weak. He finished 10th, beating only Udare, which was hopeless in the ground.