Town Guard Surprises

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31346, 17 April 1967, Page 4

Town Guard Surprises

"The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND.

The trainer, F. D. Hill, of Pukekohe and the rider, D. A. Peake, of Takanini, collected a handsome surprise bonus for their win with Town Guard in the Stars Travel Gold Cup at Tauranga on Saturday, the second day of the Bay of Plenty Racing Club’s meeting.

Quite unexpectedly, the manager of the travel company, Mr R. A. Owens, presented each with a return air ticket to Melbourne for the next Melbourne Cup meeting. Mr Owens had presented the Gold Cup which went with the first prize to Mr S. Ryan, of Pukekohe, in the absence of the owner, Mr M. B. Dean, of Auckland, when Peake was hurriedly recalled from the jockeys’ room to be told of his surprise present “If I had known about this,” quipped the rider,” I would have tried even harder.”

Not as though he could have given Town Guard a better opportunity to win the big race. After the gelding ran keenly for the first five furlongs, Peake settled him nicely about eighth or ninth, and had him in a good position to challenge with a furlong and a half to go. Town Guard mastered Whakamoa, which had reached the front, and in a battling finish just kept out Honestly. Whakamoa was so close as to be almost in line, and the next three. Gold Chick, Golden Defoe and Botany Downs, were just behind. Backers of Town Guard received £ll 19s 6d and £3 Ils 6d for their win and place dividends, but not until the payout had been held up for about half an hour.

The delay was while the judicial committee inquired into a charge by the stipdendiary steward, that Town Guard had caused interference to Honestly, and in turn to Gold Chick during the run home. Honestly appeared to move out on Gold Chick and it was alleged that this was caused by Town Guard shifting his ground. After taking evidence and viewing a film of the race in the straight, the committee dismissed the charge.

A five-year-old, by Jekyll from Decorous, Town Guard was having his fifth start for Mr Dean. Previously he waa raced by a Pukekohe trainer, R, J. Jennings on a lease from the owner, Mr J. A. Higgs, of Wellington. which ran but last December.

Mr Dean, whose wife owned Cardigan Bay, bas a great liking for trotters and pacers and admits to a much lesser interest In gallopers. Town Guard is the first he has owned, and he bought him only because of Hill's strong persuasion. Karinx put up a fine frontrunning performance when, he

took the open sprint, the Flying Thousand. Karinx was accompanied ail the way to the straight by Sonja s Pride and then by Gay Future whom he kept out by half a length. Felix Dee, with little room on the inside, was a good third. No win could have been more deserved or overdue. Tbs last time Karinx bad been success, ful was in January, 1964. when he won at Trentham. Trouble in a joint counted against him meanwhile, and bls latest race was his third only after a long •pell. Conditions wers excellent and there was a large attendance. Results:—

MAIDEN SPRINT, £400; Sf.— First Division: 2/1 FISHENDON (1) 8-10 B. E. Craig 1; 5/5 COMMENDABLE (8A) 8-5 R. C. Lang 2; 6/3 FAIRLIE GROVE (3) 8-6 J. P. Riordan 3. Scratched: Chanita, High Bsteme, Queen Maid, Spray Doone. Neck each way. Christine’s Dream fourth. Time. 1:14 1-5. Win: £1 19s. Places: £1 12s, £5 14s. Second Division: 2/1 MOPSEY (2) 8-9 K. Opie 1: 5/5 AUSTRALIS (8) 8-4 J. S. Humphries 2; 8/7 PAPETTE (10) 8-4 D. A. weatherley 3. Scratched: Dorinana, Once Again. Short head, nine lengths. Gold Seaman fourth. Time, 1:13 1-5. Win: £2. Places: SI 10s 6d, £5 14s.

Bracket: Commendable and Australis.

BELLEVUE HACK HANDICAP, £500; fit.— l/1 CHINO (3) 8-8 R. W. Taylor 1; 12/12 REGAL VICTRESS (12) 8-0 J. P. Riordan 2; 5/5 FLAXSIS (6) 8-3 R. Fisher 3. Scratched: Chief Warrior, Acrylic, Pepomint, Arragon Queen. Two lengths, short neck. Ismone’s Pride fourth. Time, 1:12. Win: £3 13s. Places: £1 17s, £l2 9s fid, £2 18s fid. KAIMAI HIGH-WEIGHT, £500; 10JL—8/9 LEVUKA («) 9-4 N. M. Craig 1; 2/3 COURT RAPID (4) 9-5 L. R. Norris 2; 1/2 LIKEWISE (2) 9-12 H. Green 3. Scratched: On Top, Something Special, Llanace, Kelly's Eye, Little Janie. Half head, four lengths. Ship Shape fourth. Time, 2:13. Win: £24 17s. Places: £5 4s, £1 12s, £1 8s fid. BREEDERS* PLATE, £500; Im. —l2/9 SHAHREZ (15) 7-8 B. K. Long 1; 2/2 TICOTAT (2) 8-4 J. P. Riordan 2: 14/lfi SALLY GAYE (14) 7-9 K. Smith 3. Scratched: Lady Banda, Marita Jean, Travelling Agent, Juliet. Neck each way. Sharab fourth. Time, 1:38 1-5. Win: £43 17s fid. Places: £8 *s. £2 Is fid, £l7 0s fid.

MAIDEN MILE. £400; Im.—4/4 D’ARTAGNAN (3) 8-6 D. A. Weatherley 1; 5/« FAIRZAMI (11) 8-3 D. Blake 2: 9/11 ON THE CARDS (16) 8-3 N. Landers 3. Scratched: Castle View, Bylaw, Hobartville, Revelsun, Taxi, Triplelean. One length, neck. Frestar fourth. Time, I:S9 2-5. Win: £lO 9s. Places: £3 Is fid, £3 14s fid, £6 ss. STARS TRAVEL COLD CUP, £2000; lOif. 6/« TOWN GUARD (18) 8-3

D. A. Peake 1 1/2 HONESTLY (4) 8-3

D. J. Wyatt 2 S/l WHAKAMOA (11) 7-9

G. L. Willetts 3 Also started: «/5 Arbroath, 8/9 Golden Defoe, 2/3 Gold Chick, 11/12 Craddock, 12/13 Rochdale, 9/11 Geyser Land, 5/7 Dee Dee, 10/10 Garden Place, 4/4 Mr Fagan, 16/15 Fencourt, 14/16 Summer Blaze, 7/8 Botany Downs, 13/14 Carlynn, 15/15 Sir John.

Neck, nose. Gold Chick fourth. Time, 2:10 1-5.

Win: £ll 19s fid. Places: £3 Ils fid, £2 4s fid. £2 4s.

SAPLING STAKES, £«00; «f.— First Division: 1/1 MISS LYNETTE (1) 8-5 G. F. Hughes 1; 5/4 MANONO (10) 7-9 G. R. Edge 2; 6/6 LORD MAC (4) 8-1 N. B. Holland 3. Scratched: Princess Trix. Four lengths, three-quart-ers of a length. Final Go fourth. Time, 1:12 2-5. Win: £1 12s fid. Places: £2 12s fid. £2 12s fid. Second Division: 8/7 ROGRADER (11) 7-9 D. J. Wyatt 1: 1/1 EVEN ONE (1A) 7-8 A. J. Sheat 2; 4/5 KOTAHI NUI (9) 7-9 G. L. Wil-

letts 3. Scratched: Fairyfleld. Neck, three-quarters of a length. Golden Tax fourth. Time, 1:13. Win: £9 3s 6d. Places: £3 Bs, £2 12s 6d. Bracket: Miss Lynette and Even One.

FLYING THOUSAND, £1600; 7f. «/< KARINX (4) 7-10

R. W. Taylor 1 9/9 GAY FUTURE (14) 7-0 K. Opts 2 2/4 FELIX DEB («) 7-8 B. F. Andrews 3 Also started: 1/1 Roganne, 3/1 Red Count, 4/3 Odeon, 5/5 Jack•boy, 8/8 Kurrewa, 12/13 Regal Ruler. 7/7 Sonya’a Pride, 10/10 Merry Men, 11/11 Lochfair. 13/13 Manipulate. Half length each way. Roganne fourth. Time, 1:24 1-5. Win: £lO 8s 6d. Places: £2 18s, £6 0s fid, £2 5s fid.

TAURANGA INTERMEDIATE MILE, £750; Im.—l/1 RESCATOR (7) 7-13 R. J. Skelton 1; 7/13 PHARLON (11) 7-8 G. L. Willetts 2; 3/3 PAPAGAYO (8) 8-0 G. F. Hughes 3. All started. One length, two lengths. Darjeeling fourth. Time, 1:37 3-5. Win: £5 2s. Places: £1 19s, £5 19s, S 3.