IRONBARK UPSETS AT AVONDALE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31411, 3 July 1967, Page 5

IRONBARK UPSETS AT AVONDALE

"Thtf Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND.

Whether because it was only time and further training he required, or else he had been much improved by recent hurdling, Ironbark made a sudden and impressive return to form to win the Rawson Memorial at Avondale on Saturday.

The trainer and part-owner, W. Sanders, put the improvement down to time and the jumping. “But he is bred so well,” he said “that he just had to come right.” When he tackled the big race Ironbark had not won for nearly three years—since he woo the Avondale Guineas. His best effort by a long way in the meantime was when he finished second behind Roganne in the Somers Memorial at Te Aroha last October. His most recent race before the Rawson Memorial was in a hurdles event at Tauranga just a week previously when he slipped on landing and fell at the first fence.

As a four-year-old he had seven starts in Australia without being successful, although he showed flashes of promise once when he finished second over 13 furlongs at Flemington. Sanders thinks the Australian trip set Ironbark back for a while and that racing on hard tracks was against

him. “He is more mature now,” he said after watching Ironbark win yesterday. “I reckon he is a real twomiler.” Ironbark’s winning margin was too big to allow any of the beaten lot much credit, although Craddock gave promise of another win yet with his second and Red Crest after nearly falling just as they began the run home battled on gamely. Midnight Kiss made ground for fourth but well behind Red Crest and only inches in front of Corbassiere.

Friendly Opal gained an extremely popular win when she scored every bit as decisively as Ironbark in the second leg of the T.A.B. double the President’s Handicap. It was her third success in her last five starts.

Friendly Opal followed the pacemaker, Master Defence four lengths behind at the three furlongs and dashed ahead almost as soon as they were in the straight. In the finish she was well clear of Master Defence, which shaded Sonya’s Pride. The weather was fine although overcast and cold and the track was soft. Results:

WHAU HACK STEEPLECHASE, £800; 24m—10/10 MO-I-RANA (111 9-0 R. J. Fergus 1: 2/2 BOMBAY (4) 9-8 A. Cowan 2; 7/7 STROMBOLI (7) 9-3 W. H. Short 3. Scratched: Globe’s Pride. Six lengths, three-quarters ot a length. Victory Prince fourth. Times: 4:45. Win: £26 16s. Places: £5 19s 6d, £1 19s, £3 7s. AVONDALE FUTURITY HANDICAP, £800: two-year-olds; M. — l/l TINO ARIKI (1) 9-7 D. J. Wyatt 1; IS/13 RECAL CENT (15) 8-2 R. T. Heaslln 2; 11/11 DERBY DEE (17) 8-1 G. F. Hughes 3. Scratched: Blue Marine, Blue Zee, Celeus, Flobelle, Mr Softy, Proud Borough. Flying Plume. Two lengths and a half, nose. Destry fourth. Time: 1:15 2-5. Win: £2 0s 6d. Places: £1 8s 6d, £ll 15s 6d, £7 14s 6d. Bracket: Derby Dee and Donna Cherie.

ORATIA HANDICAP, £800; 7f.— 2/2 HEAD OFF (5) 8-8 B. F. Andrews 1; 10/13 TREASURE CASTLE (23) 8-1 D. W. Blake 2; 1/1 FOREST PRINCE (15) 8-3 G. F. Hughes 3. Scratched: Untouchable. Papagayo, Double Image,

Arrencon, Sharab, Haurua, Arrant. Three lengths, half a length. Court Duchess fourth. Time: 1:29. Win: £4 19s 6d. Places: £2 Is, £8 16s, £1 17s. Bracket: Treasure Castle and Able Queen. BLEDISLOE HACK HURDLES, £800; 15f.—1/1 GREY COUNT (1) 9-12 B. E. Craig 1; 5/5 FIERY LAD (6) 9-5 J. F. Grylls 2; 3/3 BLACK BUTT (5) 9-5 R. J. Leggett 3. All started. Four lengths and a half one length and a half. Pale Face fourth. Time: 3:28 2-5. Win: £2 12s 6d. Places: £1 9S, £3 9s 6d, £2 6s 6d. RAWSON MEMORIAL, £2000; Ilf. 11/12 IRONBARK (14) 7-7 B. F. Andrews 1 13/13 CRADDOCK (9) 8-0 D. A. Raklander 2 3/4 RED CREST (3) 8-12 R. W. Taylor 3 Others in finishing order: 2/2 Midnight Kiss, 9/8 Corbassiere, 6/6 Town Guard, 12/11 Topsil, 5/5 Clarendon, 1/1 Honestly, 15/14 Sue Paul, 16/16 Old Spice, 8/9 Ariosto, 14/15 Regal Ruler, 4/3 Old and Bold, 10/10 Admiral Donnington. 7/7 Tatua. Two lengths and a half. Time: ’win: ° £25 Bs. Places: £6 18s, £7 Is 6d, £3 14s. RIVERHEAD HANDICAP, £700; Im.—s/5 MINTIE (1) 8-5 D. J. Wyatt 1; 3/3 CHRISTINE’S DREAM (11) 8-1 A. E. Ford 2; 2/2 GAMBLER (3) 8-4 M. A. Long and 8/7 JAVA (6) 8-3 C. E. Underhill dead-heat 3. Scratched: Dorians, John Drake, October Lad, On Trial, Penfriend, Sterling Lad. Nose, length. Time: 1:44. Win: £l3 10s 6d. Places: £2 14s, £1 19s, £1 13s 6d (Gambler), £3 16s 6d (Java). PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP. £1200; 6f. 1/1 FRIENDLY OPAL (2) 9 1 N. D. Landers 1 6/6 MASTER DEFENCE (9) 8-4 K. S. Lewis 2 15/15 SONYA’S PRIDE (16) 8-0 C. E. Underhill 3 Others In finishing order: 3/3 Travel Alone, 5/4 Markable, 7/7 Lynbrae, 10/8 Wonderbar, 18/17 Alkaid, 12/11 Cambridge Air, 13/13 Gold Imp, 4/5 Rossfleld, 2/2 Tuam, 17/18 Special Request. 14/14 Claroch, 9/9 Mali Peter, 8/12 Royal Fair, 11/10 Blue Baron, 16/16 Prince Arragon. Two lengths and a half, nose. Time: 1:14. Win: £4 19s 6d. Places: £2. £3 19s, £lO 6s. WINTER INTERMEDIATE HANDICAP, £1000: Im.—2/2 HEAD FANCY (13) 8-2 D. A. Peake 1; 7/8 SUNNY FILOU (9) 8-5 car. 8-0 G. P. Chitty 2; 3/3 PEPOMINT (5) 8-9 R. W. Taylor 3. All started. Length, two lengths. Imperial fourth. Time: 1:41 2-5. Win: £5 12s 6d. Places: £2 9s 6d, £5 2s 6d, £3 7s 6d.