Wayward Filly Wins Stakes

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31480, 21 September 1967, Page 4

Wayward Filly Wins Stakes

(From Our Own Reporter)

WINGATUI.

Auto Run, once regarded as a doubtful racing proposition because of her wayward ways, come out on top in a spectacular finish to the McLean Stakes at Wingatui yesterday.

Auto Run won by half a head from the faster-finishing Three Star, which beat General Tracey by a neck. Auto Run’s win was a wel-come-home present for her Kelso owner-breeder, Mr D. H. Robertson, and her Gore trainer, E. A. Winsloe, who returned from a visit to South America three weeks ago. When Mr Robertson sent Auto Run to the Winsloe stable earlier this year he told the trainer that the filly was the “wildest thing” he had been asked to handle, but if she could be tamed she might win a race. Auto Run, a brown filly by the Super horse Liban, one of the top middle-distance horses of his time in New Zealand and also a brilliant miler, has much to commend her on breeding. She is from the Cassock mare Cadillac and is from the same family as Bellarook, Cassarook, and Flying Trix, and she showed family ability for her all-the*w*ay .win yesterday. She accelerated quickly to lead into the second furlong. She shook off the attentions of the Riccarton filly, Dolly Varden, soon after straightening up and the break she put on the others at that stage helped her to win.

Auto Run was ridden by the Riccarton horseman, D. N. Hadfield, who won the race on Kimono. also from Southland, three years ago.

Three Star made a late challenge from the ruck for his second. It was a promising debut by this gelding, which, like the winner, is by a colonial-bred sire, Black Star. General Tracey, a foundation member of R. N. Marsh’s Wingatui stable, also showed he was a dogged finisher, with his close third. Dolly Varden was Canterbury’s best with a fourth threequarters of a length behind General Tracey. She was five lengths clear of her stablemate Equal Chance, which was in the- second line on the home turn, but was beaten off soon after.

Tigris Note was the stronger half .of a solidly supported bracketed pair from Wingatui, but seventh was the best she could manage. Baghdad Note was ninth. The time of 53 3-ssec for the half-mile was the slowest since 1946, when Excellency won in 54 l-ssec.