RACING Empyreus Narrowly Takes Canterbury Gold Cup

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31522, 9 November 1967, Page 4

RACING Empyreus Narrowly Takes Canterbury Gold Cup

Empyreus showed many of the qualities that made him one of the best three-year«olds of his year in winning the Canterbury Gold Cup at Riccarton yesterday.

The six - year - old Gigantic gelding from Hastings caught Feiramor in the last stride for victory by half a head in the first leg of the Canterbury’ Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double.

They battled it out a length ahead of Baloo. which had the luck of the running all against him in his attempt to win his third Canterbury Cup. Baloo was late clearing the rails behind the tiring Roman General. He was the fastest l finisher of all, and his late 1

'rush from the nick carried him just ahead of the New Zealand Cup winner, Laramie, and Norma’s Lass. Empyreus was campaigned in Australia for several | months last year, but was unable to capture his top form, land Messrs D. M. and M. R. [Renton brought him back to {New Zealand. , He was placed in the I autumn, and at his second [start for the present season [he ran third behind Laramie and Mac's Pride in the Harcourt Stakes at Trentham. [ Trained at Hastings by K. !H. Quinlivan, Empyreus was ridden yesterday by the sue-1

cessful apprentice, R. B.< Marsh. Feiramor, which like Empyreus was having his first start at the meeting, attempted to lead for the last six furlongs. J. A. Messent let Feiramor l stride past Roman General j rather than pull him about j while the pace was slack, and i the Opaki chestnut nearly! managed to gain a winning! break. Baloo could not have been i in a worse place when Roman' General tired and went back I through the field quickly near the home turn. H. N. Rauhihi could not get•

i Baloo into the clear until the race was all but over. Tulson was the South Island's best, and he was beaten off sixth ahead of Min Flicka and Court Belle. Impressive Win ' Sandy gave his older halfbrother. Middy, a good lead i for the day by winning the ' Ellesmere Handicap in style for ] his Mosgiel owner-trainer, G. B. Thomson, at Riccarton yesterday. Sandy, a three-year-old by the Canterbury-based sire Afghanistan, gave the majority of his 24 rivals a start and a sound beating in his third race. Sandy came from far back to reach a challenging position inside the last furlong and won going away by three parts of a length from My Greatest, which was in touch with the pace from the start and led two furlongs out.