Win Was First For Horse And Rider

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31596, 6 February 1968, Page 4

Win Was First For Horse And Rider

The two-year-old, Allspice, and the youthful apprentice, R. J. McCann, combined for their first successes in racing in the Middle Park Plate on the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s summer meeting at Riccarton yesterday.

Mr and Mrs J. R. Hyslop’s Afghanistan Oily finished generously and won going away by a length and a half from Court Star, which inched Harold Bank out of second In the last few strides.

Allspice is a close relation of Shipmaster, winner of the Lyttelton Handicap, the previous race on yesterday's programme.

Countless, the dam of Allspice, is a half-sister by Count Rendered to Shipmaster. Countless did not race because of a leg injury, suffered when she was a two-year-old. Last year she was destroyed after badly damaging a shoulder.

Harold Bank, the 2/1 favourite, looked as if he might preserve his unbeaten record in two starts on the course when he passed Willie’s Pride to take a short lead outside the furlong. But he could put up little resistance when Allspice challenged a moment later. Court Star made a fairly late appearance to put fresh interest into the finish, but Allspice was unchallenged. . A The others behind the first three were practically outclassed.