SLEEKY FOX

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

SLEEKY FOX

Second Win For Stable

Racing at Riccarton yesterday ended as it had started—with a win by a member of a team trained by R. P. Register for Mr J. Y. Scales.

Sleeky Fox followed the lead set by the high-weight winner, Sir Limond, by winning the Post Handicap at the good odds of nearly 20 to one. Ridden by the Riccarton apprentice, G. R. Gullery, Sleeky Fox chased Palamette round the home turn, dashed clear going to the furlong and won by two lengths and a half from the favourite, Pre* tentious.

Palamette was third half a length back and three-quar-ters of a length ahead of Anabel.

Gullery always had Sleeky Fox in fairly close touch with the pace. Merrimae and Palamette had a duel for the lead early but Palamette dashed away to a clear lead before the home turn. By that time, though, Sleeky Fox had been taken forward to second, and it was clear a furlong out that he would win. Pretentious improved several places down the outside for his second, but there was nothing to distinguish the performances of any of the others.

Success By A Head

Partner and Anasiwa battled out the finish of the Halswell Handicap, well clear of the others.

Partner won by a head, and it was a well-earned victory after a string of minor placings; but most of the honours were earned by Anasiwa. Five furlongs out Anasiwa had only twi or three runners behind him, and when he was at the height of a powerful finishing run he attempted to duck in, and A. J. Stokes had to straighten him. Partner was ridden by the successful Riccarton apprentice, D. R. Tucker, who had Mr and Mrs W. J. Sheddan’s four-year-old in the middle of the field at the five furlongs and took him forward quickly to pass Fair Gap and lead into the last furlong. Fair Gap, which was attempting to win a race in which her dam, Surprise Ending, was sucessful before her New Zealand St Leger victory in 1954, failed to last the distance after having been given every chance by E. G. Low. Khush Mahal and Jewel Case were the best of the others. The favourite, Sun Bank, tailed the field early, made a run wide out on the home turn, but was beaten going to the furlong and finished tenth.