Royal Theme In Treble

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31660, 22 April 1968, Page 5

Royal Theme In Treble

“The Press*' Special Service AUCKLAND. Royal Theme won his third big race at the Auckland autumn meeting, the Oliver Nicholson Handicap, on Saturday, every bit as decisively as he had won the first two. On all three occasions Royal Theme went to the front on the home turn. His form of the last week or so has raised Royal Theme from moderate company to the top group of handicap horses. While Spring Filou led the 10 runners In the Oliver Nicholson Handicap through the first halfmile, Royal Theme was sixth and fifth. Approaching the halfmile he moved up to Spring Filou and he had his neck in front as they rounded the home turn. From there Royal Theme gradually drew away. Spring Filou tired but held Earl Marshall out of second. Ariosto led the others, all well beaten. Nlpawin, the best backed after Royal Theme, was again unable to raise early speed. He plodded on for sixth, just behind Admiral Donnington. The next three, Aro, Tatua, and Wairere Lass, were grouped half a dozen lengths away and a good dozen lengths clear of Arbroath, which eased to tail the field. The extremely holding ground, which scattered the runners in lhe Oliver Nicholson Handicap,

produced the incredible' spectacle, for an open six furlongs at Ellerslie, of the first and third horses home in the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the Bledisloe Handicap, being separated by nine lengths. Dashing Lu was in front all the way, and won by four lengths from Royal Theme’s staolemate, Chapel Belle, which was five lengths clear of Prince Petary. Dashing Lu, a four-year-old mare by Blueskin from Gentle Lu, had finished second behind Chapel Belle on the middle day of the meeting and first the time before, at Paeroa. Rain fell most of the day and a downpour which began soon after the sixth race continued during the next event, the Royal Stakes.