RACING Northern Horses Take Double

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31755, 12 August 1968, Page 4

RACING Northern Horses Take Double

Lucky Rebel and Barclay continued the dominance of North Island horses in major flat races at the Grand National meeting by winning the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double on Saturday.

Supporters of this combination received $22.75 for $l. Hundreds more who supported Ruakiwi Lass had to settle for cramped odds when the Matamata mare finished an unlucky second to Barclay.

The concession double was worth $3.45.

Lucky Rebel, the runnerup te Mammoth in the Heathcote Handicap on the second day of the meeting, resisted a determined challenge from Watallan and won by a long neck. They battled it out a length clear of His Lordship, which spoilt his chance by ducking in when challenging in the straight Free Pass, an expensive failure in the Islington Handicap, was practically on one rein allmost from the start of the race, his rider, W. D. Skelton, said later. No Pace “There was no pace on, the field packed up and Lucky Rebel practically carried me for a time,” Skelton said. "If I had not had Lucky Rebel on the outside of me on the turn I would have been off the course." he added. Lucky Rebel, a seven-year-old Targui gelding owned by Mr A- S. Wilder and trained by C. J. Cameron, was ridden close to the pace by B. S. Dodds in a close-running field. Chiave d’Oro was allowed to set a fairly casual pace from beyond the seven furlongs, and she slipped away to a lead of three lengths near the half mile. There Carpenter was trailing and Lucky Rebel was moving ahead of the tiring Time and Tide, which stopped quickly.: Lucky Rebel was up with! Chiave d'Oro early in the run j home, went clear soon after.: and ran it out gamely when: Watallan. his only serious

challenger, got close inside the furlong. His Lordship was unchallenged for third, easily outfinishing Carpenter by a length and a half. Roman General improved two or three positions in the last half mile for fifth. August Hep Barclay beat Ruakiwi Lass by a neck in the August Handicap. The turning point of the race probably came about half way through when

Ruakiwi Lass gave ground on the inside behind Pharasal. By the time G. L. Willetts found a run through the pack for Ruakiwi Lass, W. D. Skelton had Barclay clear, and the favourite had too little time and ground to peg the Awapuni six-year-old back.

“I was pleased to see the post come as soon as it did,” Skelton said later.

“I did not really get a good run until near the furlong,” Willetts said. “The run came just too late." Pharasal and Billy Joe had a battle for third two lengths behind the northerners. Pharasal secured the position by a neck, and then there was another neck to Beau Supreme and a length to Pango, which had led from the six furlongs to ths home turn.