Hazlett Team Earned $9320 At Riccarton

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31755, 12 August 1968, Page 5

Hazlett Team Earned $9320 At Riccarton

Seven firsts and $9320 in stakes was the great record of the Hazlett team in four days of racing at the Riccarton jumping carnival even after Mosque lost the most glittering prize of all, the Grand National Steeplechase, when his rider weighed in light.

Koral completed a memorable campaign for the stable when he won the Lincoln Steeplechase on Saturday. It was his second win in three starts at this year's carnival and they advanced his earnings by $3060. He also won the Lincoln Steeplechase in 1965, the year of his Grand National Steeplechase victory, and only for a second piece of misfortune in this year’s Grand National —he jumped on to Running Bear's quarters and dropped his rider—he could have carried off Grand National honours for a second time.

Koral's impeccable jumping was a feature of Saturday's feature jumping race. He jumped to the front at the second of the stand double a round from home, and seemed to find one more gear than any of the others when Hillis gave him a bit more rein going to the kennels double. With two swift leaps Koral doubled his lead in next to no time and the race was as good as over. Hi There was left well clear in second position from the second last fence, where Koral's bracketed mate Bush Creek fell.

Hi There plodded in five lengths behind the easing Koral and 12 lengths clear of Kumai.

Kurrajong was a length and a half back fourth, outstaying Ettrick, which had won twice against the hack 'chasers earlier at the meeting, but mixed his jumping on this occasion.

Just Sam was almost out of the race at the third fence. He threw M. J. O'Connor up on his neck, and the North Island jockey recovered cleverly. He probably wished he had not when after another mile the Woodville gelding

crashed at the second of the stand double.

Running Bear tired badly some way out and was pulled up in the straight when well beaten.