RACING His Lordship Brilliant In Ashburton Victory

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31785, 16 September 1968, Page 4

RACING His Lordship Brilliant In Ashburton Victory

His Lordship showed what an acquisition he is to the ranks of South Island middle distance performers with the ease of his win in the Ashburton Cup on Saturday.

Mr A. G. Bailey’s five-year-old chestnut dashed through a gap alongside the rails early in the run home with the power and drive of a horse that might have just been joining in the race, and he quickly put paid to the chances of Watallan and Next Please.

The Riccarton jockey, G. W. Mein, made a big contribution towards the success of the partnership by banking his hopes on a rails run with His Lordship. In several of his earlier races His Lordship lost good winning chances by shifting ground when being brought wider out

When the opening came—and it was not difficult to find when Next Please moved away from the fence while being heavily engaged by Watallan His Lordship settled all doubts as to what would win in a few powerful strides. Change Of Stables His Lordship joined P. H. Jones's Riecarton stable last season. He was prepared earlier at Masterton by T. L. Jennings, who is now in Australia with the Caulfield Cup candidate, Feiramor. Jennings would have been pleased to have had His Lordship in Australia as well in the form the Jekyll gelding has now developed. The official time for the 11-furlong race was a fast

[2min 16 4-ssec. The race was i privately timed at 2min 17 3-5 see, the last half-mile in 148 4-ssec, the last mile in i Imin 38 2-ssec. Pulled Hard Although the pace was true enough from the start the race took on a widelyexpected pattern almost from the start. Next Please, always one to gallop keenly, was close to the pace and pulling hard out in the open after two furlongs. E. G. Low allowed him a bit of rein to take over the pacemaking five furlongs out Watallan was taken forward to lead the chase after Next Please near the halfmile and Mein angled His Lordship for a run on the inside that carried him to third on the home turn. Next Please and Watallan were heavily engaged in front early in the run home, but then His Lordship changed the whole complexion of the race with his brilliant rails challenge. Ran About Watallan managed to save second although he ran about in the final furlong. The burly Next Please was third, and it was a race that should have sharpened and made him a formidable candidate for forthcoming spring races, which will include the Geraldine Cup and events at the Dunedin spring meeting. Those behind the dividendpayers were beaten off. Beau Supreme came from the back for fourth in a gap of three lengths. He narrowly beat

Royal Master and Roman General for that position. The veteran, Manana, was the only real disappointment of the more fancied runners. He dropped away from a good position near the half-mile and finished tenth. Second Leg Glamis Lad gave the strong favourite, Shipmaster, and six others a sound beating in the Spring Handicap, second leg of the main double. But by finishing second Shipmaster gave doubles supporters a small return. The His Lordship-Ship-master concession double was worth only $2.15, the Riccarton sprinter carrying 15,744 50 cent tickets compared with 5756 carried by Glamis Lad. The His Lordship-Glamis Lad combination paid $13.90. Glamis Lad gave further evidence that he is one of the South Island's most versatile sprinters. He had the speed to run six furlongs in Imin llsec on a fast, dusty track on Saturday. Earlier in the year he won on winter tracks at Wingatui and Washdyke. After a placed run at the Wellington winter meeting his form slumped slightly and he failed in two starts at the Grand National meeting, but a month away from racing freshened the robust Kurdistan gelding and he gave his backers no worries.

G. W. Wright found a trailing run for Glamis Lad early in the race, and there was a ready response from the six-year-old when he was asked for a bit extra to master Danny Kaye and Mister Bud early in the run home. Glamis Lad was nicely

clear at the furlong. Shipmaster had battled forward to second by then, but could make no further headway. Pango, the third favourite in win-and-place betting, and the second fancy on the double, had the odds against her from the start when she gave ground. She ran the race out resolutely for third, her second such placing at the meeting.

Sandbank also came from the back after a slow start for fourth, only a nose back and a neck ahead of Mister Bud. Shoshone was sixth in a gap of two lengths.