Greymouth Pair Wins Double

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 4

Greymouth Pair Wins Double

Kowhai King and his elder halfsister Khush Mahal gave the Greymouth stable of B. N. Mundy a good family double at the Hororata Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday.

The two-year-old, Kowhai King, was an odds-on favourite for the Haldon Handicap but tried to “beat himself” by lugging out badly on E. J. Didham early in the race. Didham had to make continued efforts to keep Kowhai King on a straight course so that he could go out after

Screened. There was only half a length between them, but the others were outclassed. with Strathganistan struggling into third in a gap of seven lengths.

Mr E. J. Johnson, a partowner of Kowhai King, had his colours carried to a meritorious win by Khush Mahal in the Sandown Hack Handicap.

Didham again had the mount, and in this, his second victory ,of the day, the Wingatui jockey was associated with the longest-priced winner on the programme. Khush Mahal had at least five of her rivals ahead of her on the home turn but secured a head victory with a strong finishing run. Silver Fountain looked very likely when she mastered Cantella near the furlong, hut she bowed out to Khush Maha) in the last few strides. Cantella beat Botan by a length for third. A third winner for West Coast stables on Saturday was Martha Bell, which paid $20.30 in the Trial Plate No. 2. Martha Bell made practically all the pace and beat Court Star by three-quarters of a length. She had earned this win after placed runs from J. Lalor’s Reefton stable at Hokitika and Greymouth, but she was only a moderate fancy. Martha Bell was ridden by E. G. Low, who also won the previous race, the Derrett Hack, on the favourite, Quetta. Quetta has now won two of his last three races for his Marlborough owner, Mr P. P. L. Dillon, and J. L. Barr should be able to place him to further advantage in his three-year-old racing. Quetta’s only challenger on Saturday was the Wingatuitrained Opstan. This pair had a battle from the home turn, Quetta putting up plucky resistance to hold to a lead he had reached early in the race.

Sailing Home was a fair third, her second such placing in her last two starts.