Spectacular Finish To Hack Race

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 4

Spectacular Finish To Hack Race

Mark Anthony, Elvin Spark, Crown Agent, and Fearnought dominated a spectacular finish to the

Scanlon Hack Handicap, the second 4eg of the Westport Jockey Club’s on-course double at Riccarton yesterday.

They finished in that order separated by only half a head, half a neck, and a head, and Mark Anthony is now unbeaten in two starts for his Amberley owner-trainer, Mr B. Borcoskie. Mark Anthony completed an on-course double worth $12.50. The first leg, the high-weight, was won by the Wingatui six-year-old Channel Command. A victory for Crown Agent in the Scanlon Hack Handi. cap would have given the H. T. Anderton Wingatui stable the double, and the five-year-old Avocat General made a bold bid to carry it off. z Crown Agent lost second close to home to Elvin Spark, which completed a concession double worth $9.45. Great Speed Elvin Spark’s second from one of the wide barrier positions was meritorious, but many of the honours of the race were with the winner, which showed a great burst of speed to get close to the pacemaker Reefton Queen in the first furlong. Mark Anthony is a. close relative of Roman Maid, one of Canterbury’s best sprinters a few years ago, and he has the ability to make a quick graduation to open company. Marie Anthony has been rehadicapped 51b to 8-8 in the Gladstone Improvers’ Hack Handicap at the Geraldine Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday.

Channel Command was made win favourite for the Westport High-weight and the only one of his rivals to make him work hard to justify that position was Count Down. Having his first start for the season, the nine-year-old Count Down ran freely in the lead to the straight, and had most of his rivals in trouble outside the furlong. . Channel Command was under a hard ride for a good way to get to terms with Count Down, but was clearly the master in the last 50 yards and steadily gained his winning margin of a length. Count Down beat Faraday by a length and a half for second. Surprise Win “He's the same type as Ima Martian—l hope he’s as good,” said the Riccarton trainer, W. H. Beck, of Master Martian after that four-year-old won the Ted Perkins Memorial Stakes at odds of almost 25 to one. Master Martian carried the colours of Mrs M. E. Rogers, of Christchruch, to a head victory over the Wingatuitrained Pickering, with Jackie Kay a neck back third. Mrs Rogers races Master Martian on lease from Mr L. Warren, of Cust The rangy Martian II gelding was given plenty of time to finish, and he may now go on to develop useful form.

He was ridden yesterday by the Southland jockey, G. W. Wright, who brought him along on a strong run down the outside to master the paeemaking Jackie Kay close to the post, Pickering joined in a moment later to enliven the finish.

Green Light, a surprise favourite for her race debut, showed speed wide out for the first half of the race, but was well beaten outside the furlong, and was not punished needlessly. Capriano, the second favourite, weakened from an inside trailing position to finish thirteenth. Hazy First Count Como justified favour!, tism with an easy win in the Colvin Hack Handicap. Dr A. H. Meikleham’s Ribotlight gelding was In front straight away, shook off the attentions of Apollon early in the run home, and won by six lengths. Count Como had earned this win, his first for the season, after some solid placed runs, one of them a second to the brilliant Shipboard at the Grand National meeting. Apollon clearly beat the others to fill second place at good odds. It was a promising start to his four-year-old racing. Quick Tide was third at good odds for a form runner and Barr Bank was a fair fourth. Bred To Be Coed Bannock, a three-year-old by Plko’s sire, Ayrshire Bard, from Surprise Ending, a New Zealand St Leger winner, ran right' up to his breeding to win the Buller Stakes at long odds. M. J. Skelton found a rails run for Bannock, and It was used to good advantage to carry him to victory by three-quarters of a length from the favourite, Bright Girl. A slow start was a serious handicap for Bright Girl, and she did well to save her place backers. Simmaean finished down the middle of the track for a good third Inches behind Bright Gfr), but the others were beaten off. Dory Successful Dory and the North Island jockey, H. N. Rauhihi. teamed successfully in the Clouston Handicap. Mr and Mrs J. F. Tutton's Rlbotlight mare, whose dam. Shoal, was one of the South Island’s best race mares of her time, outstayed Pseudonym by a long neck. Fathom Five supplied one ot the minor features of the race

with a solid finish for third three-quarters ot a length back. She outflnished Strathboy, which was third starting the last furlong.

The favourite, Hay Burner, gave a little ground at the start, made a big run wide out on the home turn and finished fifth.