Divide And Rule Wins Stradbroke

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32323, 15 June 1970, Page 5

Divide And Rule Wins Stradbroke

(N.Z. Press Association) BRISBANE. The New Zealand-bred three-year-old. Divide and Rule, was acclaimed one of the best and most versatile horses in Australia after landing the rich’Stradbroke Handicap (7f) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Ridden by W. earner and sensationally backed to 5-1 favouritism. Divide and Rule burst clear in the straight and coasted to a length and a half victory. The English-bred mare Gypsy Moss (14-1) owned by the Foyaters was second, a short neck •ahead of Black Onyx (6-1).

All three are trained in Sydney. Lumping Bst 111 b, Divide and Rule set a weight-carrying record for a three-year-old and ran the distance in Imin 22.3 sec. This took one-tenth of a second off the previous track and race record held by last year’s winner, Prince Medes, which was unplaced on Saturday. Saturday’s victory by the young gelding gave Alcimedes, normally a sire of stayers, an unusual sprint double. Divide and Rule, out of the Pride of Kildare mare, Beehive, was bought at the Trentham sales in 1968 by the Sydney trainer, R. Roden, on behalf of Mr F. Ishmael for $16,500. After Mr Ishmael’s disqualification last year Roden and his wife paid $35,000 for Divide and Rule. The youngster proved himself a bargain buy and a stayer when he walked away with the A.J.C. Derby last year. After showing no form at all in a trip to Melbourne for the spring carnival he was sent for a long spell. This time in he has raced impressively for three consecutive wins. Despite reports that all was not well stable commissioners plunged heavily in three states on Divide and Rule. The gelding's price tightened dramatically in the face of a flood of money but bookmakers were unprepared and the plunge on the winner is variously estimated to have cost them between $200,000 and $500,000. Result: STRADBROKE HANDICAP $25,000; 7f. DIVIDE AND RULE (Alcimedes—Beehive) 8-11 W. Camer 1 GYPSY MOSS (Mossborough— Bedecked) 7-11 R. Quinton 2 BLACK ONYX (Pipe of Peace —Organdie) 9-4 S. Spinks 3 Length and a half, short neck. Time: 1:22.3 (course record). Others in finishing order: Cabochon, Broker’s Tip, Mister Hush, Boy Dandy, Regal Hunter, Prince Medes, Resert Beau, New Smoke, Alrello, Shorengro, Golven, Rajah Sahib, Todmaster, Flying Ace.