Brabazon Was Easy For Shipboard

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32359, 27 July 1970, Page 4

Brabazon Was Easy For Shipboard

“I offered ‘Midge’ Didham the wrong ride,” commented the Riccarton jockey, G. W. Mein, after he won the Christchurch Hunt’s Brabazon Handicap on Shipboard on Saturday.

Mein had passed on the mount on Sea Serpent to the leading jockey in the Camla Hack Handicap, first leg of the double. But whereas Sea Serpent failed dismally when favourite, Shipboard came out of the second leg of the T.AJB. double with well-merited honours.

Shipboard is ideal material for a sprint test in a big field. Mein was confident on Saturday that none would beat the Messmate gelding for early speed and once the early rush was over he settled the second favourite into the inside trailing position, content to track Quarto, General Simm, and Bargain Hunter.

Shipboard came to the front quickly after Quario hung out on the home turn, and he had the race as good as won a furlong out. Shipboard, a rising seven-year-old, has not had half as much racing in his career as some others have had in a season, but he has usually been on deck at this time of the year and is becoming something of a junior partner to Koral as a Christchurch Hunt meeting specialist.

He won at his first start at a Christchurch Hunt meeting, and won the Camla Hack Handicap there last season. Long Odds

Royal Blue and Red Carpet filled the minor places in the Brabazon Handicap at long odds.

Royal Blue did well to finish within a length and a half of the winner after receiving a check which cost him two lengths half-way through the race.

Trelay put in a long run from the home turn for fourth. It was a good Winter Cup trial by a young horse which has shown he can manage a mile better than most of his South Island contemporaries. Shipboard’s bracketed mate and stablemate, Shipmaster, came back to racing promisingly after a spell by running fifth, half a length clear of Hay Burner, which looked

hopelessly out of it at the five furlongs. Quario, the each-way favourite, weakened to seventh. His rider, E. G. Low, had hopes of getting some of the money until the big three-year-old began to hang on the home turn. Better Luck Low had better fortune earlier, riding the long-shot. Bannock, to a sound win in the Camla Hack Handicap. A rising four-year-old by Ayrshire Bard from the classic winner, Surprise Ending, Bannock is owned and trained at Riccarton by Low's brother-in-law, Mr D. M. Kerr. Bannock was near the middle of the 17-horse field early, but made good progress to follow Find It and Sea Serpent round the home turn. Sea Serpent “blew out” in a few strides on straightening up, and Bannock had Find It beaten a furlong out.

Warrington passed Find It closer to home for second, a length from the winner.

Rufflno, the only North Island runner, finished sixth, failing to quicken in the last half mile.