Good chance overlooked

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32564, 25 March 1971, Page 9

Good chance overlooked

The connections of Lincoln's Inn appear to have passed over a good opportunity with their recent acquisition. The three-year-old gelding is expected to contest the weight, for-age Easter Trial, of seven furlongs, at Tauranga on Saturday week before ms departure fq; Australia. On the same day's Tauranga programme is an intermediate mile for horses that have not won more than *3OOO in first moneys.

Lincoln’s Inn qualified for this event with *6O m hand but he was not nominated. The mile, among the lower grade horses, would have proved an easier stepping stone than the open event, it would seem. Although not up to the top liners of his age, he is likely to close the gap in class from now on and with ordinary luck, by this time next year, it will not surprise if he approached equal ranking, especially as a stayer. He was only just coming into his own in the autumn and his improvement from now should be steady.

Royal Ascot favourite (N.Z. Press Association) nut. *. SYDNEY. Bookmakers have made the Canterbury three-year-old. Royal Ascot, 2 to 1 favourite for Hie Pacers” Derby at Harold Park tomorrow night. The Derby, worth 610,000 and run over 111 furlongs from the mobile barrier, is regarded as the most testing race for three-year-olds in Australia. . t 0 driven by A. M. Harrison, is favourite by half a point over the champion filly, Alipes (5 to 2), with Gyracus (3 to 1) a firm third choice. The barrier draw favours Alipes and Royal Ascot, drawn three and four respectively. Useful sire put down '•The Press” Special Servlet tv., N ? W PLYMOUTH. Defence, the Taranaki-based stallion which left a number of useful winners, has been put down.

A 24-year-old, Defence was by Pleading from Vascones and was owned by Mr C. C. Fabish, Inglewood, who stood him at stud. Defence won from six furlongs to 101 furlongs. His wins included the Taranaki Hack Cup. An injury to a sesamoid bone in a race at Hastings brought his early retirement and he went to stud as a three-year-old. He never attracted any quality mares and, in fact, only served a few mares each season. However, many of his stock had courage and most of them a real liking for winter going. He left the quality sprinter, Master Defence, which beat the best on metropolitan tracks, winning over *20,000 In stakes Waltaha won sprint after sprint in his heyday and became a P great favourite tn Taranaki. Other winners by Defence included Smokey Bay, Supreme Courage, Flying Lad, Defence, Miss Defence, and Game Defence.