RACING Golden Sam wins well in D. P. Wilson Memorial

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33050, 18 October 1972, Page 8

RACING Golden Sam wins well in D. P. Wilson Memorial

"The Press" Special Service

DUNEDIN.

Golden Sam continued his preparation for the New Zealand Gup with a most attractive performance in winning the D. P. Wilson Memorial Challenge Cup, the first leg of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double at Wingatui yesterday.

Golden Sam, which is raced by his breeders, Mr G. S. Lane (Mosgiel) and his Wingatui trainer, A. N. Didham, was having his fourth race for the season, and carried 8-B,lllb more than he has been given in the Cup.

With El Shub, Meldie, Winburn, and Queen Mellay, Golden Sam was well back in the early running.

J. R. Dowling moved the Afghanistan five-year-old up to follow Who Knows, Smart Mellay, Superspan, Red Carpet, and Blank Cheque into the straight and he had to be good to bridge the gap and take the decision by half a head from Who Knows.

An easy winner on a heavy track at the Eastern Southland Hunt meeting, Who Knows revelled in the going. He was always close to the pace, ran past Smart Mellay —which had disputed the pace with Rose Gate—on the home turn, and shot clear into the straight In a desperate finish, he Just failed to stall off Golden Sam.

Red Carpet was never far from the pace, and held on well for third, but was two lengths and a half back and half a length in front of the top-weight, Trelay, which came through after racing four back on the inside.

MCLEAN STAKES King Commander, the biggest two-year-old in the 10-horse field for the McLean Stakes, confirmed the promise he bad shown In parades when he won decisively by a length. King Commander is trained at Rlccarton by C. McDonald, who as a jockey was successful in the McLean Stakes on Magical in 1947, and on Havelock in 1952. King Commander is the second horse he has saddled for the McLean Stakes. His earlier runner, Te Mania, was beaten but came out on the second day to equal the track record of 48sec in the Juvenile Stakes In 1964.

King Commander will now be prepared for the Welcome Stakes. His Immediate programme is not certain. By the Sydney-based sire, Kingfisher, which was standing at the stud at a fee of $lOOO King Commander was bought at Cameron 'Christchurch) for $4OO. He was given his early education

by J. S. Crawford, who produced him to win a parade at the Eastern Southland Hunt meeting. He was then passed on to McDonald at Rlccarton. King Commander, ridden by E. Low, followed Magic Eye to the straight, and ran on strongly to hold off Whistling Cloud. Whistling Cloud, which is trained by J. A. Wilson for Messrs J. L. Hall and J. T. Hall was ninth favourite. He was was never far away, and held on well. Dandyman could have been the unlucky runner. He was checked at the start and was still last running to the three furlongs. He moved up sharply, and came through on the inner for third

ahead of the favourite, Unlucky In Love, which appeared to have her chance. SECOND LEG Grippie led all the way for an easy win in the Beaumont Handicap to round off the double with Golden Sam. Audaciter. which was second, gave R. J. Skelton his only placing in six rides for the day. Skelton moved Audaciter up to within half a length of the winner at the home turn, but Grippie drew out by two lengths. Redlo, well back in the early running, came home well for third, a length back. Llbanson held on for fourth, ahead of his stablemate, Nigent.