Three Sevens wins, but disqualified

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 8

Three Sevens wins, but disqualified

Backers of Three Sevens in the Canterbury Hotel Association Handicap at Riccarton yesterday had a fleeting glance of a double-figure win dividend—and those who coupled Three Sevens with Royal Clover In the quinella must have been in high spirits at the thought of a $248.25 dividend.

But Three Sevens s win vias the subject of an inquiry. and those who waited to collect a dividend were informed about one hour after the race that Three Sevens had been disqualified. Il vias established that Three Sevens had caused interference to Classic Legend in the closing stages of the race. Subsequently, Royal Clover, a 31-to-one chance, was promoted to first and Passpatu and Lady Glamour, which had originally dead-heated for third, were promoted to second equal. My Mellay was awarded the fourth prize of $6O. and Classic Legend came up from sixth to fifth. As a consequence of the amended result, there were two quinella dividends. The Royal Clover—Passpatn combination paid $33 and the dividend for Royal Clover and Lady Glamour was worth $147.75. The official release regarding the incident said that Three Sevens's rider. K. W. Morton, had allowed his mount to shift ground, causing interference to Classic Legend (R. .1. McCann) about 20 metres from the winning post. After healing all relevant evidence, viewing a film of the incident, and iiearing a statement from Morton, the judicial committee decided to disqualify Three Sevens from the race and amend the other placings accordingly. Morton was disqualified up to and including February 23. Royal Clover, which made a weak showing against the highly eighters on the first day when ridden close to the pace”, came from far back in yesterday's event. He had only six of the 16 runners behind him 800 metres out. but when the stable apprentice. L. J. Molloy, brought him out wide to challenge in the run home lie responded generously and got to within a head of three Sevens. The camera could not separate Passpatu and Lady Glamour. The former was behind the eventual winner running into the last 800 metres but Lady Glamour had shared the fourth line to the straight. My Mellay. . third equal with Classic Legend . most of the way. battled into fifth but. like the others ahead , of him, was subsequently promoted. BY MELLAY Mellcille and Richneil, both by the Wingatui-based Mellay. the Dominion's top sire last season, quinelled the McWilliams Wines Handicap. The Wingatui-based Mellcille joined the leading line early in the run home and ran , the 1600 metres out strongly to L win by three parts of a length.

! Richneil, which was close to (the pace as they ran into the 'last 600 metres, finished solidly (wide out. He beat Funfui, another always in touch with the pace, by half a length. Funfui ; nosed Jimjon. which had his (chance, out of third. Grey (Lonzo came home well from . mid-field for a handy fifth. ( Real Sensation capped off a useful patch of place form with an easy win in the Jim Beam High-weight. R. Weaver had the Wingatui-trained Freelight gelding three wide in the third line early in the contest, and did not' call on him for any sort of an extra effort until they made the straight. Real Sensation gathered in Roval Rhyme, Uncle Felix, and Kel Sabaean just inside tlie 200 metres mark and ran on stronglv to win by a length and a Half from John Porteous, the tail-ender 800 metres out. The favourite, Ice Pack fourth

on the inner on the home turn, improved a few places for third without ever raising the hopes of his backers. He was a length from John Porteous and a length and a half in advance of the weakening pacemaker, Royal Rhyme. JUST LASTED Butch, which finished brilliantly for fourth after overcoming a bad check on the first dav, was compensated for that bad luck with a narrow but impressive win in the Fletcher Humphreys Handicap. K. Morton secured a good trailing run for Butch down the chute to the junction with the course proper. When Glamis Knight moved out to challenge Ngarimu Bay for the lead 600 metres out, Butch got the run through on the inner, spurted clear, but had to be kept right up to his work in the elosing stages to keep out the topweight, William Brown, by a head. William Brown, making his bid wide, improved six places in the run home and outfinished Glamis Knight by half a head. Whistling Princess, which made her bid alongside William Brown in the inn home, finished on for fourth. Panagor led in the others. Senator Kennedy, which had had to settle for second in his four previous starts, was rewarded for consistency when he beat Entourage handily and 1.3 others easily in the Crown Crystal Handicap. The Riccarton apprentice. L. J. Molloy, rode the Ikamatuatrained three-year-old from a trailing position into the lead soon after straightening for the run home. Senator Kennedykept up a strong gallop to win untested by a length. Entourage, in the line behind the winner on the home turn, finished on well under top-weight of 56kg. He beat his stablemate Havn, by a length and a half. Havn, one of the tailenders 800 metres out. outfinished Willie Knows by half a neck.

Close up were Beau Trie and Buzzin Along, which were clear of the others.