Navigation, Paemako Prince beaten

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34037, 29 December 1975, Page 10

Navigation, Paemako Prince beaten

(N.Z. Press Assn —Copyright/ DUBLIN. The New Zealand hurdler. Navigation, finished a tired seventh in the rich Irish Sweeps Hurdle at Leopardstown, Dublin, on Saturday after bravely attempting to lead all the way. The $25,000 race was won easily bv the Irish-bred, Englishtrained Night Nurse, at four the youngest of the nine runners. Night Nurse, the 6 to 4 favourrite, trailed the fierce pace set by the New Zealand-bred for most of the two mile race. Brendon’s Road (40 to 1) took second place in the race for the second time in three years. Bunker Hill c.ossed the line third, but after an inquiry by the stewards, the English champion hurdler, Comedy of Errors, was officially placed third. Bunker Hill was relegated to fourth. At Kempton Park, near LonI don, on Boxing Day the New Zealand hurdler, Paemako Prince, led the field in the two mile Williams Hill Christmas Hurdle until bungling the third last fence. He then drifted out of the race finishing unplaced behind Lanzarote. Paemako Prince, which has won 13 races in New Zealand, was having his first start in England Captain Christy, from Ireland, was applauded and cheered for the last two furlongs at Kempton as he romped away from Britains best chasers in the King George VI steeplechase. Captain Christy won the jumping classic by 30 lengths in a record smin 55.0 sec for the three miles.

I He won the same rare last I year, but Friday's effort was re(garded by some as his greatest i performance. ! The British racing public’s pinup jumper, Bula, was left to toil in second place with “the Captain” vaguely visible In the Kempton mist to Bula’s jockey John Francome. Captain Christy, owned by th* wife of a former New Zealander, Mr D. W. Samuel, started equal favourite at 11 to 10 with Bula.