Skelton-one to go

Press, 22 April 1980, Page 26

Skelton-one to go

Cheering broke out well before the winner had reached the post in the second division of the Barratt Handicap at Blenheim yesterday. The reason was that everyone could see that High Tai and Bill Skelton were, “home and hosed,” and that brought .up the successful Levin jockey’s 1999th winning ride. Skelton kicked the Taipan II three-year-old, which carries the colours of his Levin itrainer, George Tyree, his father, Lloyd and Mr W. Young, of Wellington, clear in the first few metres and from that point onwards the others never got to grips with him. High Tai won by five lengths from Fair Rosamond, which led the chase after him all the way. The Hawera - trained Double You Em, which Peter Moseley prepares for a four-

sided syndicate, turned in a first-class performance to justify his favouritism in the first division.

Double You Em missed the jump and when the scramble for positions was over he was the tail-ender. Dianne Moseley was able to make only slight progress with the Double Nearco colt before the home turn, but a brilliant late run along the inner carried him to victory in the last stride. Double You Em got up to beat Grand Rosso, which led into the last 100 m, by half a head, and the Riccartontrained Bilberry was involved in the finish too, only half a neck away. The combination of Double You Em and High Tai returned $11.60 in the oncourse double. The concession, with Fair Rosamond, was worth $4.55.