Beaufort Steeples winner sold to Melbourne stable

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 26

Beaufort Steeples winner sold to Melbourne stable

By J. J. BOYLE Layby, winner of the Beaufort Steeplechase yesterday, is to swell the ranks of New Zealand horses racing from Melbourne stables. He will do his future racing for Mrs Leonie Ryan and Mr lan Campbell, of Melbourne. His future trainer is Neville Ryan, who moved from Auckland to Australia 15 years ago. and has a stable at Flemington, besides stud interests in Victoria. Neville Ryan came to Ric-

carton last week, took a fancy for Layby before the chestnut won the Enfield Steeplechase on Saturday, and made a successful offer for the seven-year-old. Layby won his double for the meeting for the Wingatui stable of Jock Benfell, who raced the Mellay gelding in partnership with Mr Allan Georgeson. Owen Anning, who partnered Layby in his two wins at the meeting, was confident a long wav out of

beating Arrest, the pacemaker and favourite for yesterday’s race. But he was having second thoughts when Layby was off stride on his approach to the last fence. “Fortunately he came back on to the bit quickly. By the time we landed Prince Causack and Arrest were hard at me, but my fellow rallied really well to beat them,’’ Anning said. Layby beat Arrest into second by three lengths, and Prince Causack . dropped

away into a gap of four lengths third after making a likely challenge on the inside going to the last fence.

Gold Vic, which was attempting to give the Ken Browne stable its third win for the day, had to settle for fourth. He’ settled well back, made fair headway in the back straight the last time, but could not sustain his run from the second last fence. He finished fourth in a gap of six lengths, but was never challenged for that position.