Regal City makes it eight

Press, 28 November 1988, Page 36

Regal City makes it eight

Special correspondent Auckland Since starting out nearly 40 years ago, the veteran Matamata owner, Alan Schaare, has raced many good gallopers, one of them an Auckland Cup winner. But none, surely as consistent as Regal City. From 24 starts Regal City has had eight wins, the latest and most valuable being in Saturday’s $lOO,OOO Lion Red Stakes, at Ellerslie. The four-year-old gelding, bred by his owner, by Licorice Stick from Gay City, claims 12 minor placings and stake earnings of $138,885. Next Saturday, along with others of Jim Gibbs’ team, he will be at Pukekohe trying for another big prize in the $lOO,OOO Counties Cup, this time over 2050 m. Alan Schaare recalls well his first winner, a gelding named Brazen Arrow, in a hurdles race at Paeroa in September, 1951. But even before then he had bought into Regal City’s family with the purchase of the broodmare First Duchess, a daughter t of the Austra-lian-bred Elope.

Gay City, which died the year after foaling Regal City, was by Copsale and a great granddaughter of Elope. First Duchess was a prolific producer, so was Elope, one of her progeny being a St Leger winner at Ellerslie, Silver Sam, by Silver-Stick. Mr Schaare bred his Auckland Cup winner too, Bright Chief, in 1968, but on different lines, by Red Mars from Nataua. As far as he has gone Regal City loses not a scrap by comparison with Bright Chief. The way he ran out the weight-for-age 1600 m of the Lion Red Stakes, up alonside the pacemaker Catering King, all of 300 m from the finish, then battling so hard for his narrow win, encouraged hopes he would manage 2000 m and perhaps an even longer course. Regal City was the third favourite and the leastbacked of three horses in the Lion Red Stakes trained by Gibbs who, with Savana City, third, and Field Chief fifth, then promoted to fourth, went close to getting the quinella and even the trifecta. The promotion of Field

Dancer and, from sixth to fifth, Shahzamani, was brought about by St James veering wide in the home straight. On his wayward course St James, which came in fourth, took the lines of both Shahzamani and Field Dancer. A protest by the rider of Shahazamani, John Hayes, was upheld by the judicial committee which relegated St James to sixth and suspended his rider, Jim Collett, until December 2. The committee directed, also, that St James trial to the satisfaction of a stipendiary steward before racing again at Ellerslie. Regal City ran his 1600 m in a smart 1:35.37 and Her Royal Highness, when completing the double with the Superliquorman Sprint, returned an equally creditable 1:9.46 for the 1200 m. Her Royal Highness, a good-looking four-year-old mare by Imposing from Eustaci, had been competing in class three. As a concession to her trying class one in Saturday’s race she was given the minimum weight of 51kg and this was further reduced by her apprentice

rider, Paul den Hertog, claiming 3kg. Her Royal Highness set a strong pace and looked as though she would be severely tested when Spring Easy drew almost ' alongside around the home turn. But once into line Spring Easy spoilt his chance by going wide. Her Royal Highness carried on gamely, to win by a length and a quarter. A half-sister of Sirstaci, Her Royal Highness was bought as a yearling at Claudelands by her trainer, Graeme Rogerson, who holds a share still in the ownership. She took a little while to develop but has now had four starts as a four-year-old for two wins, a second and a third. Already she is beginning to look a chance for one of the rich summer sprints, perhaps a Concorde or Railway. Den Hertog, aged 18, handled his mount with plenty of assurance, looking again a most promising young rider. Austra-lian-born, with eight wins now to his credit, he is serving his apprenticeship with Roger Lang, at Cambridge.