WINTON COMMENT

Evening Star, Issue 25708, 4 February 1946, Page 3

WINTON COMMENT

ROYAL LANCER'S RETURN CRINKLE'S SURPRISE (Special.) INVERCARGILL, Feb. 2. The return to the winning list of Royal Lancer in the "Winton Cup Handicap was the highlight of the racing at the Winton Jockey Club's meeting. Now trained at Riverton by J. Thistleton, Royal Lancer showed much of the dash which characterised his efforts at the p#ak of his career, and. he proved much too good for the field he met to-day. His success was anticipated, as he was sent out a firm favourite. Crinkle upset calculations by beating the sprinters in the Flying Handicap but he had nothing to spare from the veteran Fleet Street, who went under by the narrowest of margins. Several good double figure dividends were recorded during the day. Black Forest paid more the £46 for winning the second division of the Otapiri Trot; Crinkle's win dividend exceeded £l6. Wild Cry more than £l7 and Stealing Castle better than £ll. The racing was of an interesting character throughout and was held under ideal weather conditions. , . Royal Lancer returned to the winning list by scoring in the Winton Cup in decisive style. He was given a great ovation on returning to scale. Royal Lancei was the first to show out. but he was steadied and Great Coon and Good Cast went on in the lead They raced through the straight togethei ahead of Red Prize and Royal Lancer, with The Raker and Pride of Mossburn at the rear. Racing into the back Good Cast, on the rails, and Great "Coon were together ahead of Red 'Prize and Royal Lancer. At the five furlong post the two leaders were still clear, and The Raker and Pride of Mossburn moved up on. the outer of Itoyai Lancer. Red Prize began to drop out at the three, and into the straight Great C:- : m had charge from Good Cast, with Royal Lancer on the.

rails, and Pride of Mossburn and Tha Raker handy. Royal Lancer came' through on the inner inside the distance and he came on to win decisively by a length and a-half. Good Cast I finished on again to beat Great Coon by half a length for second, with Pride of Mossburn two lengths further back, fourth, and The Raker close up fifth. Sprint to Crinkle. There was a good finish to the Flying Handicap, in which Crinkle hung on long enough to beat Fleet Street by a nose. Combat missed the jump out, and at the end of a furlong Ring Chief had taken charge x from Green Note, with Fleet Street handy and Crinkle and Lyndall two lengths back at the head of the others. Ring Chief was two lengths clear across the top, where Sing Sing had made up some ground. At the home turn Ring Chief was stlil in charge from Fleet Street, Crinkle (who had made a fast move on the outer), Green Note, and Sing Sing. Crinkle carried on to take charge at the straight entrance, where he was clear of Fleet Street, Ring Chief (dropping out), Sing Sing, and Green Note. Over the last furlong Crinkle was challenged by Fleet Street, but the last-named failed by a nose to get up. Sing Sing was a fair third ahead of Green Note (fourth) and Lyndall, who was always well back in the field. Wild Cry Easily.

There was another upset in the Benmore Handicap when Wild Cry led practically from end to end to return a win dividend of more than £l7. Fuzzy Wuzzy dropped to the rear immediately the field jumped away, and Sunny Course and Wild Cry led out of the straight from Burnbrae, Eriskay, and Diamond Duke. Wild Cry had taken charge at the seven, and he was three lengths clear of Sunny Course into the back, where Eriskay, Burnbrae, Diamond Duke, and Young Monanui were the handiest of the others. Wild Cry maintained' his lead of three lengths across the top, where Eriskay had moved into second place and Burnbrae had headed Sunny Course, with Diamond Duke and Fairy Special doing best of the others. Wild Cry was still two lengths clear into the straight from .Burnbrae, Ei-is-kay, Sunny Course, Young Monanui, and Fuzzy Wuzzy (who began to make up some ground from the rear). Burnbrae was the only one to throw out a challenge in the run home, but he had no chance with Wild Cry, who stayed on to win hy one and a-half lengths. Eriskay was a similar distance back third, and the next to finish were Sunny Course (fourth). Fuzzy Wuzzy, and Young Monanui.

Wantwood In Form. Wantwood made no race of the Awarua Handicap over the last fvrlong. Secret Course, Ellon and Merry Lancer were the last to jump out. Sailor's Pal was the first to break the line from Wantwood, Linloch, Divorced, and Kai Pai. At the half mile Sailor's Pal was a length clear of Merry Lancer, who had moved up fast, Kai iPai ; . Wantwood and Divorced, while • Linloch dropped back to the rear. The order was the same at the home turn, and Sailor's Pal was first into the straight from Merry Lancer, Kai Pai (wide out), and Wantwood. The field spread across the track inside the distance, where Sailor's Pal was beaten, and Merry Lancer, Kai Pai, and Wantwood began to show out, while Ellon and Divorced put in an appearance on the inner. Wantwood came on to win decisively _by a length and a-half from Kai Pai, who heat Merry Lancer by half a head for second. Sailor's Pal was close up fourth, ahead of Ellon, Divorced, and Linloch.

Filibeg All the Way, Filibeg made all the running in the Winton Steeplechase Handicap and he dfd • not give the others a chance. Filibeg was in charge at the stand double the first time where .Shantyman, • Paper Whistle, Bonnie Simper, and Sister Modesta were running in close order. Paper Whistle hit the sod wall and lost a lot of ground. The field had strung out racing down the hack, where Filibeg was four lengths clear of Sister Modesta, with Bonnie Simper, Shantyman, and Safelight at the head of the others. Racing over the s'tand double the second time, Filibeg was holding his lead from Sister Modssta, Bonnie Simper, Shantyman, Safelight, and Sergeant Major. Bonnie Simper raced into second place behind Filibeg racing into the back, where Sister Modesta began to lose ground, and Shantyman, Safelight and Sergeant Major were handiest of the others. Filibeg: increased his lead across the top and at the home turn he was 20 lengths clear of Bonnie Simper, who could make no impression on him, with Sister Modesta, Shantyman, and Sergeant Major well strung out. Filibeg was not challenged, and he came on to win by 100yds from Bonnie Simper, 'who lasted long enough to hold off Sergeant Major's late challenge by half a l ength. Sister Modesta was fourth, ahead of Shantyman. Geniality ran off at the second of the stand double with a mile to go. Starlee was the smartest to jump out in the Trial Plate, and he was not afterwards headed. Perusha and Eleanor Star were slow away. At the end of a furlong Starlee was clear of Lindy Lou, Kassai, Norse Lass, Sir Garnish, and Straight Flight. icross the top Starlee was a length dear of Lindy Lou, with two lengths back to. Kassi and Norse Lass and Sir Garnish at the head of the others. Lou joined Starlee in the lead at the home turn, and they led Sir Garnish, Kassai, Norse Lass, and Eleanor Star. Ln the run home Starlee and Lindy Lou were challenged by Norse Lass and Kassai.. Starlee stayed on to beat Norse Lass by three-quarters of a length, with Kassai close up third. The next to finish were Lindy Lou (fourth)., Sir Garnish, Patmos, arid Eleanor Star. Patmos was never a possibility and was always well back in the field.