MELBOURNE RACING

Evening Star, Issue 26041, 4 March 1947, Page 3

MELBOURNE RACING

GAY QUEEN WINS NEWMARKET MELBOURNE, March 3. Rain during the night made the track heavy for the opening day of the Victoria Racing Club’s Autumn,Meeting. ' The rain stopped at mid-day, and the attendance was satisfactory. With 33 starters in the Newmarket Handicap the race; was regarded as one of the most open important races for years.- Betting took a very wide range. *lt resulted in a most exciting finish, and it was not -until a photo was developed that the judge was able to 1 announce the result. This, showed that' Gay Queen had defeated Reperio by half a head, with Four Freedoms a close third. Gay Queen is little more than a pony, but she has been running consistently. Heavy going was in her favour, and she fought out the finish very gamely. Reperio and Four Freedoms were placed in the Newmarket last year. On that occasion Four Freedoms was defeated by Bernborough by half a head,. with Reperio third. There was strong support for the exNew Zealander High Play, but he was never dangerous. In winning the F.ssendon Stakes Flight became the greatest stake Winning mare in Australia. She has now won £30,202-and passed Tranquil Star, who until to-day held that position with £29,690. Following are the results : >. PINES HURDLE iRAOE, 2m. ,

Spa Water, 12.0 OR. Elder) ... 1 Ruthless, 9.0 (H. Lee) ... ' 2 Kookoburra, 8.12 (B. Smith) . ‘ 3 Seven starters. Six lengths) a neck. Time, 3.474. - SIRES’ PRODUCE STAKES, £3,000 and subscription of ! £5 each ,by owners of thoroughbred sires;' second £6OO, third £3OO. The nominator of the, sire of the winner £IOO from the stake. 7f. Chanak, 8.10 (A, Breasley) ... ... 1

Cronides, 8.10 (W. Williamson) ... 2 Sovereign,,B.lo (G.‘ Moqre) ... ... 3 Seven starters. Jalna and Shading made the earlv running, followed by Chanak. In the straight Chanak went right away to win by four lengths, with three lengths between second and third. Time, 1.29 4-5,

ESSENDEN STAKES, £1,500; second £3OO and third £15,0 from ' the stake. Weight-lfor-age. 11m. Flight, 8.13 (J. O’Sullivan) ... ... 1 Attley, 9.0 (J. Purtell) ..." ... 2 Silver Rocks, 9.6 (J. Crilley) A ... 3 Six starters. Flight led all the way and won by half a length and six lengths. Time* 2.8. j

NEWMARKET HANDICAP, £2,600; second £250 and third £l6O, front the stake. 6f. ' . 13 Gay Queen, 7.10 (H.i Badger). , -I, Reperio, 8.10 (V. Hartney) ... ... 2, Four Freedoms, 8.6 (S. Ralph) /3. Thirty-three starters: The.: field spread right across the track.' The early leaders appeared to be . Fine Fettle, Victory Lad, Kind Link, Glenfern, and Gay Queen. At the two furlongs Gay Queen led from Repericf. Kind Link, Four Freedoms, and -El Grandee. In' a great finish Gay Queen won by half a head from Reperio,, with Four Freedoms half a length away. Kind Link was- a neck away fourth and La Patrice last. Time, 1.15 J.

ST. LEGER STAKES, £2,500; “second £SOO and third £256 from the stake. lfm. . Amelia, 8.7 ! (H. Badger) ’ 1 Star Act, 8,10 (A. Breasley) - ... 2 Skyrocks, 8.1 (W. Williamson): ... 3 Four starters. Three lengths; a length. Tftjie, 3.10. . ... . ■ MARCH NURSERY, . £700; second £l4O and third £7O from the C + olrQ fiF • Helicon, 7:13 (J. Purtell) 1 Talon, 7:6 (D. Smart) ...2 Verey Light, 7.7 :(N: McGrowdie) i 3 Twenty-eight starters.; A head'each way. Time, 1.175. FLEMINGTON HANDICAP, £l/250; second £250 and third £125 from the stake, ljm. Ellipsis, 8.11 (H. Badger) ... 1 Codicil, 8.7 (G. Moore) ... 2 Flash of Fire, 7.10 (J. Purtell) ... 3 Fourteen starters. Half a head; half a length. Time, 3.4 j. ’.