SPORTING £250,000 Changed Hands Over A.J.C. Derby

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1948, Page 7

SPORTING £250,000 Changed Hands Over A.J.C. Derby

More than £250,000 changed hands at Randwick last Saturday when the Victorian colt. Carbon Copy won a disputed photo decision over, the New Zealand-bred Vagabond in the A.J.C. Derby. Betting oh the race was the heaviest in the past 30 or 40 years, both in the weeks preceding the race and on the course. Three bookmakers were able to make £20,000 volumes on the evefit, while the totalisator handled £26,000 on the race.

It is generally estimated that ten times as much money is bet in the ring and off the course than on the totalisator. Owner F. G. Spurway backed Vagabond to win £25.000 Suprise of the race was the z game effort by Foxzami, Vagabond’s stablemate. Usually ridden from behind, Foxzami went to the front and set a bold pace. D. Munro had Vagabond nicely placed trailing him all the way, and most poeple thought that once he had made the pace for Vagabond Foxzami would drop out of the race. However, he settled down to his work in the straight under hard riding by W. Fellows, a heavy jockey who does not get much riding but makes the best of his opportunities. When Vagabond tackled Foxzami coming to the furlong, Foxzami battled on really well, and weakened only in the last few strides. Meanwhile Carbon Copy, who had been pulled wide at the turn after being in the middle of the field, began a brilliant finishing burst which carried him to an astounding victory in the last stride. A hundred yards from home Carbon Copy was still

three lengths or so from the pair in front, who were finishing particularly well, but Breasley rode with tremendous determination and just got there. Some supporters of the favorite, Royal Andrew, w6re inclined to criticise jockey A. Mully after, the colt had been beaten into fifth position. Mully was unable to get a run through on the turn, -where Munro held Vagabond close in to Foxzami and Royal Andrew was cramped for rcom. Eventually when he did get clear, he did not come on nearly as solidly as Carbon Copy, and ’it is doubtful if he would have run a place in any case. Ungar and Clement were never possibilities. Another disappointment was Bernbrook, who could not muster up his usual finishing burst at the end of the mile and a half. Bold Duke and Snowstream were outclassed.

Grey T.C. Nominations Nominations for the Greymouth Trotting Club’s spring meeting to be held on October 23 and 25, will close on Monday at 8 p.m.