WANGANUI GUINEAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25951, 18 September 1945, Page 7

WANGANUI GUINEAS

WINNER’S FINE PERFORMANCE (Special) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. Royal Raider won the Wanganui Guineas in the first furlong of Saturday’s race. His rider and trainer, P. Spratt, was alive to the great advantage of the No. 1 position which he drew at the barrier, and exploited it to the full. Since the Wanganui course was reconstructed it is now a little more than one mile round, and the Guineas was started from a temporary barrier about 100 yards from the turn out of the front straight. A trestle was erected well out on the track, so that the field lined up towards the outside fence, thus giving a quick beginner drawn in close a big advantage. Spratt bounced Royal Raider out brilliantly and was three lengths clear before most of the riders of the other horses had gathered their reins, and the initial advantage thus gained stood the winner in good stead. For his part Royal Raider answered every question. He made all the pace, fought off a hot challenge from Gigli, and won in solid style in lmin 41 3-ssec, which was a good gallop on a wet track that was cutting out. The connections of Gigli have no reason for disappointment over the first effort of the Defoe colt as a three-year-old. When Royal Raider opened up his early break on the field Gigli was left the virtual pacemaker for the others, and he beat them pointlessly, being the only runner to make any impression on the winner. He battled on well under pressure. Lord Coronach’s presence in the Guineas field was in the nature of an experiment, and the manner in which he finished on to reach third place, though three lengths from the first two. would give his owner much satisfaction. Lord Coronach has been afflicted in the wind, and the misty and showery conditions prevailing were not the most suitable for a horse under such & handicap. Any chance Al-Sirat had in the Wanganui classic was extinguished at the start. He drew the outside position beside Brown Derby, and was hindered in the early exchanges, with the result that he was a dozen lengths from the leader at the end of the first furlong. He made a quick move forward on the turn to trail Royal Raider and Gigli into the straight, but he was not forward enough in condition to run his race out, and was equal fifth at the post with Yandra.