Rosslare Registers Best Win of Career In Easter Handicap

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27058, 18 April 1949, Page 3

Rosslare Registers Best Win of Career In Easter Handicap

Special to Daily Times

AUCKLAND, Apl. 17. The six-year-old mare Rosslare registered the best performance of her career when she won the £SOOO Easter Handicap, the principal event on the first day of the Auckland Racing Club’s autumn meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday. She was 10/9 in the betting, paying just above a score to win and a relatively small price for a place. She is the first mare to win the Easter Handicap since Bright Glow succeeded in 1929. Swanee, even less fancied than the winner, ran a good race for second and the nine-year-old top-weight, Sleepy Fox, was third.

The crovd began to cheer when Sleepy Fox ran vp on the outside of the leaders on the home turn, but he probably made his effor: too early, and was unable to cope wi;h the lighter-weighter Rosslare and Swanee in the run home. Sleepy Fox was gallant in defeat, and he is still Auckland's favourite racehorse. The course was slow after rain earlier in the week, but it improved as the day progressed. The attendance was 33.000, or 1000 more than on the corresponding day in 1948 Brilliant Finishing Run It was with a brilliant finishing run that Rosslare won the Easter Handicap. She simply smothered the leaders in the last furlong, and won going away by a length. The race was run at a fast pace considering the state of the going, and in the circumstances it was not surprising that the early leaders tired quickly near the end, especially as the first five furlongs were run in lmin lscc. Lord Revel, Regality, Hunting Rua and King's Ransom were among the first to show out from a good start, Lord Revel. Regality, Shirley Fox, and Angeline being the leaders after two furlongs from Hunting Rua, King’s Ransom, Coonbridge, Rizzio, Rosslare, and Sleepy Fox. On the home turn Shirley Fox began to lose ground, and Sleepy Fox ran up on the outside to join Regality and Angeline in the lead ahead of Shirley Fox, Lord Revel, King’s Ransom, and Rizzio. Sleepy Fox was just in front commencing the last furlong when he was closely attended by Revel and King's Ransom. It was then that Rosslare dashed through, and she soon accounted for the leaders to win by a length from Swanee who came home well from a long way back. Sleepy'Fox was another length and three-quarters way third, just heating King's Ransom, who was fairly wide out. Lord Revel was fifth, with Fifth Note and Angeline close up ahead of Rizzio, Regality, Tiger Tan and Swift Robin. The favourite, Demonic, became hopelessly placed early, and was never a possibility. The second fancy, Rizzio, had every chance, and so did Coonbridge. Both were well placed to the turn, and failed to improve their positions in the run home.

MANGERE STEEPLECHASE, Of £750. About two miles and a-half. 1/2—Lucky Alex, 10.10 (B. Borcham) 1 2/I—Greek Comet, 9.12 (R. Gibbs) .. 2 5/4—Murphy, 9,10 (J. Jenkins) .. .. 3 Also started: 3/6 Battle Royal, 6/G Glenfayle, 8/8 Scale, 11/9 Rich Mint, 7/6 Race Chum (fell) 9/11 Majuba (pulled up), 10/10 British Talent (fell), 13/14 Hazsoult (fell), 12/12 Broiefort Prince, 14/13 Diana’s Choice (pulled up), 4/5 Ramus. Ten lengths, neck. Rich Mint was fourth. Time, smin ssec. ONSLOW STAKES, Of £750. Two-year-olds. Six furlongs. 7/7 —Spellbound, car. 1.2\ (A. Messervy) 1 5/5 —Gay' Sari, car. 8.0 (W. J. Broughton) 2 4/4 —Bui Bahadur, 8.4 (R. Brown) .. 3 Also started: 1/1 Lady Be True, 2/2 Nionyx, 3/3 Meretana, 9/9 Dark Treasure, 14/14 Velia, 20/10 Sleepy Duke, 7/6 Sanila, Biassed and Matiene (bracketed). 17/16 Slow Red, 8/9 Picardy, 16/17 Knight Pilgrim, 6/7 Black Melody (bracketed with Spellbound), 15/15 Spokesman, 11/11 Regal Air, 13/13 Royal Nib and Kittyshaw (bracketed). 12/12 Courtavia and Desire (bracketed). One length and a half, nose. Nionyx was fourth. Time, lmin Msec PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, Of £ISOO. One mile and a-quarter. 6/5 —Forth Bridge, 7.8 (A. Leatham) 1 4/3 —Conspiracy, 9.5 (J. Taylor) .. .. 2 2/2—Redingote, 7.2 (R. Caddy) .. .. 3 Also started: 1/1 Valley Boy, 7/9 Frontier Mac, 9/8 Earldale, 15/15 Rating, 10/10 Prince Rana, 5/6 Folkestone. 3/4 Caber Fae, 12/12 Silver Dan, 11/11 Golden Secret, 8/7 Foxiable, 15/15 Niloch, 16/16 General March, 13/13 Beau Rosa and Mountain, Glory (bracketed), 1 17/17 Antonio. Two lengths, length and a-half . Frontier Mac was fourth. Time, 2min 7 3-ssec.

Lady’s Bridge in Form After failing to win, and running somewnat disappointingly in the hack class earlier in the season Lady’s Bridge scored her first success as aUh ree ’y car -°ld when she ran right away from the opposition in the last furlong of the Great Northern Oaks. Idle Jest and Monica made the running, and they were still together in front entering the straight from Lady Finis, Lady’s Bridge, Regal Gem, Fairy Fox and Challenger. Below the furlong post Lady’s Bridge came to the front, and she strode away to score effortlessly by seven lengths from Challenger, who came home solidly to beat Robin’s Gem by two lengths and a-half. 1 Mignonette, after being second to last with a mile to go, stayed on best of the others for fourth ahead of Monica, Idle Jest and Fairy Fox. The champion two-year-old, Gold Script, outclassed his rivals in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, running right away in the last furlong and winning by nine lengths. Nothing had a chance with Gold Script in the straight, and he streaked ahead to score from Epsom Boy, who finished just a little better than Tudor Prince, to beat him by three parts of a length fftr second. Good Century was right up fourth and might have been second only for being squeezed for room near the post. Silver Birch was fifth, followed by Lord Foxbridge and Stanfred. The success of Forth Bridge in the President’s Handicap was achieved in easy fashion. She made the running with Niloch, and came away in the straight to score by two lengths from Conspiracy, who came hogie solidly. Redingote held on for third another length and a-half away.