CONFIDENCE JUSTIFIED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 16, 19 January 1940, Page 9

CONFIDENCE JUSTIFIED

LINES OF CU? WINNER AND RUNNER-UP LOVELORN’S DESCENDANTS GLADYNEV’S RISE FROM MAIDEN RANKS It is not often that the favourite wins one of the leading handicap events of the season’s racing in the Dominion, but yesterday Old Bill justified the confidence that has been displayed in his chances of winning the Wellington Centennial Cup ever since the weights were issued. He was the public choice on the totalisators, and won after a desperate duel with the second favourite, Beau Vite, the result proving that the public was right on the mark in summing up the issue. Splendidly handled by G. R. Tattersail, Old Bi!' was never far away from the leaders, jumping out well and then settling down to follow Laughing Lass past the stands, where Globe Trotter, Beau Vite, Centrepoise, Gladynev, Mishna, Queen of Song, Mona’s Song, Tooley Street, Moorsotis Lady Montana, Sly Fox and R<yal Chief were prominent among the remainder of the field of twenty-six. Mishna ran up very fast as they swung round into the back stretch, and a mile from home he joined Laughing Lass, with Old Bill just behind them and Beau Vite next, followed by Gladynev, Globe Trotter, Centrepoise, Tooley Street, Queen of I Song, Lady Montana, and Sly Fox, the I last three at this stage being TideI waiter, Windsor Chief and Fils de | Vais. Tattersall did not wait much longer to assume command, and at the five furlongs Old Bill held a clear ! lead f rom Laughing Lass, Gladynev, ! Raeburn (who had run up fast), Beau Vite, Malagigi (the first time he had become prominent), Globe Trotter and Centrepoise. Thus they ran down to the half-mile, raced across the top, and swung round the bend into the straight. Once in line for the judge Beau Vite came through to challenge Old Bill, and Gladynev also appeared on the scene, Laughing Lass dropping out of the picture. At the false rail Beau Vite was almost on terms with Old Bill and it was seen that, barring accidents, the issue would be between these two. but Gladynev was also going weli and Beau Repaire came through with a determined late challenge. Old Bill and Beau Vite staged a thrilling finish, their riders getting I every ounce out of their mounts with 1 the whip, and in spite of the fact that Old Bill appeared to attempt to savage Beau Vite fifty yards off the post, the favourite realised that he had a serious job ahead of him and I won a magnificent race by a head. ' Gladynev was two lengths away, just in front of Beau Repaire, with Thermi- | dor, Moorsotis, Queen of Song, and | Centrepoise next, the last three to I finish being Malagigi, Sly Fox and Beaupartir. Bred By Owner. 11l view of the importance of the event, it is pleasing to note that Old Bill carries the colours of his breeder, Mr. H. H. Pharazyn, a well-known Hawke's Bay sportsman, for whom Lovematch won the 1921 Wanganui Cup. Liaison, dam of Old Bill, also gave the turf those consistent performers Quadroon and Florence Mills (both by Nigger Minstrel), and she was mated with Siegfried (sire of the Melbourne Cup winner Wotan) to produce Old Bill. Liaison was by Lord Quex froifi the Martian—Love-

lorn mare Lovematch, and it is one of lhe outstanding families of the New Zealand turf, for Lovelorn was the dam of Nones (Wanganui Guineas), Menelaus (New Zealand Cup), Lovematch (Wanganui and Hawke’s Bay Cups), Left (dam of Wotan, Peter Jackson and Gaine and Dominant (dam of Beau Vite), Old Bill is reported to have undergone a special preparation for the Centennial Cup at the hands of T. L. Wilson, the Awapuni trainer, who has placed him well this season, winning the Wainui Handicap at Trentham last spring, and the Awapuni Handi--1 cap at the Manawatu meeting on Boxing Day, his only start at that meeting. Last season Old Bill won . the Feilding Cup, and in five starts - ■ this season he has had three wins, including yesterday’s success, a third and one fourth placing. Beau Vite must be accorded a fair ! share of the honours of the race, for he was meeting Old Bill on 181 b < worse than weight-for-age, and only : : went under by a narrow margin. ( Bred by Mr. J. Curran, Shannon, and j ■ purchased at the yearling sales by Mr. j Ralph Stewart, of Wellington, for 900 r guineas, Beau Vite has returned his ; owner £4710 in stakes, including £6OO for yesterday’s second placing. This season he won the Canterbury Stakes ■ , and was second in ths Chelmsford ; > Stakes and A.J.C. Craven Plate before . returning to New Zealand. In three • starts at Ellerslie he went under to , . Beaulivre in the King’s Plate and i ■ then turned the tables on his rival by , defeating him in the Great Northern 1 Derby and the Clifford Plate. Gladynev, who finished third, has j ■ had a meteoric career this season, ; , and had he won he would have had ' the record of going from maiden j i company to the top of the tree, for • his first win was in the Trial Handii cap at Ellerslie early in the spring, i Following that he won the Normanby : Handicap at Ellerslie, the Te Awa- • • mutu Cup, and the Nathans’ Mem- - , orial Handicap at Ellerslie, in addition > i to being third in the Summer C*ip. i