ROYAL SCHOLAR REGISTERED FIRST WIN OF CAREER

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 May 1948, Page 3

ROYAL SCHOLAR REGISTERED FIRST WIN OF CAREER

Though he was only third favourite in Hie field of seven contesting the Adarnson Steeplechase at Hawera on Saturday, Royal Scholar’s success was popularly received by patrons, who were not slow in showing their appreciation of the game bid for honours which the Rhodes Scholar gelding had made. Now th "t he has broken the ice. Royal Scholar may go on to add some of the more important 'chases to his credit.

One aspect of the result. ’which might not have been immediately | ippreeiated by spectators was’ the first win for Royal Sehoiar in ' five seasons on the turf. Commencing at three years old. Royal Scholar contested four races and since then lie had lined up for thirty events before taking on the Adamson Steeplechase to score an overdue success.

It was not till he was a five-year-I old that Royal Scholar made any , return for the outlay incurred in his : purchase, that being when, at his ieighth start in the 1J45-46 season, he finished second to Water Flight in ; the Eltham Highweight at the Stratford meeting. That placing earned 160 for his owner, Mr. J. Taylor, who afterwards disposed of the Rhodes Scholar gelding to the Waitara owner-trainer J. Marsh. For his new owner, Royal Scholar maintained his run of unplaced performances till, at his last start of the season, he finished fourth in the Waverley Steeplechase. well behind Colonel Bogey, who was ten lengths behind Gay Rouen and Master Irani is. Last season. Royal Scholar did a good deal better, though a winning bracket still eluded him. In seven starts he was five times runner-up, earning in all 1820. At his first start he was second to Mamaku in the Trial Hunters’ Steeplechase at the combined hunt clubs’ meeting at New Plymouth, following that up with a similar placing behind Old Joe in the Hack and Hunters’ Steeples at Marton. When the jumping season opened in the following winter Royal Scholar finished second to Kilmanagh in the Adamson Steeplechase at Hawera, just a yea' ago. He then went on to Trentluim, where he was runner-up to Royal Writ in the Mariri Hack and Hunters’ Steeples and also in the July Steeplechase The latter effort earned his owner-trainer £5OO, which was £l5O more than first place in the Adamson Steeplechase last Saturday. It was rather a coincidence that Royal Scholar should reverse last year’s placing in the Adamson Steeplechase, as this time he beat Kilmanagh by half a length. The previous Saturday he had given an indication that he was not far short of top form when he finished on strongly in fifth place in the Egmont Steeplechase, and many keen judges of form were not surprised when he improved to win last Saturday Royal Scholar is from the Royal Divorce mare, Miss Royal whose dam. Late Bloom, was by Rangitiro from Desert Rose, by Wolawa from imported Florigold, by Florizel 11. The Rhodes Scholar gelding was well handled by the Wanganui horseman, N. McKinnon, who timed his run perfectly and was able to get the best out of his mount in the final furlong. Now that Royal Scholar has proved that ’chasing is his metier he should prove capable of adding to his record.