Racing REDCRAZE BEATEN

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28263, 29 April 1957, Page 5

Racing REDCRAZE BEATEN

Failure At Randwick

(N.Z. Press Association Copyright) SYDNEY, April 29 Redcraze yesterday suffered his second odds-on defeat in his last three starts. The champion New Zealand horse took second place in the £5OOO Queen Elizabeth Stakes to the long-shot Empire Link, which led from start to finish with the clever guidance of his jockey, Neville Sellwood .

Redcraze’s failure, at 9/4 on, was estimated to have cost Randwick backers about £25,000. Empire Link, 20/1. scored by threequarters of a length from Redcraze, with Mac’s Amber, 12/1, hanging on well to fill the minor placing. Redcraze’s old rival. Sailor’s Guide, was fourth. The New Zealand-bred Monte .Carlo was fifth, the Sydney Cup winner, Electro, was sixth, and the Melbourne Cup'winner, Evening Peal, was seventh and last. The connexions of Empire Link said after the race they had set the horse for the mile and threequarters Queen Elizabeth Stakes some weeks ago, believing Redcraze and Sailor's Guide would be tired after their clashes in the Melbourne and Sydney carnivals Because of this they gave Empire Link only one run at the Sydney carnival—he was third to Redcraze and Sailor’s Guide in the Autumn Stakes—to keep him at his top for yesterday’s event. His trainer, Maurice McCarten, said Empire link was an "iron horse” which thrived on racing. He has not been spelled since last August. Yesterday Sellwood jumped Empire Link off smartly at the barrier, and Lie was never headed. A mid-race sprint from the mile post to the six-furlong post stole the prize for the winner. Redcraze, nine lengths behind Empire Link in third place at that stage, had too much ground to make up, and although ne came with a dash two furlongs from home, he could not sustain the effort. “He was not the Redcraze of old,’ commented the jockey, Arthur Ward, afterwards. “I thought he had a chance coming to the last furlong, but he did’nt go on with it.” Redcraze will now be sent to Brisbane for his winter spell. Empire Link will also go to Brisbane—for the carnival staying races. N.Z. Horses Win

New Zealand horses won three races at Rand wick yesterday—Arganda the Rous Handicap, Franlyle the Dangar High-weight Handicap, and Cambridge the Final Handicap. Arganda, 3/1, landed a spectacular gamble but gave her backers some anxious moments ny only managing to get up in the last stride and win by a head. Franlyle, 10 to 1, gave the New Zealand jockey, R. J- Skelton, his second winning ride in five oays. Cambridge, backed from 8 to 1 to 6 to 1, won the Final Handicap well for rider N. McGrowdie. The New Zealand horse. Decisive, ridden by Skelton, was 3/1 favourite for the race, but although he was third into the straight, he ran erratically down the outside of the field in the straight and finished seventh.

Results: — ADRIAN KNOX STAKES, Of £5OOO. Three-year-old fillies. One mile and a half. SANDARA (Sandastre (Fr.)— Aloof) 8-7 .. ..A. Ward 1 Lady Orator 3-7 .. A. Mulley 2 Jinks 8-7 .. .. N. Sellwood 3 Seven started. Ten lengths: length and a half. Time, 2min 20 3-ssec. Betting 5/4 on. 5/2, 7/1. ROUS HANDICAP, Of £ll6O. Six furlongs ARGANDA (Hello Peter (imp.)— Venezia) 8-5 .. A. Mulley 1 Reign 7-4 .. .. J. O'Sullivan 2 Criollo 7-8 .. .. R. Williams 3 Ten started. _ „ _ Head; head. Time, Imin 11 2-ssec. Betting: 3/1. 13/2, 11/2. QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES, Of £5OOO. Weight-for-age. One mile and three-quarters. EMPIRE LINK (Helios (imp.)— Wynunda) 9-0 .. N. Sellwood 1 Redcraze 9-3 .. •• A. y^ ard ~ Mac’s Amber 9-0 .. W. Cook 3 Seven starters. Three-quarters of a length; length and three-quarters. Time, 2mm 5b 9-10 sec. Betting: 20/1, 9/4 on, 12/1. DANGAR HIGH-WEIGHT, Of £1283. Seven furlongs. FRANLYLE (White Heather (imp.)—First Round) 9-7 R. J. Skelton 1 Fairv Dream 8-10 .. B. Howlett 2 Blue Charger 8-4 .. G. Howard 3 Eighteen starters. Half a length; half a length. Time, Imin 23 4-ssec. Betting: 10/1, 16/1, 6/1. FINAL HANDICAP, Of £1197. One mile and a quarter. CAMBRIDGE (Foxbridge (imp.)— Sival) 7-6 .. N. McGrowdie 1 Lycidas 7-9 -. •• B -_ Moo s ? Co Supreme 8-4 .. G. Howard 3 Ten starters. , ~ , , Length and a half; half a head. Time. 2min 4 l-10sec. Betting: 6/1, 3/1, 6/1.

CRITICISM OF R. J. SKELTON

Randwick Crowd Jeers

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, April 28. The New Zealand jockey, R. J Skelton, was cheered in one race and jeered in the next at Randwick yesterday. Skelton, criticised by Australian racegoers several times, rode the New Zealand horse, Franlyle, 10-1, to its second win at the Sydney carnival in the Dangar High-weight Handicap. The Sydney "Sun-Herald” racing writer said Skelton rode a "copybook race,” but 40 minutes later the toasting turned to a roasting. In the Final Handicap, Skelton had the New Zealand horse. Decisive, 3 to 1 favourite, in third place coming into the straight, .but the gelding then veered badly and finished seventh in the field of 10.

The stewards interviewed Skelton immediately after the race, and the chairman. Mr P. J. Bartley, told the jockey he had made no attempt to keep Decisive straight, and "gave a very poor exhibition of riding.” Skelton said he made no attempt to stop Decisive veering because "he is a dead puller” and “has no feeling in his mouth at all.” Mr Bartley told Skelton to make greater efforts to control his horses, as “we don’t want you finishing under the judges’ box.”