RACING RICCARTON TRAINER’S SUCCESS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29497, 26 April 1961, Page 4

RACING RICCARTON TRAINER’S SUCCESS

Four Winners On Second Day Of Nelson Meeting The second day of the Nelson Jockey Chib’s annual meeting at Richmond Park on Monday was a highly successful one for the , Riccarton trainer, G. H. Murfltt, jun. He saddled up the winners of the last four races cm the programme. They were Payout, Hopeful, Sailorman and Pitch.

But the trophy for the leading trainer at the meeting did not go to Murfltt. It was won by T. R. Howe, of Awapuni, who campaigned Baldy, Stetson and Far Step at Nelson. Between them they gained 21 points or three wins and three seconds. The points total for Murfitt’s team was 18.

Baldy, which had been the nmner-up in both the Nelson Cup and the Newman Handicap on the first day of the meeting, gained an overdue and much deserved win in the Redwood Memorial Handicap, the principal event and first leg of the double.

The former Australian jockey, T. J. Mullane, who did all the riding of Howe's team at the meeting, adopted different tactics with Baldy than he had in the Nelson Cup when he tried for an all-the-way win. On Monday he eased Mr J. B. Mitchell’s handsome chestnut into a trailing position early in the race, dashed him through to the lead half a mile out and kept him beyond challenging distance of the others in the run home.

Baldy, a seven-year-old gelded son of Ruthless and Water Vixen, was the 2/2 favourite for a win-and-place and also second choice on the double. In a total pool of £36,841 10s he carried 10X554 10s tickets. The second leg of the double, the Tahuna Hack Handicap, was won by the consistent Riccarton-trained

stayer Sailorman. He was an odds-on favourite and with Baldy returned a double dividend Of £ll 4s for £l. There were 10,517 5a tickets on the combination. The leading jockey at the meeting waa W. D. Skelton, who earned 2# points, eight more than his nearest rival, T. 3. Mullane. During the two days Skelton rode four winners, two seconds, three thirds and a fourth, ' The meeting was held in fine weather and there was a - large attendance. The track was firm and fast On - course investments amounted to £26.085 10a, Including £3301 10s on the double. compared with £26JM on the second day last .year. The total for the meeting wm £50.786 10s, as against £50258 10s a year ago.

Easy For Badly The Awapuni galloper. Baldy, capped off some consistent form at the meeting with a weH deserved win in the Bedwood Handicap, for which he waa the second favourite of 13. Paeisana. Baity and Mighty Son ran abreast la the lead at the end of the first furlong, but after two. Mighty Son had pulled his way to the front He led into the last mile by two

lengths from Baldy. Pacisana and Carnbane shared the third line then in a similar gap ahead of Fair King, Volterra, and Ruve. Whiohau and Water Boy were next ahead of Salt Spray and Academy, and Revolver and Gaytana ran together at the rear. Mighty Son began to shorten stride half a mile from home and T. J. Mullane shot Baldy out to a two lengths lead as they started the run around the home turn. Fair King led the chase after him then in a gap of two lengths and Pacisana, Water Boy, Whiohau, and Salt Spray were closest of the others.

Although Fair King kept battling on determinedly under top-weight of 8-13 he could make no impression on the free-going Baldy in the run home and was beaten by two lengths and a half. A similar distance back there was a more spectacular finish for third. Whiohau, one of the longshots of the field, beat Water Boy for that place by a short neck. There was a head then to Paeisana and half a head to the fast finishing Revolver. The favourite, Ruve. was next, then came Salt Spray, Academy, Gaytana, Volterra, Mighty Son, and Carnbane. Odds-On Favourite Sailorman brought his record on the MarlboroughNelson circuit to three wins from as many starts when

Ihe carried top-weight of 9-0 to a narrow but convincing victory in the Tahuna Hack Handicap for which he was an odds-on favourite.

W. D. Skelton had Sailorman well positioned from the start, but when the field packed up about six furlongs and a half out he was pushed back on the inner to second last Candida, which tried for an all-the-way win, led then by a length from Begorrah and Dinette. Rajah and Dast Dink shared the third line ahead of Herbs and Enchanter and Sailorman ran on the inner of his stablemate. Breaker, and Topa. Skelton twitched Sailorman away from the fence as they started the home turn and he was sixth at the straight entrance. Candida slipped away to a three lengths lead there from Dinette and Begorrah, then came Enchanter and Herbs.

Candida was still out by more than a length from Sailorman as they began the last furlong. Herbs and Dinette were battling then to hold their positions and Dast Dink was coming into it fast a little further back.

In a tight finish Sailorman stalled off a late challenge from Dast Dink by a neck and Candida was half a head back third. Herbs battled into fourth threeparts of a length back, then there was a length to Dinette whdeh was followed in by Enchanter, Topa, Rajah, Breaker, Begorrah, and Jar di.