Hack Hurdles Surprise By Skyrain

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

Hack Hurdles Surprise By Skyrain

Skyrain, which had finished ninth of 10 when tried against the open sprinters on the first day of the meeting, was ■witched to jumping successfully in the Second Hack Hurdles at Nelson on Monday. The Westport-owned Skysaml gelding was the fifth favonrite of eight and paM £l9 8s 3d and £8 te fid for s win-and-plMOo Royal Model made the pace till halt-way through the race but Portobello out-jumped him into the lead six furlongs from home. Portobello ran into the last half-mile a length and a half clear of Pilot Dancer. Royal Gothic and Winkles ran together a length behind Pilot Dancer and Skyrain and Pot Duck followed three lengths further back. C. Coe sent Skyrain after the leaden in the next furton* and he came to the straight ctoee behind PortobeOn and Pilot Dancer. In ttn nnftsm the last flight Skyrain produced the more powerful finish and won going away by a length and a quarter from Royal Gothic which out-finished Portobello by a head for second. Pitot Dancer was a length back fourth and Pot Duck plugged on for fifth, under top-weight of 11-7, four lengths behind him. The others, beaten off, were led home by Mr Gellant. Chinaman Gets Up The THal Stakes was a race of changing Cortunna in the last furlong. A brilliant run tram ths asMdle of the field carried to Bteahetm-trained Cinnaman to victory by a bead from fog JUocarton fitly Rondar. .Banna Maria, which is also nlseanMß-trained, was a similar distance back third. Donna Maria had run in the trailing position aMhiMdc Kenmora behind Baywjrn to the I iMM. but linear had to make her run frem near the foU <jka. field nfo drifted P°*»na JMrta. Theletter masSSw*S?mt

strides ehe, too. went down to the brilliant challenge of Cinnaman. Kenmore battled on for fourth three parts of a length baek, than came The Drifter, Baywyn, Mlren, and Prince Command. Stetson Again Stetson completed a double for the meeting when he outclassed the hack printers in the Richmond Handleap, for which he was the 2/1 favourite. Stetson received the run of the race on the inner of Strathlee behind the co-leaders. SHverwood and Arpeggio, to the straight. He took a gap brilliantly about a furlong from the end and draw away to win by three lengths from Silver Coral, which ran in the third line with Persian Scene to the straight. Persian Beene was a head back third. He lasted for that place by a nose from the faster-finishing Sonnita. She was near the tail of the field three furlongs out. Pescador, the tall-ender from the start till the home turn, come home well for fifth • length and a quarter back. The weakening Arpeggio was next, and Stiverwood led in the others. Payout Narrowly Payout, an unimay second at Blenheim the last time he raced, gave the Mcosrton trainer. G. H. Murfltt. juo., the first four training successes for the day when he mastered the speedy Trentham filly. Lucky Me. a few strides short of the post in the Murchison Hade Handicap. Lucky Me tried for an aß-the-way win. She was out by two lengths from Taxman and Par Step starting the last halfmile. and Payout headed the others then four lengths further baek. Ebb and Telex ran together tn another small gap behind Payout and dear of Coastguard and Jamie. Payout was no closer to the pacemaker as they made the straight, but he wortced into a challenging position a couple of lengths behind her as they ran into the last furiong. R was very close to the end when Lucky Me started to shorten stride, enabling Payout's challenge to become effective by a short neck. Ebb came on wen for third three lengths back. She beat Jamie cameCeswtgnasd and Taxman. Sprint To Hopeful Hopeful gave G. H. Murfltt. jun. toa second auorasatve

training success for the day wheß he out-ran the open sprinters in the Stoke Handicap, in which he waa the 5/4 favourite of five. Hopeful ran at the tai! of the field till the straight. Subside had been the pacemaker from the outset, and Imperial Storm ran at his quartern ahead of Aqaba and Ocean Melody. Subside lasted in the lead UH the furlong, but Ocean Melody mastered her a little closer to home. But top-weight of 8-13 started to tan on Melody 100 yards out, and he failed by three Parta of a length to withstand Hopeful's challenge. Subside fought on for third e length and a half back. She beet the weakening Aqaba fay three lengths, and Imperial Stonn wee to a similar gap at th* Tsar, Fourth Winner The Rtocaiton trainer. G. H. Murfltt, Jun. saddled up his fourth successive winner for the day to the rareweil Hack Handicap. The stable runner. Pitch, shared the fourth line with Gay Fiancee to the straight, chased Queen of Shaba and Gay Fiancee into the last furlong .and outfinisbad the latter by ■ long n«*. Queen of Sheba, a dear third behind Glancing and Centeahno on the home turn, waa a comfortable third a length and a quarter back. She beat the tiring Glancing by ■ length, then there were three lengths to Silver Coral, which earn* from second last to cut Conte-. Amo out of fifth. Sweet Grass ted tn the others. Bottles Of Ale As Prizes right) LONDON, April 31. It was drinks all round after Queen Mother's steeplechaser. The Rip, won a £lOOO handicap event kt Folkestone. Kent, today. Part of the prise was 12 dozen pints of ale to the trainer. s%ter Cazalet, and six promised that he would share ms 72 pints “among the boys.” ASHBURTON RACING CLUB NOMDTATIONB J . B. NICOLL, MN