RACING STABLEMATES WIN DOUBLE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 4

RACING STABLEMATES WIN DOUBLE

Persuasive And Phil’s Choice At Ashburton

Phil’s Choice and Persuasive, both members of P. H. C. Stock’s Orari team, won the two main flat races and the totalisator double at long odds at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s autumn meeting yesterday.

Phil’s Choice came out on top. but with only a nose to spare, in a spectacular threesided finish to the first leg, the Ashburton County Handicap. Persuasive, a minor placegetter in two earlier attempts in open class, beat the eachway favourite John Jameson by half a length for first in the second leg. the Coldstream Handicap. Holders of 639 5s tickets on the successful combination received £277 17s for £l. Twenty-five winning tickets were held on the course. Both winners were ridden by the Riccarton jockey, G. W. Mein. Phil's Choice just managed to cope with a stout challenge

from the Wingatui mare. Irrepressible, after inching past the Riccarton stayer. Navarone, close to home in the Ashburton County Handicap. Phil’s Choice was eleventh favourite of 13 in this, his first open-class win. On form he did not deserve any confident backing, but it seems he likes a soft track, like most of the stock of Red Mars. Phil’s Choice is a five-year-old gelding owned by Mr F. D. L. Young. Mein had him always close to the front, and that did much towards giving him victory. There was a complete absence of pace for the first half mile and then when W. D. Skelton tried to steal the race on Kastanea those in the middle and further back were left floundering hopelessly. Slack Pace Obviously no-one wanted the lead early, and Omaha slowed them down to a crawl leaving the straight. Irrepressible, the second slowest from the stalls, and on the outside, pulled hard wide out leaving the straight, and the ground she lost then probably cost her the race. Kastanea pulled past Omaha going to the nine furlongs and Phil’s Choice and Navarone followed him forward. The pace had’ been so slow that Shoal, which usually drops well back early, was then running fourth clear of Irrepressible. W. D. Skelton stepped the pace up quickly at the seven furlongs, where he shot Kastanea out to a fairly long lead. Starting the last six furlongs Kastanea led Navarone by three lengths, and Phil’s Choice was in a gap of four lengths in third position. Kelp was in another gap of four lengths, and had a neck on Shoal. Then there was another gap of three lengths to Irrepressible, and two lengths to Olympic Flame and Omaha. By that time Canon had joined the tail of the field, after losing several lengths at the start. D. N. Hadfield took Navarone up to Kastanea near the half mile and they came to the straight clear of Phil’s Choice. Offend was then making a run—it was short-lived —on the outside

and Irrepressible was making ground outside Shoal, which was barely holding her position on the inside. It looked as if it would be Navarone's race early in the run home. But Phil's Choice took a slight lead short of the post but only just lasted in the face of a stout challenge from Irrepressible. Shoal was a fair fourth two lengths behind Navarone, and then there was a nose to Omaha, which went back quickly when being restrained to get a trailing run early in the race. Kelp led the others in. but in a gap. Thumper came from last for seventh, just ahead of his tiring stablemate Kastanea. Next were Whiohau, Olympic Flame. Offend. Pyrites and Canon. Second Leg Persuasive caught Blonde Sprite outside the furlong in the Coldstream Handicap and only had to be kept going to stall off a challenge from John Jameson. Rhythm Rein was the best of the others, making ground from the back three-quarters of a length behind John Jameson. Clean Heart delayed the start, was sent to the outside, and was on the move when the field was sent away. He was in front in a few strides and set a casual pace to the half mile where he had Blonde Sprite at his girth and John Jameson in a trailing position. The slack pace did not suit some of the others. Hopeful had to be eased on the inside about half way through the race to keep off the heels of one of his.rivals. Clean Heart surrendered his lead coming to the home turn but Blonde Sprite was not clear for long. Persuasive was soon alongside and went ahead after a short struggle. John Jameson made a likely-looking run closer to home, but was hard ridden for the last bit and. could not make an impression. His saddle worked forward but that did not appear to affect the result. Rhythm Rein made a characteristic run from the back for third, threequarters of a length ahead of Blonde Sprite. Blonde Sprite had only half a head to spare from Medbury. Clean Heart wa? sixth and Hopeful last.