Royal Bid’s Strong Finish

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30958, 14 January 1966, Page 4

Royal Bid’s Strong Finish

Royal Bid started a gallop scratchily, but finished it impressively on the plough at Riccarton yesterday as part of his preparation for the Wellington Cup next week.

The brilliant Southland-owned stayer has been troubled at times by stiffness in the forelegs but injections have cleared the trouble quickly in the past.

V. D. Clutterbuck, who will take Royal Bid north with Tracy's ConaejL—next Tuesday, feels sure that the Dunedin Cup winner will be right at his best for the rich Trentham race tomorrow week.

Royal Bid's training pro gramme yesterday was to work away easily from ln

a gap behind Tracy’s Comet, and gradually work up to speed. He took 15 l-ssec from the mile to the seven furlongs, and was then hanging slightly in a small gap behind Tracy’s Comet. But by the time they came to the straight the stablemates were abreast, and Royal Bid was keen to quicken. They finished the mile in Imin 46 3-ssec, the last half in 51 2-ssec, and the final three furlongs in 39 2-ssec.

Shipmate, a Dunedin-owned, Riccarton-trained hope for the Telegraph Handicap, sprinted half a mile on the plough in 49 3-ssec. He was ridden by his race rider, A. J. Stokes.

Time and Tide (Collins) went twice round on the plough, quickening to run in from the three furlongs in *3B 3-ssec on the second round.

Pharasal (Stokes) was run ning keenly alongside Hush away finishing five fur-

longs in Imin 1 4-ssec. They dashed over the last half-mile in 48 3-ssec, and the final three furlongs in 35 3-ssec.

Pharasal should make an Im pression in hack races at Tren tham if he continues to thrive

Royal Blue (Tucker) led Talic (A. H. Eastwood) in the early stages of a half-mile gallop, but Talic closed on him strongly and took the honours of the trial. However, they were hardly above three-quarter pace for a time, and took 54 l-ssec for the distance.

Quick Flight (F. H. Skelton) worked more keenly than he did solo on Tuesday In a gallop with Helen’s Bay (Mrs V. Clutterbuck) over half a mile. They recorded 51 l-ssec and 38 4-ssec for the final three furlongs. Messmaid (Bailey), the only trialist on the trial grass, sprinted half a mile in Slsec. She will go to Trentham for hack sprints at the Wellington Cup fleeting.