RACING PALISADE BRILLIANT IN RICCARTON WIN

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30978, 7 February 1966, Page 4

RACING PALISADE BRILLIANT IN RICCARTON WIN

Veteran’s Class Shone Through In Plate

Palisade, one of New Zealand’s top stayers, showed his class by brilliantly beating the sprinters in the Craven Plate over seven furlongs at Riccarton on Saturday.

After a setback in December, one that cost him starts in the Auckland and Wellington Cups, his brilliant win with 9-13 on Saturday was well received. But for his connexions, his owner Mr A. T. Ottrey and his trainer, D. P. Wilson, it must have posed the question: Where do we go from here?

Palisade was given top ranking by handicappers for both the Auckland and Wellington Cups, and he will have to fight big weights in major staying races in the autumn.

Palisade was a chance ride for the Riccarton jockey, F. H. Skelton, in this, his 15th victory. Slow Away He was slowest to clear the stalls and while Carester was tearing away to a lead of four lengths going to the half-mile the big Ruthless gelding was far back behind the middle of the field. But, when Captain’s Command and Hushaway were having a tussle for the lead just inside the furlong Palisade came down the outside with a long-striding burst of speed. Though carrying 9st 131 b he could have just joined in the race, so fast was he going. He made the others look a very ordinary lot, and not all of his rivals were all that bad. Palisade is eight, but it is doubtful if he has ever been better, and he could be a force in some of the autumn weight-for-age races in the North Island if his programme is shaped that way. Probably the greatest attraction of all would be a weight-for-age race with both Peterman and Palisade in the field. Southern-owned horses left none of the prizes for the others in the Craven Plate.

Hushaway, owned in Dunedin, though trained at Riccarton, beat Captain’s Command, also Dunedin-owned, by half a length for second. That margin could have been wider if Hushaway had kept straight outside the furlong.

The Southland-owned and trained Bellarook was fourth after appearing to have his chance.

Second top-weight of 9st 71b might have blunted his brilliance at the end of seven furlongs, but his placing held promise of a good run over six furlongs on the second day bf the meeting tomorrow. Palisade’s stablemate, Warfare, had to be held up waiting for a run behind Bellarook on the home turn, and, once into the clear, she could not find enough finishing speed the race demanded. She was fifth, a length from Bellarook. Tumble, second to last when they cleared the stalls, did well for sixth. He was followed in by the West Coast sprinters, Vivien Robe and Rae's I Hope.