Newtown ’Chase To Amber Wine

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 5

Newtown ’Chase To Amber Wine

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. Amber Wine made a successful start to another cross-country campaign with a decisive win in the £lOOO Newton Steeplechase at Trentham yesterday.

One of the youngest horses in the field, the Hastingstrained five-year-old led for the last five furlongs for this his fourth win over country for Mr S. M. Palmer. Amber Wine was ridden by R. A. Jenkins, who had ridden Running Bear at his previous start. Running Bear, with G. Jenkins up, ran third in yesterday’s race, in a gap of five lengths behind the runner-up. Copper Fair. If the field lacked quality it provided a very good race and one of changing fortunes in the last mile. Amber Wine ran close to the lead from the start and might have been running a bit too keenly for a time early in the race, but he settled in the first mile and his good jumping always kept him handy to the pace. Starting the last round Running Bear, Amber Wine, Game Call, Popoff and Chesterman were running almost in line three lengths clear of Copper Fair. William David was plodding along at the head of the others, but 10 lengths back. Chesterman took a short lead at the seven furlongs, but his lack of stamina, which

was also noticeable in his hurdling career, found him without a counter when Amber Wine challenged soon after. Amber Wine led Chesterman by half a length at the half-mile, and widened that lead to four lengths on the home turn. Game Call had fallen when third at the boards near the three furlongs, leaving Copper Fair to take up the chase after Amber Wine and Chesterman.

Popoff and Running Bear were next, just ahead of William David, which was picking up ground. Amber Wine jumped the last fence safely close to the inside wing. Copper Fair made a run to get fairly close to him. but the Hastings gelding had it safely won at ail stages of the last furlong. William David just missed third a neck from Running Bear. Chesterman tired to fifth in a gap of four lengths and the weakening Popoff was beaten off sixth. Vane lost his rider at the first fence. Prince Robin and By Golly both fell at the fence in the straight about a mile and a half from home.

Brevity was well beaten when she fell at the five furlongs, but Game Call had prospects of reaching a place until he blundered at the second last fence. EASY WIN Superior pace and safe, quick jumping carried Grand Coeur to an easy win, his second at the meeting, in the Brooklyn Hurdles. The top-weight shook off a challenge from Classified after jumping the last fence, drawing away with ease to beat the Waikato grey by five lengths. Sir Torre, the runner-up to Grand Coeur on Saturday, was the best of the others, but was’in a gap of four lengths in third place. Riccarton’s Silver Kingdom, ridden at 31b overweight by J. H. Hely, was fourth, another length back. Hely kept him closer up in the field than he was on the first day of the meeting, and the Silver King gelding was third going to the last jump.