SKELTON RIDES GUS, KINTYRE—£91 DOUBLE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 4

SKELTON RIDES GUS, KINTYRE—£91 DOUBLE

The Levin jockey, W. D. Skelton, rode Gus and Kintyre to win a £9l3s TA.B. double at Trentham on Saturday.

Gus improved a brilliant Trentham record with a game win in the Winter Oats Handicap.

He is the first three-year-old to carry off the Parlia-mentary-Winter Oats double and few doubted his ability to make the grade, though having to concede from 101 b to 211 b to the others. His record at Trentham this year is now four wins in five starts. He also won there as a two-year-old last year.

Kintyre was promoted to first in the Onslow Handicap after finishing in second position a length and a half behind another long shot, Master Defence.

Supporters of Master Defence had a tantalisingly brief look at a win dividend of £35 Ils and a £79 9s double posted on the semaphore board. Skelton had had to stop riding Kintyre when Master Defence shifted ground in the straight, and an inquiry was opened immediately. Holders of 4835 5s tickets on the Gus-Kintyre combination received £9l 3s for £l. Trailing Run Skelton found a trailing run for Gus inside the first furlong of the Winter Oats. The early pace was slack and Big Bill pulled his way forward to join Colonial King in the lead near the seven furlongs. Inside the next two furlongs Cbunt Filou was also in the leading line. Certain was four wide and almost in line with Count Filou and company, but he drifted slightly near the half-mile.

All this time Gus was going keenly in the trailing position on the rails and not getting as much room as a long strider usually appreciates. Count Filou was ridden into a lead of two lengths before the home turn, but Gus was taken around Colonial King and back on to the rails to join the veteran of the field in the lead. They came to the furlong with nothing between them and under vigorous handling.

Skelton went for the whip on Gus, and the three-year-old responded like the class horse he is to draw but and win by a length and a half. Vigour was half a length back third. He was near the tail of the field for a good way but passed Monty’s Gold

inside the last furlong to record a creditable placing. Chatty Lady was a fair fifth, but there was a long gap to the Others, led in by Big BilL Strong Pace Kintyre started 19 wide in the Onslow Handicap but showed sharp speed to join Maria Mitchell in second position behind Master Defence going to the half-mile.

Master Defence set such a hot pace in front that most of the runners ridden behind the middle of the field were hopelessly out of it before the race was half over. Master Defence still held a good lead going to the final furlong. Kintyre was slowly reducing that lead but his chance looked slight even before Skelton had to check him when Master Defence ran about

Feurig improved a solid record of minor platings by finishing third a neck behind Kintyre, and he was promoted to second, and Dunraven to third when the judicial committed relegated Master Defence to fourth. Sir Juvante and David Jeff were the next home. The favourite, Wiri, got a long way back in the early running, and finished seventh.