RACING DEAD-HEAT AT WASHDYKE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 4

RACING DEAD-HEAT AT WASHDYKE

2 Double Dividends As A Result

“A close photo for first,” the judge (Mr M. Mace) warned patrons at Washdyke yesterday, seconds after Natter and Just Peter flashed across the line at the end of the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s Claremont Handicap No. 1.

Mr Mace probably would have settled for a dead-heat without camera aid. And, in fact, the camera could not separate the two horses at the end of a mile and 35 yards in the first leg of the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s T.A.B. double.

Just Peter, a winner at Oamaru at his previous start, took the honours of the race. He was one of the slowest from the stalls and had to make a big run to draw level with the 1965 New Zealand Oaks winner in the last stride.

Just Peter, an eight-year-old Callander gelding trained at Gore by G. W. Robertson for Misses E. and P. A. Henderson, was a chance mount | for J. D. Pankhurst. He re-| placed J. R. Dowling, who in-: jured his hand on Saturday! and was unable to fulfil en-' gagements yesterday. Jester Jinks broke through for his first win in open company in the Claremont Handicap No. 2, second leg of the double.

Ridden by the leading jockey, R. J. Skelton, Jester Jinks led from near the home turn and won soundly by a length from the fast-finishing Summer Magic, which was late clearing a position on the inside and came home fast down! the outside. Holders of 6569 5s tickets; on the Just Peter-Jester Jinks

combination received £lB 8s for £l. The Natter - Jester Jinks combination carried 5794 5s tickets and paid £2O 17s 6d for £l. Racing was held in fine weather. After a stiff frost, the track became slippery in patches between the half-mile and the home turn and falls marred two races. Drifted At Start Just Peter drifted slightly from a good start in the Claremont Handicap No. 1, and Sometime, Certain and Even Chance also went to the tailend group in the first furlong.

; Limbo was left clear and Indian Briar dropped into a trailing position ahead of Castle Gregory, Beginner’s Luck, Big Smoke, Fieldmaster and Natter. Even Chance was taken forward with a big run on the outside between the five furlongs and the three, but was beaten on straightening up, leaving Castle Gregory and Natter to lead the chase after Limbo. Natter took a short lead inside the furlong, but Just Peter caught her right on the post to force a dead-heat. Sometime went through

with a big run from the back to beat Limbo by inches for third.

Fieldmaster, in his first start since the Auckland Cup in January, did well to finish fifth almost in line with the third and fourth horses. He had none the best of the running down on the inside from the home turn. Even Chance was half a neck back sixth, failing to come up with one of his free gallops on a good winter track. Mogambo was the best of the others. Second Leg Jester Jinks was third inside the first furlong of the Claremont Handicap No. 2, moved to second at the halfmile, and passed Cranbrook to lead around the home turn. He was safely holding Glenmorven and Azir at the furlong, but had to be kept going when Summer Magic came more strongly wider out. Summer Magic’s second—he was beaten by a length—showed he had made the expected improvement with earlier racing, and it brought him into favour for the Winter Cup next week. He became badly placed on the inside early in the race, but picked up several positions in the last half-mile. Azir came to the end of a likely-looking run inside the furlong, but had made a big run to reach third position on straightening.

Glenmorven was a fair fourth, two lengths back. The weakening Combination was the best of the others.