Fall Affected Two Strong Fancies

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

Fall Affected Two Strong Fancies

Quick Flight and Lady Sabaean, two of the best-backed runners, fell near the home turn in the Levels Handicap at Washdyke yesterday to deprive the race of a lot of interest.

Quick .Flight was trailing and running keenly coming to the home turn, and came down when he got on the heels of one of the pacemakers. Lady Sabaean went over the top of him. After this mix-up El Beka was left clear and scurried away to win by three lengths at odds of 40 to one. El Beka is owned at Riccarton by Mr T. J. Spang and is trained there by A. J. Williams. The Riccarton apprentice, B. Edens, had El Beka at the girth of the pacemaking Mystery Cloud at the half-mile and clear on straightening.

Sandbank was the best of the others, but little better than Lonvato. Belshazzar came from the middle of the field for fourth in a gap of a length and a half behind Lonvato. Veteran’s Win The result of the Pareora Steeplechase was a triumph of age over youth. The four-year-old Naratam led close to home, but went under to a determined late challenge from the 10-year-old Alaine. This was Alaine’s second win in the race. Each time

he has been ridden by Mr I Russell.

The winner and runner-up are from two powerful Southland stables, Alaine being trained by E. A. Winsloe and Naratam by W. J. Hillis. Alaine disputed the lead for a good way, dropped into a gap of three lengths behind Naratam and Hy at the halfmile, but recovered his ground strongly and won going away by half a length. Naratam beat Tara Hill by four lengths for second, and Red Harken was close at hand fourth.

Knightsbridge ran off at the brush at the top of the straight about a mile and a half from home. Tutton ran off early in the race, and Hy lost his rider at the last fence when close to the lead. £B6 Dividend The Invercargill-owned and trained Capasco brought off a major surprise in spectacular style in winning the Gleniti Stakes. Mr and Mrs W. D. Crooks’s neat Great Western gelding dashed clear after about a furlong, and left the others to it. At the end he was four lengths clear of Cesare Borgia, which

had led a vain chase after him.

Capasco paid £B6 5s to win and £l6 5s 6d for a place. His immediate show of form in this, his first start since last November, held out bright prospects for his chances against his contemporaries at the Grand National meeting. Cesare Borgia, the eachway favourite, saved second by a neck from the fasterfinishing Young Baron, and then there was a gap of two lengths to Perth, and a gap of three lengths to Fair Behaviour. Summerleaze and El Khal fell after passing the post. They were beaten off. Consistent

The leading trainer, W. J. Hillis, who was in the North Island for nearly three months earlier in the winter, marked his return to the South Island by riding Istan Light to a decisive win in the Hadtow Hurdles.

Istan light, which had been left in the South Island with most of the other members of the Hazlett team, earned this win. It came after five successive seconds.

Mosque saved place supporters of the Hazlett bracket by battling into third, just ahead of Lord Fair and half a length behind Sir Athol. The Istan Light-Mosque bracket paid £2 2s 6d for a win and £1 8s 6d for a place. Mosque’s jumping was patchy, but he had the pace to stay handy. For much of the race he ran just ahead of Istan Light, but when Hillis called on the top-weight for something extra near the three furlongs, the race was as good as over. Sir Athol, winner of his three previous races, secured second with a solid rails challenge from a handy position. Mosque, which jumped the first and last hurdles badly, had a battle with Lord Fair to secure third. Lord Fair led from the mile to the three furlongs, failing to find anything extra when Istan Light challenged. Sierra Gold Wins Sierra Gold, the second favbeat the favourite, St. Jude, decisively and the others easily in the Pentlow Stakes. Sierra Gold, which belongs to J. S. McKay’s succesful team at Wingatui, led from near the furlong and beat St. Jude by a length. This win was compensation for Sierra Gold’s unlucky fifth at Washdyke on July 2. B. P. Kennedy had Sierra Gold well back in the field to the half-mile, but brought him through on a solid run that carried him clear past Ranana in the straight. St Jude was a solid finisher after becoming awkwardly placed on the inside in the first half-mile. Why Harp, which had dis-

puted the lead, tired to third two lengths and a half back, and a neck in front of the fast-finishing Totara Valley.