AUSTRALIAN CUP TO PAGEANT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 143, 13 March 1939, Page 14

AUSTRALIAN CUP TO PAGEANT

Final Day Of V.R.C. Meeting

AJAX CANTERS HOME New Zealand-Bred Horses Do Well By Telegraph.-Press Asso. _Copvrlgbu (Received March 12, 6.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 11. . The Windbag colt Pageant scored his most important win to date in the Australian Cup on the final day of the V.K.C meeting- at Flemington today. Pageant was a long way back early, but liis superior stamina combined witn light weight (7.8) proved a big factor. Ills win enabled bookmakers to escape heavy liabilities over the double with El Golea. Dark David surprised by his good race for second place. He battled gamely, as did Ortelle’s Star. Bourbon was a long way out early but finished well, suggesting possibilities for the Sydney Cup. Spear Chief weakened. Grecian Princess was the disappointment of the race. The topweight, Manolive, led early by 10 lengths from Young Crusader, who was 15 lengths ahead of Dolphin. Then came Dignitary, Spear Chief, Mae o Roni, Grecian Princess, Red Sails and Pageant. Pageant improved his position at the beginning of the last mile, where the leaders began to tire. Several horses had good chances at the straight entrance.. Pageant finished strongly to win oy three-quarters of a length, with the same distance between second and third horses Then came Bourbon, Kingdom and Spear Chief, with Grecian Princess last. Manolive broke down. A sensation occurred at the start of the C. M. Lloyd Stakes, when Ajax’s opponent’s lost considerable ground. The champion merrily cantered over the course to record his eighteenth successive win. His record now reads 25 wins and three seconds in 29 starts for £28,075 in stakes. Ajax is now in thirteenth place among great stake winners. The New Zealand-bred Amiable, was always prominent to defeat the consistent Tetreen in the Leonard Stakes. Red Morn, on the outside rail, rau a good third. Wilson, also New Zealand-bred, put up an exceptional effort in the Carmichael Stakes to win after being last at the home turn. Wilson, who is a stablemate of Ajax, has now three wins in his last four starts. Hiawatha ran a game race, as did Lord Walla. Another New Zealand-bred winner, Crojick, figured in an exciting finish in the Farewell Handicap. Crojick showed a return to his best form and in a strong finish beat Baryta. The Trump finished fast. National knocked up. A protest was dismissed.

Deckard, after being always prominent, won the Autumn Steeplechase, showing improvement on last week’s form. Gaskill and Royal Fire ran good races. The winner was ridden by the former New Zealander, A. Driscoll. The weather was warm and there was a good attendance at the meeting. Results. LEONARD STAKES, of £7OO. For three-year-olds and upward: Six furlongs. AMIABLE, S.ll (R. Bailey) 1 TETREEN. 8.9 (A. Reed) 2 BED MORN, 6.12 (E. Cox) 3 Thirteen started. Half a length: two lengths and a half. Adherent was fourth. Time, 1.15. C. M. LLOYD STAKES, of £lOOO. Standard weight-for-age. One mile. AJAX. 9.0 (H. Badger) 1 EL GOLEA, 9.0 (N. Creighton) 2 JUDEAN, 8.12 (W. Elliot) 3 These were the only starters. Three lengths and a half; seven lengths. Time, 1.401. AUTUMN STEEPLECHASE, of £7OO. About two miles and a half. DECKARD, 10.3 (A. Driscoll) 1 GASKILL, 10.0 (S. McKee) 2 ROYAL EIRE, 9.4 (D. Regan) 3 Ten started. Length; length and a quarter. Frenchy was fourth. Big Swell and Martial fell. Time, 4.521. AUSTRALIAN CUP, of £3OOO. Two miles and a quarter. PAGEANT, 7.8 .(R. Bailey) 1 DARK DAVID. 7.12 (W. Elliot) 2 ORTELLE’S STAR, 8.2 (A. Reed) 3 Fourteen started. Three-quarters of a length; three-quarters of a length. Time, 3.52, GIBSON CARMICHAEL STAKES, of £7OO. For two-year-olds. Seven furlongs. WILSON, 9.2 (H. Badger) 1 HIAWATHA, 8.4 (E. Bartie) 2 LORD WALLA. 7.4 .... (P. Simonds) 3 Fifteen started. Head; length and a half. Anne was fourth. Pure Gold fell when leading a furlong from home, where he had apparently won the race. Time, 1.275. FAREWELL HANDICAP, of £7OO. One mile. CROJICK, 7.5 (A. Cooper) 1 BARYTA, S.ll (F. de Valle) 2 THE TRUMP, 9.4 (A. Reed) 3 Fourteen started. Half a head: long neck. Panax was fourth. Time, 1.39.