Sun-Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1953 - 1954), Sunday 25 April 1954, page 25


[LANCASTER MIGHT

REMAIN IN SYDNEY

. Shires In W.F.A.

î New Zealand gelding Lancaster may stay in

Australia because of his success in the A.J.C. Plate.

A stable conference to-

today will consider leaving J Lancaster in trainer Frank I Kennedy's Randwick 1 stable.

| Lancaster, starting at I even money, made an exhibition of his only I two opponents, Electro i ind Royal Forest.

A He beat Electro by eight lengths and ran the two miles |ui3m?4s.

s Mr. R. L. Buckenham, I owner of Lancaster, said that Darby Munro had been engaged to ride the gelding i so that he could get a factual report from him on Lancaster's prospects.

3 Mr. Buckenham said that before Lancaster failed in 'the Sydney Cup last Monday

| be had considered tempting

if-.

offers of purchase.

These were not renewed after the gelding had finished fifth in the Cup, but Mr. Buckenham said he was confident that after the form shown by Lancaster yesterday further offers would be

made.

"They will have to be very considerable offers for me to

consider selling Lancaster,"

he said.

"At the moment I see Lancaster as a horse with a very good chance in the Brisbane Cup and know-ing his quality as a stayer I recognise him also as a prospect for the next Melbourne Cup.

Mr. Buckenham said he and trainer W. McEwan realised that they had erred in delaying Lancaster's departure for Australia.

"We know now that he came over here too late to settle down to the entirely different conditions you have in Australia," he said.

"The feed is different, and Lancaster did not begin to eat properly until last Thursday. I have never known him to be as light in condition as he is now."

, A decision to leave Lancaster in Australia could prove a wise move.

Lancaster is one of the best stayers at present in Sydney and the eastern States.

The gelding showed no disposition to lug in making the home turn, which the field negotiated twice.

When Munro gave him his head soon after straightening up for the race down the

straight he stretched out freely and quickly set up a commanding lead.

Lancaster settled down

with Royal Forest and Elec-fro in front of him, and Munro made no attempt to urge him along until the field was approaching the mile.

Here he took him up on the outside of Royal Forest and sat him in two lengths and a half behind Electro.

Munro sent Lancaster up to be only a length behind Electro at the 6f, with Royal Forest half a length behind.

At Disadvantage

Royal Forest was not doing well at any stage, and with Munro holding his mount close to him on the outside he was placed in a position from which he could derive no advantage.

In the run to the half-mile Neville Sellwood allowed Royal Forest to drop back slightly so that at the turn he was in a position to go upon the outside of Lancaster.

However, the colt was not in a galloping mood, and he darted back in towards the running rails as the field swung around the turn.

Jack Thompson, riding Electro, appeared to steal a march on Munro as the field approached the turn, and he straightened for home three lengths in front of Lancaster.

However, Lancaster bounded to him in a few strides.

When Lancaster made his challenge he was full of running.