Evening star., 1950-04-23
Daffin GeIding Takes
$1,000 Feature in
Final Hunt Session
BY Angelina J. CorobeIIi

MIDDLEBURG, Va, April o.
Setting track record, Irish
Monkey. Irl A. Daffin's Pennsyl-
vania entry, a Six-year- -old bay
gelding by Redeswood- -Rossfarran,
today won the featured $4,000
added Mary Mellon Stepplechase
at the closing session of the 29th
spring meeting of the Middleburg
Hunt Race Association here.
The fifth running of the Mary
Mellon, richest offering of the
spring hunt race agenda, was the
best brush event to be seen this
season and Irish Monkeys time
for the two mile course was 3:48,
beSting the record set last year by
Happy Hill Farms Adaptable.
which finished the course in 4:26.1.
In winning the event. Monkey"
defeated the prerace favorite, C..
Mahlon Kline's Irish Oyster, which
finished second and S. B. Eckert's
Pedagogue, the show horse, which
caused a minor stampede at the
Warrenton Gold Cup races when
he bolted the course into tightly
jammed group of spectators.
Mrs. ]. E. Madden's Page Coun-
ty took the lead over the first
fence in the 11-obStacle brush
test, and at the ninth jump was
still in command. At the 10th
fence, Page County came a hard
cropper and Jockey M. Ferral
suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Irish Monkey. which had been
threatening since the fourth
jump, made the most of this mis-
map and took over to finish four
lengths ahead Of Irish Oyster.
The Oyster" had been running
fourth and fifth and made his
move simultaneously with the
Monkey" at the 10th. Peda-
gogue, the third place horse, ran
a steady and well-timed race to
finish two lengths behind the
"Oyster."
Star Last Season.
Irish Monkey. an Irish import
that last year won two fiat races
and seven starts over obstacles
to lead his division. was given a
smart ride by Jockey E. Carter
to add the Mary Mellon to his
list of wins.
Another track record was set
in the secondary feature, the |
Gerald B. Webb. Jr., Memorial,
when w. B. Cocks Extra finished
the 1A-mile hurdle course in
3:272. The previous record was
held by Mrs. L. E. Stoddard, Jr.'s
Port Raider at 3:45.
Although only five horses went |
to the post in this event, the race
furnished plenty of excitement.
Extra, owned and trained by last
years leading inf1eld trainer,
took an early lead with F. Am
brose> Clark's Night Patrol, w.
C.. Robinson. Jr.'s Crown Royal
and Dafin's Crayon staging
thrilling battles for the place and
show positions. At the fourth
fence Crown Royal streaked mo-
mentarily into the lead by a neck
ahead of Extra. At the fifth the
winner had again taken over and
Crown Royal fell. At the sixth it
was Extra, Crayon and Night Pa
troll and they finished in that or
der. with Extra 212 lengths ahead
of Crayon and Crayon 4 lengths
in front of Night Patrol.
A track record also was made in
the Panther Skin. a two-mile
steeplechase. when l.. c. Williams
Pilgrims Way led the eight-horse
field to finish in 3:514, topping
the record made in 1947 when
Trough Hill. then owned by Mrs.
William Bromley. finished in 1854.
In the final event. the Covert, a
one-mile fiat race, C. Mahlon
Kline'S Easter Vigil established a
new record when the four-year-
old dark brown gelding easily
completed the course in 1888.
The previous record was held by
Richard K. Melons Deferment,
whose time in 1948 was 1851.
SUMMARIES
=, The Wanquepin-Hurdles; for maidens
three-year- r-olds and upward; about IL
mile: S400. Time: 2:4O.3. /. The Greek
IE; caTterl F: Ambrose CLARK; 2. Hywhin-
Easter u. Murphs r. K. Mellon. le' o. N''"
Also. ran: Roman Way. Snob Tourist,
Fredsel, Moroccan, Comique, Dewena, Doc
tor Ober, Hobby Horse:
~ The Gerald B. Webb, Jr. Memorial
!. Extra O p. smithwick1 VI. B. Cocks; ;.
Crayop tR. Cough Irl A. Dafin; 3. Night
Patrol E. Carter) F Ambrose Clark.
Panther skin-steeplechase; for 4-year-
olds and upwards, which have not won
two two races over brush; about 2 miles; $500;
l. C. Williams; .. Tolbiac (P. Smithwickl
Weymouthj Vim J. strawbridse.
Also ran: Greens Keeper, Grooming Wind,
second fence; Hitchhilker pulled up after
Mary Mellon steeplechase- Handicap;
for 4-yWearcolds W and upward: about 2
oyster (P Smithwickl c. Mahion Kline.
8. Pedagogue &C. Harr) s., B. Eckert;,
~, Also ran Genan,cgoke. Adaptable Silver
Wrench, Page County fell at 10th fence;
The Covert-Flat hight weight handi-
] mile: $3.50, Time: 1893: /. Easter
2 Smokey City y. MURPHY MS. Il. 4;
May, jr' 3. Friese &c. Williams Paul
Also ran: Arctic Fox, McDoel, Tourvlle,