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County Clare, Prince Hill Successful in Longfellow Capture Divided Turf Stake at Monmouth in Impressive Style By FRED GALIANI MONMOUTH PARK, Oceanport, N. J., June 29. Brookmeade Stables County Clare was the easiest sort of a winner in trie first division of the Longfellow Handicap here this afternoon, so much so that Sammy Boulmetis, who was trying to ease him at the finish had trouble restraining him. At the end of the turf course race, County Clare was six lengths before Arthur Godfreys Sun Ruler II., while Louis Ches-lers Assuan was three-quarters of a length back in third place. County Clare, an accomplished grass performer although his recent efforts over the greensward were not too brilliant, paid .40 to his supporters in the sundrenched crowd of lr,265. Under Boulmetis, who is making a runaway of winning the stake offerings at this meeting, the five-year-old, who was second topweight under 115 pounds, sped over the mile in 1:38. Christopher Chenerys Prince Hill, a full brother to the sterling Hill Prince, came through with a tremendous effort to win the second half of the Longfellow. Running his string to three straight, Prince Hill, blocked twice during the early part of the race, mowed down his opposition with a powerful surge in the last portion Continued on Page Seven County Clare, Prince Hill Successful Annex Respective Ends of Longfellow Former Has Six-Length Edge On Sun Ruler II.; Other Turns Back Brown Booter Continued from Page One of the race to win by a half length. Second was Charfran Stables Brown Booter, seeking his second straight score in the Longfellow, who looked like the winner until the last couple of strides. A neck back in third place was H. P. Metcalfs Roman Rocket, who held the lead for most of the mile event. Prince Hill returned .40 and covered his journey in a slower 1:39. He was ridden by Angel Valenzuela, who piloted him to victory here in a race last week. That affair was originally scheduled to be run on the turf but was taken off because of the torrential rains. It didnt make much difference as he won by himself in the same manner as he did this afternoon. Prince Hill dropped far out of it, then came with a last minute surge reminiscent of his older brother. The second half of the Longfellow was a little richer and trainer Casey Hayes accepted the trophy from Mrs. William Smith and a check for 6,325. Valenzuela won a division of the Longfellow last year on Brown Booter. Prince Hill Finishes Strong Valenzuela commented after the race that he got in a lot of trouble during the race, but he never rode a horse that finished as strongly as Prince Hill did. The first half of the Longfellow attracted nine horses and Mrs. Dodge Sloane netted 6,125 of the gross purse of 3,375, not counting the trophy for the race,, which was presented by Mrs. Philip Iselin, wife of the treasurer of the Monmouth Jockey Club. The winner is a five-year-old son of Shannon n. Stepwisely, who was winning his third race in eight starts this season and his first this year over the grass. He had been victorious in two allowance races over the main tracks in 1955. County Clare was always prominent in his division of the Longfellow, which honors one of the old stars of the original Monmouth Park meetings of the last century. Old Glendale took an early lead, alternating with French Field for a while, then went into command. County Clare was under stout restraint all the way until they hit the far turn. There the Brook-meade horse went to Old Glendale and in a flash passed him. County Clare finished in the middle of the strip, and Boulmetis, after .looking back for non-existing opposition, tried to rein him in at the finish. The colt kept going and won by himself. Sun Ruler U., who had been far hack in the early running, closed resolutely to be second, but was no threat to the winner. Assuan was a consistent third in the final part of the race. Following the running, Boulmetis remarked that he shook his mount up at the half-mile pole and County Clare almost ran out from under him, which was apparent to all in the stands. Blum, on Old Glendale, said his horse had no excuse. Logan Batcheller, who piloted Sun Ruler XL, had nothing but praise for Godfreys horse. According to ihe squat jockey, Sun Ruler U. has all the makings of a grass campaigner.
