Skinner wins 1997 Wyndham Cup with Jour de Chance

Consistent Branxholme gelding Jour de Chance upset the favourites with a deserved win in the Wyndham Cup yesterday.

He improved on his first day sixth to wear down favourite Imperiora in the metric two mile event.  Home First, having his first start for nearly five weeks, battled bravely for third. " He was off the bit the whole way" driver Brent Barclay said of Jour de Chance.  "I thought on the bend that I would be second or third, but as soon as I came off Imperiora's back, he sprinted up".  Barclay attatched to Kirk Larsen's Branxholme stable, drove Corumba to win the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham two years ago.
Invercargill owners, Jane Burns, Gary Popham, his brother, Trev Popham and Paul Rabbit lease Jour de Chance off Jan and Peter Williams of Invercargill.
Henry Skinner trains the Plat du Jour four year old gelding, whose record stands at four wins and $19450 in 12 starts.  Jour de Chance qualified for the quartet as a three year old in 3.12 (2400m stand) at Wyndham in December 1995.  Runner up Imperiora, beaten by one and a quarter lengths is headed for the Easter Cup meeting at Addington later this month.  First day winner Tact Halsey galloped out of contention at the 1200 to finish last of 16.  I gave him a couple of flicks to keep up and he broke said driver, Allan Beck.  "He did not feel the same as last week". Double Under was flat the whole way according the reinsman Paul McMaster.  Yesterday's race was probably Double Under's last from McMaster's stable, as the lease expires next week.