TROTTING EASTER CUP TO MASTER ALAN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30106, 15 April 1963, Page 4

TROTTING EASTER CUP TO MASTER ALAN

Frown And Doctor Dan

Next To Finish

Master Alan gained an overdue first win for the season when he beat Frown and Doctor Dan most convincingly in the Easter Cup at Addington on Saturday. Master Alan was kept handy to the lead all the way and he worked to the front inside the furlong. He kept up a strong run to the post where he had a length and a half to spare.

Master Alan, the smallest horse in the field, had finished second to Grouse and to Oreti in three earlier starts at the meeting. Altogether, he had recorded 12 placings from 26 starts before Saturday’s win. His win on Saturday qualified him to start in the New Zealand Cup in November.

Master Alan is a five-year-oid gelding by the Light Brigade horse, Masterpiece, from EUenella He is trained at Tokarahi by C. M. Here, who races him in partnership with Mr G. R. Hore. He was driven on Saturday by R. Young, who drove Patchwork tn win the race 12 months •go. . Another Oamaru district pacer, Ikowu, raced right up to "me sound efforts earlier in the meeting when he finished second, ahead at Doctor Dan. The firm favourite, Oreti. was an unlucky runner. He was badly placed near the tail of the field meet of the way and put in a long run from the two furlongs to finish fourth. Lordship, the early favourite for tiie race, was withdrawn from the race because Of muscle soreness. ' The Gore-trained mare, Robin Dundee, like Master Alan, had been off the winning list this season. She brought an overdue change of luck to her trainer, J. Walsh, ■when she won the second leg of the double, the Autumn Handicap, after a stern tussle nth Great Credit, which she beat by a noee. Robin Dundee was in the middle of the field for most of the race after breaking at the start. She responded in rnd style in the straight for M. Cameron and got up in the last stride to win by a Pont The Master Alan—Robin Dundee double paid £lB2 7s 6d for £l.

The meeting was held in fine weather before a large crowd. The track was fast

Totatieator inveetme n t s amounted to £ll4BOO 10s, including £11,502 on the double, compared with £11633® 15s last year. The total for the three days was £2MJ46, compared with £268382.

Easter Cup

Junior Royal which was pulled up. and Seafleld Lad lost ground ait the start of the Easter Cup. Johnny Guitar began best from Doctor Dan, Master Alan and Urrall. Doctor Dan took control ait the end of three furtong# and led past the mile from Johnny Guitar, with Urrall, Master Alan. Frown, Oairnbrae. Samantha. Gildirect Scottish Light and Kingsdown Patch next. Oreti was three places further back, with Sun Chief last. Cairnbrae. which was three wide for a time, went to the front at the six furtongs and led for home just ahead of Gildirect. with Samantha. Doctor Dan, Frown. Urrall and Master Alan handy. Master Alan rushed clear inside the furtong and finished full of running to win by a length and a half from Frown, which also finished strongly. Doctor Dan held on for third a short length back, with Oreti a similar distance away next after receiving a poor run. Cairnbrae was a head away, with heads to Gildirect and Samantha, which was followed by Urrall, Scottish Light, and Kingsdown Second Leg Axac, Peebles, Junior Royal. Robin Dundee. Van Rebeck. Flying Note, Peel and Greet Credit gave ground at the start of the Autumn Handicap, the second leg of the double. Guineas forced all of the pace and raced to the straight ahead of Peel and Great Credit, which had shown speed, Lauder Scott, Junior Royal. Flying Note, Van Rebeck and Robin Dundee. Guineas was soon in trouble and Great Credit took over to be joined immediately by Junior Royal, which could

not keep up. Then Robin Dundee challenged further out and responded boldly to win by a nose. Great Credit did well to hold second a length and a half in front of Van Rebeck, with a nose to Junior Royal, more than two lengths to Guineas, the same distance to Peal, a noee to Flying Note, a head to Rustic Lad, and a length to Southern Cross, which received a poor run on the inner.