TROTTING CARDIGAN BAY WINS EASILY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30287, 13 November 1963, Page 4

TROTTING CARDIGAN BAY WINS EASILY

Third Fastest N.Z. Cup Time Cardigan Bay, the back-marker on 54 yards and the second favourite, gained the easiest of wins in the New Zealand Cup at Addington yesterday. Robin Dundee and Master Alan, the two smallest horses in the field, finished second and third respectively with a head between them, while the odds-on favourite, Vanderford, was a sadly-beaten sixth after attempting to force almost all of the pace. Cardigan Bay, driven by his 29-year-old Pakuranga trainer, P. T. Wolfenden, raced hard for the first half-mile when the pace was strong, but afterwards made up his handicap without a great deal of effort. He followed Oreti up to the lead after passing the half-mile, and escaped a fair amount of skirmishing among the inside horses.

Oreti took the lead before the three furlongs with Cardigan Bay outside and within a length of him. Cardigan Bay was shading Oreti at the straight entrance and the race was as good as over at the furlong when he strode clear. Wolfenden did not have to drive him hard to win by two lengths and a half. Cardigan Bay paced the two miles in 4:11 1-5, the third fastest winning time in the history of the race. Johnny Globe, which rerecorded 4:7 3-5 in 1954, and False Step, which recorded 4:9 in 1960, are the only two with better times. Cardigan’s Bay’s task was made easier when Vanderford slowed the field down after the end of half a mile. The Auckland champion did not have to exert himself then until the last half. ’ A seven-year-old gelding by Hal Tryax from Colwyn Bay. Cardigan Bay is raced by Mrs A. D. Dean, of Auckland. who purchased him for £2500 from Mr A. Todd, of Mataura, at the end of his fbur-year-old season. He has mow won £46.447 15s, the result of 35 wins and eight placings. He has had 24 wins and seven placings in New Zealand for £26,132 15s in stakes. Cardigan Bay will probably race next in the £2OOO New Zealand Free-for-AIl on the second day of the meeting on Friday. His main mission m the autumn will be the Inter-Dominion Championship series in Melbourne in February and March. "Sometimes it’s best to come from the back,” said Wolfenden after the race. “He was just coasting along all the way and received a perfect run. I was quite confident when I got past Vanderford and felt that I had Oreti covered before the straight”

Hot Favourite Vanderford was a dominating favourite and he was never paying more than about £1 13s for a win on the dividend indicator. He carried £ 12,673 in a win pool of £25.807, while on the place . total isator he carried £7583 10s m a pool of £34.270 10s. Cardigan Bay carried £5185 10s for a win and £5347 10s for a place. “He’s no good in front and ■was never pacing as easily as when kept in behind.” said Vanderford’s driver, M. Holmes, after the race. He felt that the pace would have slowed still further had he allowed any of the others to pass him inside the last mile and had decided to keen him in the lead The young Southland reinsman, R. M. Cameron, who drove Robin Dundee, was a little disappointed after the race. “She is usually a great beginner, but bungled away.

She usually does best when given a couple of sharp sprints in her preliminary, but I had only time to give her one before being called into line.” he said. He had had trouble when another runner had hung in on Robin Dundee over the last round and lost several lengths when easing back. She had run a grand race, he said, but had no chance with Cardigan Bay. “He is just too good.” Oreti paced a splendid race for fourth, as also did Doctor Dan the next to finish. Surprisingly, both horses lost ground at the start. However, like most of the others, few excuses could be advanced for them as they were so soundly beaten. Perhaps Blue Prince and Sun Chief might have been

unlucky not to have got into the finish. Blue Prince was pulling hard when he clipped a sulky wheel, stumbled and dropped out inside the halfmile. Sun Chief, too. was pacing well until that stage, but he was knocked towards the rear. Cup Running Vanderford. King Hal. Doctor Dan and Robin Dundee lost a few lengths at the start of the New Zealand Cup. Dandy Briar was checked and broke, while Oreti and Grouse tangled. Cardigan Bay scrambled slightly, but did not lose more than a yard or two. Blue Prince got away best from Sun Chief, Urrall. Master Allan and Vanderford, which improved sharply to take the lead at the end of a fast first quarter. King Hal was within less than a length of Vanderford at the mile post, with Blue Prince pulling hard on the inside of Master Alan. Sun Chief was next on the inside of Urrall. with Robin Dundee on the inside of Doctor Dan. Oreti was next on his own, ahead of Grouse on the inside of Cardigan Bay. Dandy Briar was last. There was little change un-

til just short of the half-mile when the pace quickened sharply. Cardigan Bay was just going to start his run when Oreti pulled out to improve. Cardigan Bay then dropped in behind Oreti and followed him through. Blue Prince, still pulling hard, clipped a sulky wheel with about three furlongs and a half left. He stumbled, broke his overcheck and dropped quickly back through the field. Sun Chief was checked badly, while several others had narrow escapes from serious trouble. Oreti was in front before the three furlongs, Cardigan Bay gradually inching up on him, with Vanderford dropping in behind, but struggling to keep up. Cardigan Bay had a slender advantage over Oreti at the straight entrance, with Vanderford on the outside of Robin Dundee next. King Hal was making n o impression behind them, followed by Master Alan, Urrall, and Doctor Dan.

Cardigan Bay was clear at the furlong and he did not have to be driven right out to win by two lengths and a half. Robin Dundee fought on boldly along the inner to take second by a head from a determined finisher in Master Alan. Oreti was two lengths further back fourth, half a neck in front of Doctor Dan. Then there were necks to Vanderford and King Hal. with Urrall fairly close up, clear of Dandy Briar. Then there was another gap to Sun Chief and Blue Prince, with a further one to Grouse at the rear.

Driver Fined J. W. Miller, the driver of Antonius in the Spring Handicap, second leg of the double at Addington yesterday, was fined £l5 for careless driving. A complaint was lodged against him after the race, on the grounds of interference to Van Rush (C. C. Devine).

After the same race, C. S. Donald. W. R. Butt and J. A. Carmichael were questioned about incidents with about a furlong to run. No action was taken after their explanations had been heard. F. Smith, driver of Blue Prince in the New Zealand Cup, was asked about the breaking of the horse with about three furlongs to go. Smith said the horse was pulling hard and could have touched the sulky of Vanderford. He was free of interference. Blue Prince checked Sun Chief. K. Purdon, driver of Mossman in the Final Handicap, was fined £lO for careless driving between the three and two furl gs. A. M. Purdon, the driver of Gay Robin, was fined £lO for careless driving near the winning post. R. P. Nyhan, driver of Storm Water, was fined £lO for careless driving after the race had finished. J. S. Shaw, the driver of Ali Bey in the Introductory Handicap, reported that the horse broke and cast a shoe during the race