Cardigan Bay’s Odds Shorten After Win

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 4

Cardigan Bay’s Odds Shorten After Win

(NX. Press AssoetattoM-CopwrigM) MELBOURNE, February 16. Cardigan Bay consolidated his position as ■ favourite for the £30,000 Inter-Dominion Championship, which opens here next Saturday, with an easy win in a division of the £lOOO Hopeful Free-for-all at the Melbourne Showgrounds last night.

New Zealand’! two other championship representatives —Tactile and Robin Dundee —emphasised the strength of toe New Zealand contingent by filling the first two places in the second division. Tactile, driven by the young South Island reiniman, R M. Cameron, got home from Rabin Dundee, an odds■on favourite, by half a neck, but the latter was a “good thing” beaten. It was a big night for New Zealanders aa Pohutukawa, having hia first Melbourne start, outclassed bis rivals, including the South Australian mare Graenel, which started odtfe-on favourite, in brilliantly winning the £6OO Moonee Free-for-all, over 14 furlongs. Cardigan Bay, now quoted at 2 to 1 for the InterDominion final, started at 6 to 1 on last night Starting from the outside of the second row, he began like a rocket and waa in front after the field had gone a furlong and a half. He coasted at his ease for toe remainder of the race, to win by five yards from Tryst (100 to 1) with Tarcoola (25 to 1) four yards away third. The champion rated 2min 10 l-ssec for the 12 furlongs and a half. Tryst, second emergency for the championship, is now assured of a start as the New South Wales pacers Snip Star and Idle Raider are to be scratched this week. The first emergency—Blue Marlin —like Tryst, did his early racing in New Zealand. Run For Post Robin Dundee 16 to 4 on) trailed the leader, Heroic Action, when the field settled down in the second Hopeful Free-for-all, with Tactile one out without a trail alongside her.

D. J. Townley waa unable to get a run with Robin Dundee until 50 yards from the post, when he switched her to the inside of Tactile. Although ah* “flew" to the line she was beaten by half a neck. The Sydney pacer Red Adlos, after a slow beginning, ran a terrific race to finish third one yard aiway.

Heavily Backed Red Adlos has bad heavy support for the championship, and on his showing last night is likely to earn a place in the final 10 for the £16,000 final on Saturday week. Cameron is very pleased with Tactile’s condition, and although he fears th* “big two"—Cardigan Bay ana Robin Dundee—he expects the Hal Tryax four-year-old to give them plenty of competition. Waitakl Hanover, which ran in Cardigan Bay’s division of the Hopeful, again shaped disappointingly. His chance in the championship seems forlorn. ■ Townley, with a win and two seconds (be also drove Tryst) in the main events, had an eventful night. Settled Down The New Zealand trotter, Pohutukawa, after breaking when racing for the lead in the first furlong, settled down quickly and trotted perfectly in the Moonee Free-for-all. He came from fourth at the bell to win by eight yards from Sheligrit

(36 to 1) with Rio (33 to 1) five yards away third. Pohutukawa rated 2min 14 l-ssec for the 14 furlongs and is now favourite for the £4OOO final of the Australasian Trotting Championship, to be run on Saturday, February 29. Gramel started at 10 to 9 on but was short of condition and did well to run fourth. She will prove much harder to beat in the championship. Pohutukawa started at 9 to 4 after opening at a much shorter quote.