Tardini Beats My Contact By A Nose

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30533, 31 August 1964, Page 5

Tardini Beats My Contact By A Nose

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, August 30. The Riordan brothers, Noel, from Matamata on Tardini, and John, from Te Awamutu on My Contact, were in a great battle for the Avondale Cup yesterday. Each thought he had won and the photo-finish showed Tardini first by inches.

Tardini, a four-year-old. is trained by another of the brothers, D. J. Riordan, of Te Awamutu, although owned in Taranaki.

Tardini and My Contact, with Kiwi Fox, joined the pacemaker Craddock a furlong out and the others fell away. In the last 100 yards Tardini, in the middle and My Contact, on the outside, i came clear of the other two. I My Contact was on a run j that seemed certain to take! him ahead but at the last! moment N. D. Riordan gath-i ered his mount for another: big effort and Tardini re-j sponded for a nose win. Kiwi Fox, after looking! crowded for a bit just short of the post, came third a length and a half away and a nose in front of Craddock. Gillin was next then Valiant Roman.

Tardini won his first race less than a year ago so his progress has been very quick. His first success was at Otaki on September 28 last year. Yesterday’s race was his fourteenth meanwhile and the fifth he has won. From the others he gained a handful of minor placings. His stake earnings altogether are £4430.

He is raced by Mr I. F. McGuire. who has a share as well in the ownership of the good sprinter Donald Dinnie, in partnership with a cousin, Mr A. P. King. Tardini was the each-way favourite for the cup and My Contact was 4/3 and Kiwi Fox 2/2.

Both Tardini and My Contact managed the holding ground very well. Gillin and Kiwi Fox. on the other hand.

had moments when theyj looked unhappy in the conditions. Gillin, a visitor from Hast-j ings, handled himself so) badly when running close to| the inside over the first six| furlongs or sp that he was about eleventh with half a i mile to go. < Kiwi Fox came under pres-| sure ' nearing the three i furlongs when he floundered for a few strides. Toward the (finish he ran on gamely. I There is no doubt that in 'soft going Tardini is a young igalloper of exceptional ability. It would be interesting ito see him on top Of the ! ground. That opportunity is not , likely to come for a while bej cause after, competing in the Coronation Handicap next Saturday he is to be given a spell.

Gold Chat made a successful return to racing, after a spell since the autumn, when he led all the way in the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the Sheriff Handicap. Gold Chat galloped brilliantly into a big lead over the second and third furlongs and he hung on to win by a head from Clarendon. With any further distance to go Clarendon must have won. As it was he put on a game and unlucky performance. A four-year-old gelding, Gold Chat is trained at Takanini by I. J. and I. R. Tucker. He was ably ridden by B. F Andrews who has been closely associated with the Tucker stable during the pas' 18 months or so. The weather was fine and cold and there was a big attendance. CUP RUNNING Craddock. Blue Heather. Wonder and Emphatique were

the first to become prominent in the Avondale Cup. Straight Time lost ground and so did Count Filou. After a furlong and a half Craddock just led Countax (wide) and Emphatique. Surging came next then Silver Eagle, Tardini, My Contact. Kiwi Fox. Action Packed. King’s Credit Gillin. and Wonder.

Craddock put a fair break on the others on the bend into the back. With seven furlongs to run he was out by two lengths and a half from Emphatique, which had two lengths on Countax. Surging was next, a further length and a half away with’ Silver Eagle. Tardini kept sixth, just ahead of My Contact and Action Packed.. Craddock continued to, gab lop freely in front making the half-mile a couple of lengths clear of Emphatique. Tardini improved well into third, no more than a length further back. Countax, Silver Eagle and Action Packed were the next three, then Kiwi Fox., Tardini was running Craddock close as they came into the straight. Emphatique and Action Packed were third and fourth and Kiwi Fox sixth. My Contact started a move once in the straight and with a furlong to go he was almost with Tardini and Craddock. When Craddock began to weaken Tardini and My Contact drew away and Tardini just won. Kiwi Fox battled into third just ahead of Craddock. There was a gap to Gillin. Valiant Roman Was sixth, followed by Emphatique, King’s Credit. Blue Heather, Countax, and Wonder. WINNER SOON CLEAR Overdale began fast in the Sheriff Handicap, but he was almost immediately passed by Gold Chat, which made a brilliant run to the front. After, they had travelled a furlong Gold Chat was in the clear from Overdale, Surco and Astarito. Mali. Peter was next followed by Blue Bay, Clarendon, Dingwall, and Tax Free.

Gold Chat carried on freely in front to the straight two lengths and a half clear of Astarito, which was out by a couple of lengths from Blue Bay and Overdale. There was a further short gap to Surco and Mali Peter and another to Clarendon. Gold Chat came into the last furlong with a commanding lead on Overdale and Astarito. He looked likely to win easily, but Clarendon made such a great late run that there was only a head between them at the post. Astarito was a distant third and there was a fair gap to Mali Peter heading the others. Blue Bay was fifth, then came Loyal Ruler, Caballero, Dingwall, Miss Halo, and Tax Free. Results;—

SEPTEMBER HURDLES, £750; 151.—1/2 MONOCEROS (1) 11-1 W. H. Shsrt 1; 2/1 CAPTAIN REBEL <2) 10-1 P. R. Wilson 2;, 3/4 REVELLO (3) 9-13 S. Humphries 3. Scratched: Time Payment, Young Ray, Negro, No Itegrets, Summer Prince, Lucanui. Prince Fawkes. Threequarters of a length; threequarters of a length. Hyde Out fourth. Time, 3:35. Win: £2 19s. Places: £1 8s 6d, £1 7s, £1 14s 6d.

AVONDALE STAKES, £1000; two-year-olds; 5f. —2/2 COBBLER LASS (6) by The Cobbler—Royal Renown 8-0. G. R. Edge 1; 1/1 HI COURT (4) 8-5 B. F. Andrews 2- 5/5 QUEEN’S PRIDE (10) 8-0 W. C. Cotter 3. Scratched: Dr. Simon, French Rose. Five lengths; long neck. Silent Knight fourth. Time, 1:4 1-5. Win: £4 18s. Places: £1 15s 6d, £1 7s, £2 10s 6d. Bracket: Hi Court and Soeur de Chat. SWANSON HANDICAP, £800; 11f.—3/3 MR DICKENS (5) 8-3 G. F. Hughes 1; 14/15 SPOOKES (18) 7-10 car. 7-6 W. Walters 2; 6/6 BLUE PACKET (7) 7-13 car. 8-0 J. P. Riordan 3. Scratched: Earl Marshall, Lucy Gray, Exj plicit, Kevin Barry. Half length; four lengths. The Prophet fourth. Time, 2:27 4-o. Win: £6 3s. Places: £2 3s, £2O 3s 6d, £3 17S.

HENDERSON HANDICAP, £800; 7f.—5/5 FOREBRACE (15) 7-10 G. R. Edge 1; 1/1 MARKABLE (2) 8-12 T. J. Sharkey 2; 7/6 DANESWAY (3) 8-11 J. P. Riordan 3. Scratched: Creolian, Kublai Khan, Skymaster, Chattanooga. Marco's Pride, Able Pal, Cash In. Two lengths: length. Umpah fourth. Time, 1:31. Win: £l2 3s. Places: £3 Bs, £1 14s, £4 14s 6d. AVONDALE CUP, £3000; Ilf. 1/1 TARDINI (11) 7-3 car. 7-51 .. N. D. Riordan 1 4/3 MY CONTACT (2) 8-7 J. P. Riordan 2 2/2 KIWI FOX (8) 7-8 R. Fisher 3 9/9 Action Packed, 7/8 Count Filou, 8/7 Craddock, 5/6 Countax, 10/11 Straight Time, 3/4 Gillin, 6/5 Emphatique, 11/10 Blue Heather, 15/15 Surging, 13/ 14 Kings Credit, 12/13 Valiant Roman. 16/16 Wonder, 14/12 Silver Eagle also started. Nose: one and a half lengths.

Craddock fourth. Time, 2:25 4-5. Win: £5 13s 6d. Places: £2 ss, £2 18s, £2 Ils 6d. BOROUGH HANDICAP. £1000; Im.—2/2 MANTOVANI (1) 8-10 N. B. Holland 1; 5/5 PAROMAC (12) 7-7 D. A. Peake 2: 8/9 ASHBOURNE BLUE (9) 7-7 G. L. Willetts 3. Scratched: Old Parr, Garden Place. Neck; nose. Queenwood fourth. Time, 1:46 4-5. Win: £5 19s. Places: £2 0s 6d, £3 6s, £4 13s 6d. SHERIFF HANDICAP, £1100; 6f. 6/5 GOLD CHAT (11) 7-4 B. F. Andrews 1 2/1 CLARENDON (3) 8-3 G. R. Edge 2 9/8 ASTARITO (19) 7-0 car. 7-2 R. L. Murray 3 1/2 Mali Peter, 8/10 Gauntlet, 3/3 Overdale, 5/6 Loyal Ruler, 4/4 Blue Bay, 14/14 Texarkana, 11/11 Tax Free, 7/9 Caballero, 13/13 Peter George, 15/15 Miss Halo, 10/7 Dingwall, 12/12 Surco also started. Half head: three and a half lengths. Mali Peter fourth. Time, 1:16. Win: £ll 14s. Places: £3 10s 6d, £1 18s 6d, £5 12s. CORNWALLIS HANDICAP, £800: Of —B/8 SYNOLA (10) 8-3 N. D. Riordan 1: 1/2‘ROGAHNE (3) 8-13 G. R. Edge 2: 3’3 IRONBARK (17) 7-13 car. 7-13) J. P. Riordan 3. Scratched: Gold Imp. Kandv. In-the-Blue. New Tiki, True Title, Furst Lady. Furious. Cherie Brizard.' Regal Ruler. Seretse. Joytax. Nose: threeQuarters of a length. Te Pari Chat fourth. Time, 1:17. Win: ri6 Places: £4 17s. £1 17s 6d. £2 9S.