EPONA WINS WELL AT SPOTSWOOD

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30575, 19 October 1964, Page 5

EPONA WINS WELL AT SPOTSWOOD

One of the best features of the Spotswood Trotting Club's second matinee meeting at the Cheviot Raceway on Saturday was the Qualifying Trial, in which all four placegetters bettered the qualifying time. The winner was Epona, a four-year-old ' Johnny Globe mare trained by L. O. Thomas at Addington. She led all the way and held on strongly to win by about two lengths from Fort Worth. Kaikoura Chief was third and Bistro fourth.

Epona ran the mile and a half in 3min 24 2-ssec, almost six seconds faster than the time for the maiden pacers to run the same journey, and less than a second slower than the time recorded by the winner of the 2min 19sec class event. Gay Gordon.

The Two-year-old Trial was a disappointment, with only four starters. Several entrants were not registered in time for the race and were unable to start. The event was won narrowly but comfortably by the half brother by Thunder Frost to Orbiter, Late Frost. A bay colt, Late Frost is owned by W. L. Bagrie, who also has Orbiter.

Wet weather early in the day brought about a small attendance, and the equallsator turnover of £B6l was down substantially on last year's figure. After the running of the second race the weather cleared and the rest of the programme was run in ideal conditions. The track was effected to some extent by rain, but was still quite fast. Results:— KAIKOURA HANDICAP. £35; 2:20 class; trotters; Um. WAYREN It W. E. Taylor 1; BELMARTIAL 36 J. G. Hampton 2; LOYAL SMOKE It H. R. Walker 3. Fourteen started. Raevon fourth. Head; neck. Times — 3:33, 3:30 1-5, 3:33 2-5. Dividend (for ss): £3 3s. CHEVIOT HANDICAP, £100; 2:20 class; Um —SMART LASS It J. B.

Noble 1; LUVERLEY It W. K. Tatterson 2; RAWIRI It J. W. Smolensk! 3. Eleven started. Jeunesse fourth. Two lengths; two lengths. Times—3:3o 1-5. 3:30 4-5, 3:31 1-5. Dividend: £2 9s fid. SPOTSWOOD TWO-YEAR-OLD TRIAL, £35; fiif.—LATE FROST It W. L. Bagrle 1; PROSPECTOR It J. W. Smolensk! 2; HEATHER’S LASS It M. Johnson 3. Opulent only other starter. Half length; four lengths. Times —1:55 4-5, 1:56, 1:57. Dividend: IBs fid. OUR THORPE HANDICAP, £35: 2:19 class; Um.— GAY GORDON It P. Harris 1; LA GARRISON It R. W. Curtin 2: HUNTING SONG It R. Connolly 3. Seven started. Black Braid fourth. Neck: length. Times—3:23 4-5, 3:24, 3:24 1-5. Dividend: £1 Ils fid. QUALIFYING TRIAL; Um.— EPONA It T. L. Thomas 1; FORT WORTH It W. M. Denton 2; KAIKOURA CHIEF It R. J. Broadhurst 3. Nine started. Bistro fourth. Length and a half; three lengths. Times—3:24 2-5, 3:24 4-5, 3:25 4-5. Dividend: £2 0s fid. AMBERLEY HANDICAP, £35; 2:20 class; trotters; l}m.— STELLA GLOBE 3< B. L. Heron 1; LOYAL SMOKE It H. R. Walker 2; BELMARTIAL 36 J. G. Hampton 3. Twelve started. Young Harry fourth. Length; length. Times—3:27 1-5, 3:30 2-5, 3:27 3- Dividend: £2 9s fid. THUNDER HANDICAP, £100; 2:20 class; IJm — SONNY JIM It T. Nyan 1: RAWIRI It J. W. Smolensk! 2; MINA'S CHOICE It F. Murfitt 3. Fourteen started. Gay Gordon fourth. Half length; neck. Times —2:4# 1-5, 2:46 2-5, 2:46 3-5. Dividend: £2 18s fid. Double: £2O 9s fid. GOLD BAR HANDICAP, £35: 2:18 class: Hm.-WMDY DAWN 36 J. G. Hampton 1; BACKWARD It R. W. Curtin 2; DAWN HANOVER It W. L. Heron 3. Eight started. Light Rain fourth. Half length; neck. Times—3:2o 2-5, 3:23 3-5, 3:23 4- Dividend: £1 Us fid.