Won His First Race Drive Splendidly

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30629, 21 December 1964, Page 4

Won His First Race Drive Splendidly

B. L. Heron, a 20-year-old son of the Rangiora trainer, W. L. Heron, was having his first drive at a totalisator meeting when he drove Stella Globe to win the Parnassus Handicap at Rangiora Raceway on Saturday. Heron gave an accomplished display behind a mare which had been racing most erratically in her earlier starts, although she had won impressively at the Methven trials the previous Tuesday. Stella Globe was kept down on the inside not far from the co-leaders, Ipiana and the three-year-old, Last Resort, until racing to the straight. She then ranged up wide out and over the last few yards she began to race away. For a moment it looked as though she would break, but Heron held her together well until she pased the post with a length and a half to spare over Hialee. Once past the post she went to a gallop.

Hialee trotted a useful race for second, a short length in front of Ipiana, with Last Resort a fine fourth, clear of Belmartial and Wayren. Gay Judy, a member of W. R. Butt’s team, and Sir Charles, which is trained by his part-owner, A. M. Richards, won the on-course double, which was run on the Hurunui Handicap and the Fernside Handicap. The dividend for £1 was £207 12s 6d There were 41 successful 5s tickets. Password was favourite for the second leg with 111 tickets.

Gay Judy looked to be beaten by Ruapuna in the first leg, but she fought on again and won by a head. Waltz Away finished • well along the inner to take second, ahead of Shinto, which came from a long way back, and Cindy, which covered extra ground early. Held On

Sir Charles, after being pushed back early from the second line, received a good run over the last seven furlongs. Password, the early leader, was pushed back to near the tail of the field in the middle stages. He put in a determined run for second, a head behind Sir Charles, with three lengths to Durham, another slow beginner. Sir Echo made up ground for fourth, shading Noisette and Megaton, with Battlefield a fair seventh, ahead of Johnny Warrior.

Caught Napping, a four-year-old trotting-bred gelding by Court Martial from Circlette, won the first division of the Maiden Handicap, while the second division went to Epona, which brought an overdue change of fortune to her Addington trainer, L. O. Thomas. The three most favoured runners failed to flatter at any stage of the race.

Gala Song, which was having her first start since last April and her first since being trained by N. L. Berkett, who has had a lean run in recent months, gained an overdue win in the Goldstream Handicap. She led from end to end, setting such a strong pace that most of her rivals were struggling a long way from home.

Gala Song won by four lengths from Phenoma after recording the smart time of 4.30 4-5 for the two miles. Lightning Scott, an early breaker, made up ground for third half a length back, a neck in front of Marcus Aurelius, Phoebe Martial was beaten off, shading Wayleggo, which broke at the furlong. There was a gap to the others.

Fined £25

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 20. The leading driver, M. Holmes, was fined £25 for careless driving in the Onslow Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting last night. Holmes drove . fthe favourite, Mister Chips, which ran into Julie Hanover about two furlongs from home and fell. E. D. Wallis, the part-owner and driver of Heather Aisle, had his licence suspended up to and Including January 2, 1965. after the running of the Tamaki Handicap. Heather Aisle clipped the wheel of Super Horizon’s sulky when pulling out from the rails with about two furlongs togo. Heather Aisie broke, causing Scotty Dillon and Scotch Grattan to break as well.