TROTTING TRONSO BEATS TOP TROTTERS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31215, 12 November 1966, Page 7

TROTTING TRONSO BEATS TOP TROTTERS

Double Completed By Rocky Star

Tronso came out on top in a gruelling test of stamina in the Dominion Handicap at the Addington Raceway yesterday. She won by half a length from Queen’s Cord, with Uteena a useful third.

I he race was noteworthy for the failure of the two favourites, Le Chant and Johnny Gee. Le Chant finished last, and Johnny Gee was pulled up. He began well but the track was loose on the inside and he became frightened of the grit being thrown into his face, said his owner-trainer, W. R. Butt.

Tronso gave his driver, F. E. Newfield, his most important win with a trotter. “I should have won this race a year or two back with Flaming Way,” Newfield said after the race.

Tronso had always trotted •monthly and had given him no worries, said Newfield. “I told Colin Berkett that she would win the Domnion after I had driven her a few weeks back,” he said Berkett races Tronso on lease from Mrs E. Jamison, of Ashburton. She is an aged mare by Light Brigade from Bettagain, by Desmond’s Pride from Betty Maxegin, a top trotting mare about 20 years ago.

Berkett. a prominent trainer until he took over a hotel at Rolleston about two years ago, resumed training this season. He produced Tronso to win the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup in October and completed a notable double yesterday. He had not previously won a Dominion Handicap, although he enjoyed considerable success with trotters.

Fourth To Straight Newfield had Tronso about •ixth until fairly late in the

race. She was fourth into the straight and from then had the result in safe keeping. The pace was solid throughout, the first half-mile taking Imin 8 3-ssec and the mile 2min 13 4-ssec. The leaders sprinted their last half-mile in Imin 3 4-ssec and the final quarter in 32 2-ssec. Break Through bounded for la stride or two at the start. About the end of a furlong Mighty Chief and Le Chant broke and Johnny Gee checked Asia Minor as he dropped back on the inside. Castleton’s Gift led out ifrom Towser, Uteena, which pulled hard, Flying Maiden, Tronso and Break Through, which recovered quickly. Took Control Towser took control after three furlongs and two furlongs later he was passed by Break Through. Mighty Chief improved to be second with more than one mile left, but he was under pressure at the half-mile, where Break Through was two lengths in front of Towser and Mighty Chief, Forward March (wide out), Gala Song, Castleton’s Gift, Tronso, Uteena and Queen’s Cord were next. Gala Song broke before the two furlongs and Flying Maiden. broke at the straight entrance, where Break Through was just in front of Forward

March, with Towser, Tronso, Castleton’s Gift, Queen’s Cord, Uteena and Asia Minor showing up.

Break Through was soon under pressure and Tronso took a short lead, to be challenged first by Uteena and then by Queen’s Cord. Tronso beat Queen’s Cord by half a length, with more than a length to Uteena, a short length to Asia Minor, which made up ground, half a head to Castleton’s Gift, half a neck to Break Through and a length and a quarter to Forward March, which was well clear of Scotleigh.

£3OB Double Rocky Star completed a fine double for the meeting when he beat the near-outsider, La Garrison, by three lengths in the Hornby Handicap, the second leg of the main double. The Tronso-Rocky Star combination paid £3OB 19s for £l. Humphrey and Rocky Star worked to the front with six furlongs left. They drew right away from their rivals on the home turn and led by three lengths from La Garrison racing to the straight, with Allakasam, Happy Songster and Doug's Choice next. Rocky Star soon shook off Humphrey and came away to win with ease by three lengths. La Garrison, which made his best beginning for some time, took second by a neck from the tiring Humphrey, with another neck to Happy Songster. Tutta Tryax battled on for fifth only half a length away, followed by Soldier Gal and the favourite, Chequer Board, which made ground after a slow start. Frosty Heather, Southern Rev, Tutta Tryax and Soldier Gal lost ground at the start.