Mighty Chief Best Trotter

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 6

Mighty Chief Best Trotter

Mighty Chief, a winner in record time a week earlier, confirmed his position as the best trotter in New’ Zealand today with a runaway win in the Railway Handicap on Saturday at Forbury. In spite of the rain and sloppy surface Mighty Chief trotted the 13 furlongs and 108 yards at a 2min 10 l-ssec mile rate. Tronso took the lead from Anak with more than a mile left, but a furlong later Mighty Chief went clear. Break Through moved up to second at the five furlongs, but he soon dropped out.

It was left to Direct Globe’ to lead the chase after Mighty Chief, but after being two lengths behind at the straight entrance, he dropped further back and was six lengths away at the finish. Direct Globe trotted quite a good race, but was outclassed. He was half a length in front of a strong finisher. Stylish Major, with Tronso tiring to fourth, ahead of Seven Nights and Uteena. The surprise favourite, Logan Count, broke twice and made a little ground for seventh. Glen Dee, too, made mistakes. At Long Odds Norlight, which had not raced since October, 1965, made a successful reappearance with a narrow win in the two-mile Fairfield Handicap, the first leg of the on-course concession double.

Norlight, the 10-11 favourite, paid £42 4s for a win. She carried 371 5s tickets in a pool of 25,106 tickets. The favourite, Lucrative, carried 7285 tickets.

Just when the pace-maker, Compromise, looked likely to gain an overdue win, Norlight came on the scene and won by a head. Palaquis was a length back third, clear of Dawn Peterson’ and Senator Frost.

The favourite, Lucrative, finished last after losing his chance at the start.

Proudly, a firm 2-2 favourite, overcame a slow start to win the second leg, the Raceway Handicap, in the smart time of 2min 55 4-ssec for the 11 furlongs. Proudly drew away to win handily by two lengths from Flight Adorian, another slow beginner, with five lengths to Topri, which shaded Warily and Lee, which made ground.

The Norlight-Proudly combination paid £230 Ils for £l, and the Norlight-Flight Adorian combination pajd £lO9 4s for £l. Proudly carried 63 tickets and Flight Adorian 57. Dacron, the favourite with 64 tickets, was slow away and did not recover. Easy Win Lochaber was not further back than third in the Tanhuna Handicap and most of the way she tracked the pacemaker, Hialea. Once into the straight T. M. May did not have to ask her for a serious

effort and she won easily by a length from Hialea. Phoebe Martial made ground for third a length back, with a nose to Melissa and a long gap to the favourite, Bonny Strathair, which broke after less than two furlongs. Bonnie Lindy, at doublefigure odds, won the Pacific Handicap, a race for probationary drivers. She was driven by M. A. Butt, who sent her after the favourite, Golden Variety, over the last furlong. She won by a short head, with Andy Black beaten off third. Tangotile was put out of the race when he was badly checked near the two fur-

longs. At the time he was pacing comfortably. Black Tulip returned to her best form with a most convincing win in the Southland Handicap. She was close to the pace-maker, Bar None, all the way, took charge about the furlong and drew away to win by three lengths. Frugal made up ground in the run home to deadheat for second with Bar None. Tryout was a fair fourth, ahead of Jimmy Dieman, which had every chance. The favourite, Torrent, broke at the start and finished last. Goldmount received a buckled sulky wheel and finished seventh.