Ashburton Trials STABLEMATES WIN

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31585, 24 January 1968, Page 4

Ashburton Trials STABLEMATES WIN

Cardinal King, which will be one of Canterbury’s strong hopes at the InterDominion Championships in Auckland next month, recorded the smartest time in the two heats of the Free-for-all at trials held by the Mid-Canter-buhy Owners’ and Breeders’ Association at Ashburton yesterday.

Cardinal King was one of two horses the Chertsey trainer, J. L. Behrns, harnessed and drove in the free-for-all. The other was Space Cadet, which was successful in the second heat

If Space Cadet performs well on a campaign at Forbury Park—the festival meeting opens on Saturday night—he will probably accompany bis stablemate north. In yesterday’s trial, Cardinal King paced a mile and a half plus 12 yards, wide out on a course carrying a heavy sole of grass and not conducive to fast times, in 3min 21 2-ssec, compared with his stablemate’s 3min 26 l-ssec for the same distance.

Cardinal King improved from the third line to win the first heat by a nose from Brigade’s Advice. The latter’s strong finish wide out on the track raised hopes of a Canterbury victory in the Twilight Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday. Humphrey, which had run on the outside and close to the lead all the way, was a close third and almost in line behind him were Disband, Spry, Chequer Board, and Rocky Star.

Space Cadet improved from i midfield to win the second ! heat, running away by three lengths from Golden Fleece. ’ Golden Fleece showed his usual staying powers—he was last but one early in the con- i test—to hold second by a : length from Finesse, which ! out-finished Sbadydale. i One of the features of the second heat was the perform- ' ance of the trotter, Royal Armour. He was a bad last : when the field left the straight the first time, but a brilliant run carried to the leaders and into the lead five furlongs out Although he could not match the pacers in the last furlong he finished a close fifth, without being asked to do better. TWO-YEAR-OLDS . Lady Aurora, Radiant Globe and Waiata, rivals in the Portsmouth Challenge Stakes tor two-year-olds at Forbury Park on Saturday night, showed promise in their respective heats of the Two-year-old Parade. I Lady Aurora trailed Waiata to

the straight in the first heat, was brought out to challenge inside the furlong and won handily by a length from Friendly Forbes, which beat Waiata narrowly. Lady Aurora paced the distance, a little further than one mile, in 2min 17sec, and came her last half-mile in Imin 6 2-ssec. Radiant Globe was the run-ner-up, beaten only inches, to Garcon Roux in the third heat. The former was run down by the Timaru Nursery Stakes winner after trying to lead for the last six furlongs. Ginger Wine was a fair third, ahead of Lock Up. Garcon Roux's time for the distance was 2min 21 2-ssec and he came the last half in Imin 6 2-ssec. The fastest last half was recorded by Glide In, which led all the way to win the second heat in 2min 20sec, but came the last half In Imin 5 l-ssec. Intrepid, after a slow start, made a good showing to finish a close second. An unnamed Johnny Globe youngster was third, and Gorgonzola led in the others. ALL-THE-WAY WIN Winslow Lady, an acceptor for the Canterbury Park Stakes at Addington Raceway tonight, led from end to end for a narrow win in the first heat of the 2min 19sec class pace. Her time, 3min 27sec for the mile and a half, was far from outstanding but it was still three seconds better than Mister Forbes, which is engaged at Nelson next week-

end, took to win the second heat. All Alone and Melody Way shaped as if they could race well in the events for maiden trotters at Nelson when they filled the minor places in a close finish with Merrin in the first heat of the 2min 20sec class trot. Roytelet won the second heal from the back mark of 36 yards but he was not required to go much above a jog for the mile and a half took 3min 42sec. compared with Merrin’s 3min 30 2-ssec in the first heat. There was little value either, from a race-winning point of view, in the efforts of Creditor and Whippet to win their respective neats of the 2min 20sec class pace. The winning time for both of them were seconds outside the ordinary qualifying times.