TROTTING Milford Boy’s Win May Result In Trip South

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31632, 19 March 1968, Page 5

TROTTING Milford Boy’s Win May Result In Trip South

AUCKLAND.

Milford Boy may have earned himself a trip to Addington for the Easter Cup meeting, which will open on Saturday week as a result of his dashing win in the All-Aged Stakes at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.

He won decisively from the only other four-year-old in the field. Miles Gentry. Surprisingly, the best the three - year - olds could do was a fourth by Terraton.

Milford Boy’s owner, Mrs C. Clarke, said that he had been entered for Addington, but the win “complicated things a bit”

Milford Boy was entered for a 2:14 class race on the first night of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting. His success on Saturday tightened his assessment to 2:13. “Horses on 2:13 are eligible for the Easter Cup,” said Mrs Clarke, “but the limit of the race is 2:11. I just don’t know at this stage whether Milford Boy will be in the field.” ’ Milford Boy's trainer, R. Purdon, has Governor Frost and Southern Silver alreadyengaged in the Easter Cup.

A brother of the ill-fated top-class pacer, Vanderford, Milford Boy was bought as a foal, along with his dam, byMrs Clarke for $l5OO. From 36 starts, he has had

seven wins and 12 placings for $7445. Bata, which is owned by Mrs Clarke's husband, made a gallant attempt to win the Members’ Handicap, the second leg of the T.A.B. double. But he found Inferno a shade too good. Milford Boy would have paid considerably more than $5.15 if he had not been bracketed with Southern Silver and Chief Command. In an ordinary handicap race he would have received a much bigger start than 12 yards from Miles Gentry and others. He was soon nicely placed on the rails and was “sitting pretty” behind Thurber Scott and Terraton at the home turn, where Miles Gentry was outside him. It looked as if Miles Gentry would justify his warm favouritism, but Milford Boy burst to the front brilliantly half-way down the straight. He won by a length and three-, quarters from Miles Gentry. I Miles Gentry had begun! better than any others on the 30-yard mark and was soon a i handy fourth. He was forced 'to race one out without a ■trail for most of the last . round but, even so. his fin-

ishing run was not as strong as usual. He too, is booked to go to Addington for the Easter Cup series.