Stylish Major Easily At Hutt Park

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31921, 24 February 1969, Page 4

Stylish Major Easily At Hutt Park

“T/ie Frets" Special Service WELLINGTON. After a furlong the outcome of the Worthy Queen Handicap at Hutt Park last Saturday looked to be all over. The win favourite, Stylish Major, was well placed and barring accidents looked almost certain to win.

For once things went to -plan. The driver of Stylish Major, D. J. Townley, always -' had the horse within striking and it came as no ‘• surprise when he moved out X. at the top of the straight and - strode away over the final X. stages to win, untested, by a -■length.

- Stylish Major’s best performances have not been over sprint distances and from the front line on Saturday he had quite an advantage. There can be little doubt as to his sprinting prowess. After all, he holds the New Zealand mile record, for trotters, of 2min 2 2-ssec, set only a few . weeks ago at Addington.

’ * It was an effortless win - really, but it was, perhaps, •/lucky for Stylish Major that • Johnny Gee did not get clear * until too late.

< ’ There is no more consistent trotter at the moment

-JI than Johnny Gee. He has ac’ cumulated a long string of JJplacings this season, with the ♦ odd win thrown in.

• • From the 12 yard mark. • Johnny Gee began well and was „ soon close to the pace. But X* when it looked as if he might play a leading role in the fin- » ish, he was trapped for a fur- » long or two after the half mile -» and when he did work clear, he -' really flew to get third within • two lengths of Stylish Major • and his bracket-mate. Tony • Bear. Tony Bear was always in the ». call. He trailed the pacemaker. -.Red Medallion, for most of the • contest and went to the lead just before the straight for the -• final time.

For a few strides it looked as . though Tony Bear might keep • 'Stylish Major at bay, but it 9 was not to be and he plugged on the post to finish a length ♦ away.

The good trotter. Queen's -»Cord. led home the others, but -•she was lengths back in fourth place. She trotted boldly in ** the middle of the field for the • most part and was making a . ground over the final stages. •. Lucky Wood, buried down on • . the fence for the most part, held • .on for fifth ahead of Rannach ••Lad, which was right there at "•the three but could not come -•on at all over the final bit. ? * Mountain Pride was seventh,

ahead of Uteena, the backmarker. which trotted well to finish eighth. Goldmount Wins Goldmount completed the T.A.B. double with Stylish Major when he won the Moera Handicap. Goldmount’s win was impressive. He was the early leader before dropping back to about fourth or fifth place for a while. With a round to go he was still back in about seventh place, but he moved up rapidly soon after and fought on in fine fashion to win by a long neck. The favourite, Alandria, finished well for second, after being well back in the early running. With a round to go

she was baek in eleventh place and had to cover a good deal of extra ground to be about fourth place wilh just over two to run. Black On, which had a turn at pacemaking about half-way through the race then led again at the three and was the first into the straight, but could not quite see it out and faded a shade to finish third three and a half lengths from Alandria. Giggles, after being very slow, was used up in the early stages. His fourth was quite a creditable performance. Coinsman was handy early, drifted, and then came again to be fifth ahead of Morris and Highland, which made up some ground at the finish.