TROTTING Torrent’s Cup Win Pleasant Surprise

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32199, 19 January 1970, Page 5

TROTTING Torrent’s Cup Win Pleasant Surprise

Often in racing the pleasant surprises come when least expected. This is exactly what happened to the Templeton reinsman, J. W. Smolenski, at Washdyke on Saturday.

It has always been omkUiAn Smolensk! s ambition to drive the winner Of a “big” cup. He thought he “had it made” at Hutt Park last Tuosdav niffht Park last ruesaay nigm but on that occasion lorrent—in the Wellington Cup—was unable to cope with Tames’s brilliant witn James s omuani late run.

After that defeat Smolensk! did not hold high hopes of a victory for Torrent in the Timaru Cup. But Messers S. E. and D. A. Harley’s Stonnyway mare compensated him for last Tuesday’s big disappointment by swamping her rivals for finishing speed. For all her sound form, it was obvious that many shared the opinion of Torrent’s driver. She was the sixth favourite of eight and paid $18.30 to win. This was the much- travelled Torrent’s second sprint win in a matter of weeks. She was successful at Auckland on the final day of last year. Two days later she failed in the New Year Free-for-all at Addington Raceway then returned north to compete at Hutt Park. Her record in the three starts at the Wellington meeting was a third and a second. For Melbourne Torrent still has a lot of travelling ahead. Next month she will be taken to Melbourne to compete in the Inter-Dominion Championship series. Originally Torrent was to have been cared for until her departure by Smolensk! who will drive her on her Australian campaign. But because the departure date for the championship horses has been put back a week—they are now expected to leave on February 11—the mare has been returned to her Omakau owners. Torrent may not race again before she leaves for Australia but if her owners decided she does need a run it will probably be at the Forbury Park meeting.

On Saturday Torrent had a wonderful run.- She was three back and one out but had a trail all the way behind Chaman until the home turn. Once lined up for the run home she set out after Chief Command, which had tried for an all-the-way win, and had the pacemaker mastered close to home. Co Pilot, which shared the same line as Torrent but was on the inside, finished brilliantly once in the clear to take second from Chief Command. Glenda Hanover, which had the run of the race behind Chief Command to the straight, saved fourth by a nose from the second favourite, Intrepid. Intrepid tracked Torrent until the home turn but could not find the finishing speed that has marked his best runs. The hot favourite, True Averil, a big disappointment, led in the rest. He was tucked in behind Intrepid right throughout the race and in the run home neither made nor lost ground. At Long Odds Somerset Gold brought off the surprise of the meeting when he beat the favourite, Pine Globe, handily and 14 others hands down in the Geraldine Handicap, second leg of the double. Mr A. Chesmar’s Caduceus gelding was the eleventh favourite each-way and paid $31.30 to win this, his first race since early December. Somerset Gold, which is held in high regard by his Templeton trainer, D. D. Nyhan, had to miss holiday racing because of a blood disorder. He responded so well to the treatment that Saturday’s win was no surprise to his trainer. Nyhan had Somerset Gold four places back and on the inside until the home turn, was held up momentarily to get’ a clear run outside the furlong but he finished resolutely once in the open. Somerset Gold won, going away, by three parts of a length from Pine Globe The favourite received the run of the race behind Sequoia to the straight and mastered the pacemaker inside the furlong. Sequoia saved third by a neck from King Dillon, which shared the same line as the winner till the home turn. Sirrah Jay, Seltreb and Linda Lee were next in a close group.

Course Double Guy Hanover and Swift Action combined successfully in the double for course patrons only. Guy Hanover, after being well placed on the inner till the home turn, finished solidly to win the Pukaki Handicap at good odds but had to survive an inquiry into intereference at the straight entrance before the result was confirmed. Swift Action, a firm favourite, made short work of his rivals in the Tekapo Handicap, a race confined to probationary drivers. M. A. Butt brought him forward from the third line early in the

run home and he cleared right away in the last furlong to win by five lengths from Agnostic, which tried to lead for most of the last round.

The Leeston owner-trainer, W. J. Doyle, harnessed the winners of both trotting events. Chichester outfinished the pacemaker, Resistor’s Sister, for a handy win in the Rosewill Handicap, and Going kept a winning record at the meeting intact with a victory over Propetre in the Gleniti Handicap.

Bright Frost, the runnel? up in three of his four previous starts, gained a muchdeserved win in the Wincester Handicap. In this event the hot favourite, Royal Step, beat only one of the six runners home. He lost ground at the start and broke again with seven furlongs to run.

Young Robin and General Demand won the respective races for maidens. The former improved from the third line to win the First Fairview Handicap, going away, and General Demand, runner-up at his three previous starts, gained an overdue and all-the-way win in the Second Fairview Handicap.