Tomray Succeeds As A Stayer

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32220, 12 February 1970, Page 4

Tomray Succeeds As A Stayer

'The Press” Special Service STRATFORD The well-bred Hawera galloper. Tom ray. hinted at a big future as a stayer with a courageous performance to win the Egmont Cup at Hawera yesterday. The first leg of the T.A.B. concession double at the Egmont Racing Club's summer meeting turned into a real thriller. The northern light-weight, Gold Aura, turned on the pace in the middle stages and over the final six furlongs of the IL. furlong contest he had all ths runners doing their best.

A staying test was just what Tom ray wanted and he came out on top. Running past the half mile he was tn seventh place 14 lengths from Gold Aura.

However, he improved quickly and moved round to be handy but wide on the home turn. Keeping up his strong run for R. B. Marsh he hit the from outside the furlong and he ran on truely to hold his challengers.

Tomray won by a neck from Bright Notes. which made ground to be handy on the home turn and finished strongly on the outside.

Highbrow, fifth in. the running and right there on the turn, fought on strongly for third only a nose away. He was a length ahead of the topweight, Hagen’s Pleasure.

Hagen's Pleasure was fifth passing the half mile and was the first to come off the fence and challenge the weakening pacemaker. Gold Aura, on the home turn. He weakened on his challenge over the final furlong.

Game Hunter battled on for a handy fifth in front of Henech, never far away. Gold Aura. Arrogant Beau, Pawa’s Lad. Tara's Pride, and Belle Sierra.

The fifth favourite, Aquila, completed the T.A.B. doub’e when he led practically all the way to win the Nolan Hack Cup. He was attended by Riboflite for much of the way, but ran two lengths clear on the home turn. From there he fought on solidly to win by three-quarters of a length from the strong finishing Dubonair.

Aquila is a three-year-old colt from Forearmed out of Inland He is raced by a Hamilton veterinarian. Mr J. Southworth.

A few weeks ago Mr South worth sent Aquila south to be trained by Miss R. F. Jackson at Wanganui, mainly because he was having trouble in placing i Aquila, which was then a maiden, tn the large fields ratling in the north. Aquila cleared maiden ranks at the recent Wanganui meeting and he was on his way back to Hamilton when he stopped off at Hawera to win yesterday's race. IHe is to be turned out for a i spell.

I Dubonair drifted *a little in the middle stages but he ran on strongly tn the straight. His run came a little late to trouble the winner.

Blue Suit ran third, weakening in the final furlong after challenging Aquila for the lead early tn the straight

Country Style finished on fori fourth without ever appearing i likely to do any better and| and then came the favourite,; Little Annie, which was never a danger. Royal Tuskan was the next home, followed in by Arkoi. Two Blues, Step Softly. and Riboflite.