S.A. Horses Dominate Grand Final

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 5

S.A. Horses Dominate Grand Final

"The Press" Special Service

MELBOURNE.

South Australia, with five of the nine runners in the InterDominion Championship Grand Final, of $40,000, at the Melbourne Show Grounds tomorrow night, should dominate the finish of the event.

New Zealand was not alone in failing to get a representative in the final. New South Wales is also without a runner. If nothing else, it can be said that most of the finalists have a New Zealand background. The South Australian trainer, R. E. Whiting, has a great chance of Alling two places in the Anal with Adios Court and Deep Court. Adios Court looks almost unbeatable if the qualifying heats are to be taken at face value. Last year at the Inter-Dominion series in I Adelaide he won two qualifying heats, Anished second in another and was third to Richmond Lass in the Anal. This year he has won his | three qualifying heats by comfortable margins. But in each he has kept up to his work at various stages of his races. He can be counted on to be first He is a dashing front runer, but he has the edge on most such horses in that he is a fine stayer and aided by the turning track it has been impossible to head him in his three heat appearances. In winning over 15 furlongs and 134 yards last Saturday night Adios Court was too good for the others and was able to cope at any stage of the race when any runner attempted to take the lead from him. He was admirably rated by C. Webster, one of four brothers who have all proved outstanding horsemen. Webster won Ave of the qualifying heats—three with Adios Court and two with Deep Court Deep Court may not be much inferior to Adios Court, but he has come from the back to win his races—over a sprint distance the Arst night and just short of two miles on the third night. Bred in N.Z. Both are New Zealand-bred five-year-olds, both by the

I Adios horse, Deep Adios, which now stands in South Australia.' Adios Court is a member of the same family as Indecision, Chief Command, Maudeen, Maori Queen, and others, and Deep Court is a member of the same family as last year's New Zealand Cup winner, Spry, and the New Zealand Derby winner, Berkleigh. The Queensland horse. Lucky Creed, the winner of 26 successive races, won his way into the Anal on the last night. In . his two earlier heats he had shown terrific speed and his winning run was an amazing effort considering that he was virtually off the course over the last three furlongs. Lucky Creed has not done as much racing on metropolitan courses as a number of others, but he is every bit as good as his record shows—either as a sprinter or a stayer. He has still to contend with his handicap of 12 yards on the turning course—a handicap almost impossible to overcome. Lucky Creed, however, is one which may prove capable of doing so. Bold David won his qualifying heat most impressively, but he is essentially a front runner and may have to work hard to get the lead from Adios Court, whose brilliance at the start will take matching. Dainty’s Daughter and Tara’s Meadow, both with 2min records, are Australia’s two finest race mares at the present. Dainty’s Daughter is to start from 12 yards, but Lucky Creed, on the same mark, may have the edge on her. Dainty’s Daughter, from Western Australia, is an outstanding type of race mare, but she failed to win a heat, having been twice placed, but on each occasion she secured fastest time. She Anished a close Afth on Saturday night after being badly checked with half a mile to run. Dainty's, Daughter has been one of the most heavilybacked runners in the Anal since the entries were Arst taken. Tara Meadow won a sprint heat the Arst night and was placed in her two heats since. She would be hard pressed to match Adios Court off the same mark. One which might upset the

best of them Is Bon Adios. A top juvenile pacer, he returned to that form when he won his heat on the Arst night from Billy Adios and Tara Meadow, South Australia has another strong contender in Bylaw. He won his Arst-night heat by a clear margin and was the only runner able to make a race of it with Adios Court on the third night. Luck in the running more than anything else will decide the winner of the Anal, but Adios Court, Deep Court and Lucky Creed should Aght it out. The field is: 11.45 p.m. (N.Z. time) INTER-DOMINION GRAND FINAI $40,000: Urn and 36yds. T.A.B. Nos

1—7316 Moonstone Bay It <S.A.) R. Cox 2—3*152 Bylaw (S.A.) K. Webster It 3—4133 Tara Meadow (Vic.) G. Garth It 4—1111 Adios Court (S.A.) C. Webster It 5—1151 Deep Court (S.A.) J. Hurley It 6—2315 Bold David (Vic.) A. Simons .. It 7—1814 Bon Adios (Vic.) W. Shinn 12 8—1235 Dainty's Daughter (W.A.) B. Cushing IP 9—1541 Lucky Creed <Qld) V. Frost 12