trotting Violetta Too Good In Stakes At Wash dyke

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 5

trotting Violetta Too Good In Stakes At Wash dyke

The speedy Bachelor Hanover filly, Violetta, was much too good for her rivals in the $2OOO Timaru Nursery Stakes at Washdyke on Saturday. She won easing down from Local Chief and New Law after recording the third-fastest time since the distance of the race was extended to 10 furlongs in 1952.

The race record of 2:44 3-5 was established by Phantasy in 1955, and the next year Bon Ton returned 2:45 2-5. Violetta has won three races this season for her trainer-driver. M. Holmes,| races her in partnership with Mr B. J. Wilks, of Christ- ( church. They are two of the! part-owners of Violetta’s brother, Rossini, a winner; earlier in the season Violetta will probably race next in the S4OOO New Zealand Welcome Stakes at Ad-! dington Raceway on March 28. For Holmes it was his third win in the race, Bel Hamed being successful in 1943 and Chamfer five years later. On Saturday Violetta started splendidly from a wide barrier draw and she escaped much of the skirmishing

which involved many of the horses which drew in the middle of the field. She drew handy to the pacemaker. Local Chief, with about six furlongs . left and had most of her ■ rivals struggling when she .‘sprinted clear of Local Chief 'and Stanmore near the half--mile.

Splendid Lead > Violeta was about five -’lengths clear starting the run • home and she had her rivals “well covered from then, win- ■ ning easily by a length and a I* half from Local Chief, which ’.‘showed gameness over the .final furlong y New Law received a poor .'run and covered much extra ■ ground. He was three lengths ;-back third and was far from . disgraced. Then there was a -longer break to Chief Aim •and Drastic Girl, both of ■'which had their chances. ■ Franz Josef made ground for a close sixth, clear of Bachelor Blue, which was a firm •favourite after the scratching "of Noble Lord. . Bachelor Blue was slow -away and was a tailender the last six furlongs. .In a fast-run race he had no chance of recovering his lee•way. At Good Odds Sheer Delight, a winner over two miles at Forbury Park two starts earlier and an unlucky runner at her previous appearance on February 14, was a decisive winner in the South Canterbury Handicap. She paid a false win price of 511.25. . The firm favourite, La Guardia, was in a lather in his preliminary and appeared to be most upset F. R. Bebbington had difficulty getting him to stand before the start and when the barriers went he swung round and took no : part in the race. Sheer Delight was pushed back to the middle of the field when the lead changed fairly i

frequently over the first mile. She challenged inside the final furlong when Thunder Globe began to tire and came on to win handily by half a length from Airborne, which came again after appearing to be well beaten on the home turn. Finesse, Winfield Chief and Kran finished clear of the 1 others Promise, another at good odds—he paid 317.75 for a ! win—a beautiful run throughout the Wai-iti Handicap and he won easily from Monarrg, which could not get a clear run in the straight. Seafield Queen did well to hold on for. third, ahead of Rippling Over; and Great Faith. Swift Action (sixth) and Waiata (eighth) were never; possibilities. Batavia gained his first win! since March, 1964, when he

was a two-year-old when he shaded Local Luck in the Washdyke Handicap. In the meantime his career has been interrupted by recurring soreness and he looked very tender on pulling up on Saturday. His win was minor compensation for his trainer and part-owner, D. J. Townley who has been campaigningStella Frost in Melbourne All but seven of the field were put out of the race when Copper Braid fell for no reason with less than six furlongs left. False Square showed promise as a stayer when he held Fortunate out by half a headi in the Salisbury Handicap, while Le Char, David Frost, Pine Acre and Dresden Bay were impressive winners in the races for slow-class horses. i