Well-planned coup

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32431, 19 October 1970, Page 8

Well-planned coup

Harry’s Pal, an entrant for the major sprints at Riccarton next month, brought off a lucrative coup for his Wellington owner, Mr P. Louis, when he outran the open sprinters in the Shorts Handicap at Trentham on Saturday. Mr Louis, who had been noted for some of his betting plunges over a number of years, admitted after the vic-: tory to winning a "sizeable: sum.” Although Harry’s Pal is trained at Trentham by his owner his readiness to resume—he had not raced since last December—was a wellguarded secret. Even his racerider, N. Eastwood, had no idea how he would go before the race. When Eastwood saw that Harry’s Pal was an acceptor for the sprint he rang Mr Louis and asked for the. mount. Mr Louis refused but later rang Eastwood and told him he could ride the horse. Eastwood then offered to go to Trentham and ride thehorse in his final gallop on Thursday but his offer was declined. SOLID RUN But Eastwood had no doubt on Saturday that he was on a runner in race-winning condition. Characteristically, he gave Harry’s Pal time to get balanced, brought him forward on a big run going to the furlong and he ran it out much too solidly for Notorious. Notorious was always fairly close to the pace. She joined Kalgoorlie and Susan Jane in’ front outside the furlong and in the last 150 yards was the only one capable of making it a race with Harry’s Pal. There was three parts of a length between winner and run-ner-up. then three lengths and a half to the favourite. Susan Jane. Pakistan Prince, in a gap of five lengths, led in the rest of a very weary lot. The Shorts Handicap was the second leg of the double for course patrons only. The first leg, the Glen Hurdles, resulted In a hands-down victory for the Wanganui juniper. Contradict. BIG MARGIN In the early running Contradict settled alongside Dark Song and had only Purakau behind him. But B. Waerea brought him

, forward on a steady run from the five furlongs and he was i • right with Durado and Able . Mariner as they made the straight. Onee in line he cleared , away to win by 10 lengths. This was Contradict’s fifth win ■ from his last six starts in the colours of Mr A. H. J. Gudsell. Wellcourt, which is trained at Hastings by her owner, Mr E. B. Laxon, and Mr Hing, which A. L. (.Jones prepares at Matamata for . Mr A. P. Cameron, carried off • the major prizes in the other minor events. NARROW WIN Wellcourt, which had had a 1 pretty lean run since clearing

maiden class impressively at Gisborne in May, ran out 11 furlongs resolutely to beat. Kerry Star and Komatu narrowly in the Heretaunga Hack Handicap. Mr Hing, going for his third win of the season, beat the hack milers hands down in the October Handicap. G. R. Edge brought him forward from the fourth line to challenge for the lead at the furlong and he cleared away to win by four lengths and a half. Miss Defence, . one of the long-shots, out-fin-.ished the Riccarton hack, Ribaldo, by half a length for second.