TROTTING Van Rover upsets in Forbury win

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32522, 4 February 1971, Page 9

TROTTING Van Rover upsets in Forbury win

(Frojn Our Own Reporter) DUNEDIN. Van Rover, one of the horses awaiting re-entry to the Inter-Dominion Championship fields, caused an upset when he held off the firm favourite, Rain Again, in the Southern Cross Handicap at Forbury Park last evening.

Van Rover stopped badly in his race on the first night of the meeting but last night he was handily placed all the way and he joined Rain Again in second place, just behind Sam Again, in the middle stages. Van Rover took a short lead with about a furlong left and in a desperate finish he won by a nose. Van Rover, trained at Rangiora by F. P. Watson, who races him in partner ship with his wife, is an eight-year-old gelding by Smokey Hanover from Early Van. His win last night was his first for the season but he had paced some good races at times and recorded six placings. He has now had seven wins and 15 placings for $9685.

11 Rain Again, which was cal- , led in first by the judge before he had inspected a pho- ’| tograph of the finish, received i the run of the race. He chal- > lenged strongly along the ’ rails over the last 100 yards 1 but just failed. Bobby Blue showed courage after being three wide I for much of a muddling race. He was only a nose away j third. Boy Friend again galloped [hopelessly at the start, losing all chance.