TROTTING Australian pacers impressive in championship heats

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32531, 15 February 1971, Page 8

TROTTING Australian pacers impressive in championship heats

(By

G.K. YULE)

Rather unlucky placings by several Australian horses and a dazzling diplay of speed by Mount Eden on the first night of the Inter-Dominion Championship series suggested that New Zealand chances of winning the $40,000 Grand Final are anything but bright.

Junior’s Image, from Western Australia, and Last Flood, from Victoria, finished second and third to Sassenach in the second heat. Welcome Advice, from New South Wales, and Deep Court, from South Australia, finished second and fourth respectively to Holy Hal in the fastestrun heat of the night. Koala Frost shaped pleasingly when sixth in his heat, and Mount Eden amazed the crowd by losing 10 seconds and then finishing within four lengths of Stella Frost. All six of those horses will only have to race as well in tne remaining two heats to be certain of a place among u e »?? en horses to contest the $40,000 Grand Final on Saturday week. With a little better fortune in the running, several ot ~ ? Australian horses would have finished closer on Saturday, their efforts emphasising the rapid improvement made in the standard of Australian horses since the championships were last run in Christchurch in 1961. The first heat resulted in a decisive afi-the-way win for Royal Count over Intrepid, which shaded Barrhill and Co Pilot, with Manama overcoming the disadvantage of losing 80 yards and finishing fifth. He was timed to pace his last mile at a sub-two-minute rate.

Sassenach took the lead at the end of the first quarter in the second heat The next two furlongs were run at a steady rate, with Sassenach then applying the pressure. Beautifully rated by R. Young he slipped the field on the home turn and was not really put to the test to win by more than two lengths from Junior’s Image. Junior’s Image, a com-

patriot of Mount Eden, looked a little unlucky. He was all but knocked down after two furlongs, an inquiry showing that Pun had caused the trouble. Pun’s driver, W. E. Lowe, had his horseman’s licence suspended until the end of the series. “That knock cost four or five lengths,” said P. Coulson, the trainer-driver of Junior’s Image. “Instead of getting the perfect trail, I was four places back. 1 could have got through all right,” he said when asked whether he had been blocked inside the last half-furlong. Junior’s Image finished on solidly over the last 50 yards and was going as well as anything at the line.. Last Flood, one of the horses not considered worthy of a subsidy by the Victorian

I authorities, showed that assessments of his ability i were well astray by over- ; coming an awkward run and i finished half a head from Junior’s Image. *‘l got pushed ; about a lot in a mighty rough i race,” said his owner-driver, T. E. Brain, who has yet to • drive a winner at a registered meeting. “I was absolutely : i thrilled. Every time I asked ; him for something extra, he ; • found a bit more,” he said. The question of a special. I subsidy from Victoria for , I Last Flood is to be recon- ; sidered by the authorities. Koala Frost, having his first i start since October, was only i about half a length from Junior’s Image in sixth place. He was well back until late,' improved extremely wide out< on the home turn, and fought' on well enough to suggest i that he is the most likely im- 1 prover among the visitors. < The favourite for this heat, Scottish Charm, was'never in 1 a challenging position. She ' has not settled down satis- j factorily and her trainer, R. I Purdon, yesterday shifted her to the country where she will 1 be able to range in a large < paddock. I Mount Eden All eyes were on Mount < Eden at the start.of the third i heat and his army of suppor-1 ters had their fingers crossed ! as he paced away, but this I was to no avail as after a< few strides he went into a bad break, losing what ap-1 peared to be all chance. 1 E. J. Miles kept him up to i bis work once he was pacing t evenly. Racing at better than t a two-minute clip, he was still t 10 seconds from the leaders i at the end of a furlong. : This tremendous pace, to t the amazement of all on the ’ course, carried him up to the I back of the field with six fur-1 longs left." Then Miles set him alight and although t forced wide over the final five 1 furlongs, he kept on improv- i ing under persuasion, until he 1

was only a couple of lengths from the leaders at the turn. “I lost one rein for about 50 yards on the turn, otherwise he might have been placed,” said Miles. Mount Eden was timed to pace his last mile in 1:57, the opening quarter in 29 3-5, half-mile in 58 3-5, and six furlongs in 1:27. Most now wonder whether a training run of 1:58 1-5 last Thursday, followed by a gruelling race will have dimmed the brilliance of Mount Eden, which yesterday was taken to the beach. By a nose The race resulted in a good win by Stella Frost, which came wide-out from a good way back to wear down Friendly Forbes and beat him by a nose, with Boy Friend and Rhinegolde next home. “I think she will keep improving,” said Townley. “I was more than pleased with her run as I thought she might have needed the race.” Stella Frost and Holy Hal, the winner of the other heat, are the two main New Zealand hopes for the final at this stage. , Holy Hal, the favourite with Sydney bookmakers betting on the final, was backed as unbeatable in the final-heat. He paid $1.40 for a win and $1.30 for a place, but not before his supporters had had cause for concern. A false start was declared when Holy Hal kicked a leg from a hoppie. At the second attempt he was a shade slow away. Later he met trouble and appeared to lose his position on the home turn. Once into the straight he unwound a determined run and looked to be in for an easy win until Welcome Advice came fast at him near the end and ran him to a neck. Bramble Hall was urged on to take third, but he was two lengths away, a short length in front of Deep Court, which began well when the false

start was declared, only to break badly at the second attempt. He was forced three wide for most of the last seven furlongs and showed courage to hold on for his placing.

Welcome Advice, another horse not considered worthy of a subsidy from New South Wales, shaped most encouragingly. He began safely and was four back on the inner, but as the lead changed he was pushed back until he was last after half a mile. His effort to finish so close was worth while.