TROTTING Noble to drive Mount Eden in tonight’s heat

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32536, 20 February 1971, Page 8

TROTTING Noble to drive Mount Eden in tonight’s heat

The Western Australian champion, Mount Eden, which needs to finish in the first four in his heat to be sure of a start in the $40,000 Grand Final next Saturday, will have a change of driver tonight. He will be handled by J. B. Noble, a son of the Yaldhurst trainer, G. B. Noble.

E. J. Miles, the partowner, trainer" and the driver of Mount Eden in his first two races in the series, said yesterday he had injured a cartilage in a knee when Mount Eden had been checked and sent to a break after the start of his two-mile heat on Wednesday night

“We will wait and see how the knee mends before deciding about a driver for the horse next week,” added Miles. “John is engaged only for the final heat in the meantime.” Miles said that he had seen Noble drive Garcon Roux and Bonnie Frost in wins in Australia. “One night he showed tremendous skill to land Garcon Roux home at the head of a field. I don’t think many drivers would have won with

him in the circumstances.” Noble drove Mount Eden yesterday morning. He gave him barrier practice and a few rounds at a slow pace, with the four-year-old going to the satisfaction of his connections.

Mount Eden, one of four horses to gain 18 points in the first two sets of qualifying heats, has 13 horses with more points in front of him. As a result he will need to finish in the first four to be assure of a place among the final 12.

Hie four-year-old will contest the second of tonight’s free-for-all heats, but he will have to be on his best behaviour if he is to prove a serious threat to Holy Hal and Radiant Globe, while Rhinegolde, Chequer Board, James, Friendly Forbes and True Averil should also make him work hard to secure a start in the final. Change of gear The South Australian pacer, Deep Court, with 19

points, will race in hopple shorteners tonight in the second leg of the main double. He was worked in the new gear yesterday morning, and he went well with them when started among other horses. Deep Court has had a fourth and a fifth so far in the series after breaking badly in both events. He was rated as one of the best Australian horses before the series began and he might redeem himself tonight Leading Light Manaroa and Last Flood are expected to be the hardest for him to beat Junior’s Image, a rival of Stella Frost in the first race tonight and Welcome Advice, a four-year-old expected to be the hardest for Sassenach to beat in the final heat impressed by their condition when they were exercised yesterday at Addington. These two and Last Flood have probably thrived more than any of the other visiting horses, and there will be general surprise if they fail to take a prominent part in the finish of their races.