TROTTING VALENCIA RUNS FAST MILE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32561, 22 March 1971, Page 10

TROTTING VALENCIA RUNS FAST MILE

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. Valencia narrowly failed at Alexandra Park on Saturday to become only the fifth mare to run a two-minute mile in New Zealand. She recorded 2min 0 2-ssec when she won the Down

Under Flying Mlle after a tremendous duel with Hakim. A two-minute mile looked likely when Sam Tryax sped overthe first half in a hectic 59sec. This turned out to be a shade too fast. The tempo slackened appreciably over the final stages and the final quarter in 31 2-ssec was easily the slowest section of the race. Valencia had a good run in third place to the home turn. She then challenged deterniinedly. Getting past Sam Tryax presented no problem and Valencia quickly took the measure too, of the favourite, Snowline, which had also forged past Sam Tryax. With 100 yards to go, Valencia looked like winning decisively, then Hakim came with a brilliant run wide out. Desperately driven by D. Mangos, Valencia fought back tenaciously and she got the decision by a nose. Hakim’s performance was every bit as good as that of Valencia because he was slow to get going and tailed the field most of the way. Both horses had failed from standing starts on each of the first two nights of the meeting, although Valencia shaped very creditably on the first night when she finished third.

A four-year-old by Local Light from the grand race mare Excelsa, Valencia is raced by New Zealand’s leading trotting owner, Mr R. A. McKenzie, of Wellington, and Is trained at Yaldhurst by G. B. Noble. The combination had earlier in the night won the Cardigan Bay Stakes with Roydon Roux. Mangos also drove Roydon Roux. Valencia was bought by Mr McKenzie early last season. Her latest success was her tenth and she has also had 11 minor plactngs for total stake-earnings of $16,770. This season alone she has won $12,920. The second leg of the T.A.B. concession double, the Adelaide Handicap, was also won by a South Island four-year-old, Globe Bay. This talented son of Johnny Globe and Bay Light had scored impressively on tire middle night and been an unlucky second on the opening night. Globe Bay’s trainer-driver, J. A. Carmichael, quickly took him to the front and approaching the home turn Globe Bay and Rain Again started to draw away from the others.

Rain Again tried hard but Globe Bay was too good and it appeared that he could have increased his winning margin of half a length. Globe Bay’s success took him into the 2min 12sec class. There does not seem to be much doubt he will soon be eligible for the big cups. Chequer Board sold Chequer Board, the winner of 23 races and some $55,000 in stakes, has been sold by Mr A. H. Carmichael, of Auckland, to race in the United States. His stablemate. Cardigan Lass, has been leased by Mr L H. Langford, of Oxford, and she has left for Sydney, where she will be trained by W. Picken. Cardigan Lass has done weU on small tracks in New Zealand and she is expected to be weU suited by Harold Park. Co Pilot, the winner of almost $29,000 for Mr and Mrs D. Green, of Christchurch, has also left for the United States. He is being accompanied by his former trainer. G. Holmes. Leading Light, Friendly Forbes, Holy Hal. Double Dee, Recluse, Eyredale and New Law are only a few of the horses to have left Christchurch for Auckland on the first stage of their journeys to new owners in the United States.

Negotiations are also In train for the purchase of other horses, including the four-year-old, Boy Friend, which returned a sub-two-minute trial for one mile at Addington last week.