Mr Southland too good

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 8

Mr Southland too good

j (From Our Own Reporter? OAMARU. Mr Southland Justified favouritism with a decisive win in the Pukeuri Hurdles at Oamaru yesterday This was his third win as a hurdler for his Invercargill owner, Mr D. 4. Fairweather, who bought the Freelight gelding for SMO at auction last year. Mr Southland was left holding a clear lead when Camaro fell heavily at the flight near the three furlongs, and he stayed beyond challenging range of the others. He gave A. Borthwick a bad moment when he got in too close at the last but the Southland jockey recovered qulekly and it was all over. Mr Southland won by two and a half lengths from the Washdyke trained Maliron, which easily outstayed Prince Magundi. Dave’s Gift a stablemate of the winner—they are trained at Gore by E. A. Winsloe—was a distant fourth. The strongly supported stablemates, Ayrshire Dawn and Stranger, faded from the home turn and finished sixth and seventh respectively. They had not raced earlier in the winter and both should fare better later lon the circuit. ! Aldergrove was pulled up at i the half mile when well beaten. IRRITATE WINS Irritate stalled off a determined challenge from the surprise favourite, Lordit, for a narrow win in the Novice Stakes. Irritate’s winning margin was a long neck, but it would have been wider if he had not run greenly for much of the race. “I had my doubts whether I would ever get him around the home turn,” Irritate’s rider, M. Thornley, said later.

Thornley who moved to Riccarton from Washdyke a few weeks ago to take up the position of stable rider for G. D. Lee had Mr J. B. DouglasClifford’s three-year-old in front Immediately. Lordit tracked him lon the inside and there was a wide gap for him on the home

turn. But when there was no immediate response from Lordit E. J. Didham brought him wider. Lordit ran the last furlong doggedly but could not peg back Irritate, which had earned this win after a second and a third at his two previous starts. Queen’s Request finished wide out for third at long odds just over a length from the winner but the others, led in by Black Orphan, were beaten off. The Riccarton two-year-old, Shezan, which formed a well supported bracket with Red Paper, weakened from the home turn and finished eighth alongside Aqualette.

BEL HAT SURPRISES Bel Hat broke a long run of outs in beating a field of moder* ate quality in the Champion Hack Handicap, second leg of the on-course double. A four-year-old mare by Bellborough from How About That, Bel Hat was having her first start from the Wingatui stable of J. D. Pankhurst. Until earlier this month she was prepared by R. O. Cairns, who dispersed his team before going to Melbourne to ride Foxonewa in the Grand National jumping carnival. Bel Hat, the twelfth favourite, came from the middle of the field and won going away by two lengths from the Riccartontrained Magic Man, which beat Dawn Belle by three-quarters of ' a length. N. Cowles tried to steal the race on Magic Man before • the home turn. He switched the . chestnut away from the inside : to pass Bimerah and Blue Melody and went nicely clear. Bel Hat followed Bosa Nova forward and had easily the strongest finish, which proved effective in the final furlong. Bosa Nova tired to fourth. Sweet Nothings, the win favourite, was a well beaten ninth. Ocsapa his most strongly backed rival was only a fair fifth. LONG STRIDES Trovanta’s long strides carried him to a decisive win in the E. H. Aubrey Memorial Steeplechase. Messrs C. A. and W. G. Grant’s eight-year-old made the expected improvement on his second at Invercargill last month to win at his third start for the season. A half-brother by Trovato to

• Court Belle, a good winner for . R. J. Cochrane’s stable a few . years ago, Trovanta may have ■ his next race at the South Can- : terbury winter meeting. [ Cochrane plans to move from 1 Gore to Waimate with a sizeable , "wintering party” on the eve of ; the South Canterbury meeting, I and will then move on to Ric- . carton for the Grand National ‘ meeting. ' Trovanta had a jumping duel I with the Riccarton veteran . Indian Chief for a good way I yesterday. Indian Chief had . slightly the better of the duel at times, but he was showing . feU

signs of tiredness before he fe* on landing at the fence near the three furlongs. Trovanta was then left clear and two safe jumps closer to home assured him of victory. Scram outstayed Sonic Flight for second and did pretty well to finish only two lengths from the winner. Big Bang was fourth in a gap of eight lengths behind! Sonic Flight. Mr Raad tired to sixth after being close to the lead for a good way. Sandbank ran off at the second fence when leading. Little Johnny fell there, and both Washdyke horses were tried again to complete the course well behind the others. Timbercombe lost his rider 11 furlongs from home. CLOSE FINISH I Six noses and a neck separated eight horses in a judges’ nightmare of a finish to the Trial Stakes. It is doubtful if there were any champions in the race but the event will long be remembered by those who saw it. Carse O’Gowrie ridden by the Washdyke trainer, B. T. Jones, clung tenaciously to a slender lead with challenges coming on all sides for* his first win for his Morven owner, Mr E. S. Smith. Carse O’Gowrie would have been one of B. F. Andrews’s | mounts if the leading jockey i had decided to come south for| the meeting. But there was little interest in the three-year-old in the betting yesterday and he paid $22.85 to win. The consistent Flyn Flon rewarded his place backers fairly handsomely by battling Into second and Southern Gent was at longer odds in finishing third. A feature of the race was Tussle’s big run for sixth. She delayed the start, was sent to the outside and lost several lengths. M. Thornley took her forward steadily on a big run after the leaders, and although tired on the home turn she ran on gamely for the closest of sixths.

Bettydelphus works well

"The Press" Special Service

WANGANUI. Bettydelphus was the fastest triallst among the Egmont Racing Club acceptors seen In action at Wanganui yesterday. Work took place 30ft out on the soft course proper. Bettydelphus went over a round, coming home boldly from the three furlongs in 39sec. This was the beet of the morning. Her stablemate. Lord Goldwyn, ran six furlongs done in Imin 25sec, the last three taking 42Jsec. He has proved himself a safe jumper in schooling to date and will make his jumping debut in the Turuturu Hack Hurdles. Sir Pal took 42 3-ssec for a quiet three furlongs. He would appreciate good going in the Manutahl Hack Handicap. El Fox, with a big weight advantage, beat Blue Sult over six in Imin 21 3-ssec, the last three taking 43sec. Blue Suit will resume over a middle distance at Hawera and may not take long to assert himself. Angel’s Star followed Dunvegan early but drew away from her partner in the last furlong to register Imin 7 4-ssec, the last three In 40 4-ssec.

New sire for Templeton

The trotting-bred stallion, Perfect© Hanover, will stand for two seasons at M. A. Butt’s stud, at Templeton, where Pacific Hanover is also located. He will reElace the New Zealand-bred orse, Gentry, which has returned north to Papatoetoe. Perfecto Hanover, a stallion Imported by Nandina Stud Farm, Pukekohe, is an eight-year-old with a record of 2mm 4 3-ssec and winnings of more than $30,000. He Is by Star’s Bride (Imin 57 l-ssec), one of the top sires of trotters in America, from Perfect Hanover, by Nibble Hanover from Brenda Hanover.

His second dam, Brenda Hanover, trotted 2min 2?sec. She is the granddam of Spicy Song (Imin 57 4-ssec) and Worth Seein (Imin 58sec), and is a member of the same family as Brett Hanover (Imin 53 3-ssec), the fastest pacer of all time. His third dam, Miss Bertha Hanover, trotted Zmin many years ago. She was a sister to Hanover’s Bertha (Imin 59isec), Charlotte Hanover (Imin 59jsec) and Lawrence Hanover (2min OJsec), all of which recorded, their best times more than 30, years ago.