TROTTING Favourites have poor run at Geraldine

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 9

TROTTING Favourites have poor run at Geraldine

Supporters of favourites had a lean day at the Geraldine Trotting Club’s annual meeting on Saturday at Orari. The only win favourite to succeed was Johnny Kirk, in the Second Temuka Handicap, and Caswell and Fantastic were the only others to return a place dividend.

One of the costliest blows was the failure of Vanadium to do better than fifth in the Geraldine Cup. His host of admirers who had backed him down to less than S 3 for a win were highly delighted when he made probably the best beginning of his career. Many were starting to count their winnings when C. C. Devine sprinted him up with less than a mile left. He strode to the front from Young Trouble with ease near the seven furlongs, with L. H. Broom pressing on with Moascar, which had improved wide out at the same point. Vanadium began to pull hard as Moascar was sent to the front, but once steadied into the trailing position he began to race kindly. But that spelled doom for his admirers. He became pocketed inside Pacific Pearl and from then on he did not see daylight and was under a strong hold at the end. In the meantime D. D. Nyhan was giving Royal Deeside a perfect run one off the fence and just behind Pacific Pearl. He forged past the leaders inside the furlong post and came on to win most convincingly by a short length from Pacific Pearl. Young Trouble was only a . length away, with a nose to I Dancing Step, a nose to Vanadium, half a neck to • Moascar, and margins of less than a length to Morpheus, All Local and a strong finisher in Going. Royal Deeside, a four-year-old gelding by Courtier from Sea Bee, is trained at Addington by R. Young, who races him in partnership with Mrs Young and two married daughters. He will not race! at the New Brighton meeting 1 next Saturday, but will have 1 plenty of racing to suit him ■ later on. ; Last mostly |j

Tom Hanover, raced by Mr G. Aitchison, from Oamaru, was slow away and last for most of the President’s Handicap. K. D. Townley switched him almost against the outside fence in the run home, and he responded in great style to win by a head from the pacemaker, Lord Ashbury.

Allenton was only half a neck back third, with half a head to Kimbell Duke, which! was three wide for much of I the race. Brockworth King* was only a head away, welh clear of the others. The two favourites, Totara Jack and Hobart Lord, made no real impression, finishing ninth and seventh respectively—efforts in marked contrast to their recent racing at Addington. Snoopy qualified to start at the New Brighton meeting when he overcame a slow start to wear down Caswell and beat him by a nose in the Stewards’ Handicap. He gave Caswell a handy start from the straight entrance, and there was merit in his win. Iceberg and Enchanted headed the others.

The judge, Mr M. Mace, caused a surprise by not calJ or a photograph of the nnish. Later, an inquiry was held into his failure to do this, and he was warned of his obligation to use the camera in such close finishes. Snoopy’s owner-trainer, W. J Doyle, looked likely to win

the Rangitata Handicap, the • other race for trotters, with Boadicea, but she broke near the end when challenging for ■ the lead with Scottish . Cavalier, which came on to | win decisively. Scottish Cavalier is trained 1 by M. M. Purdon for Mr M. McMillan, whose son. T. McMillan, drove him. McMillan , is employed by Doyle, for whom he does some of the driving of the team. ( Kilat gained some compensation for his failure in the 1 New Zealand Derby Stakes i a week earlier when he beat > the backmarker, Stroll Away, , most convincingly in the Orari Challenge Stakes. He ! will race next in the New i Brighton Three-year-old i Stakes on Saturday. I Ar Miss, after being checked several times, did

well to finish third, ahead of Newport Tryax and Individual. The favourite, Grosvenor Globe, broke at the start. Mosaic, which is now ineligible for the Maiden Event at the New Brighton meeting next week, gained a runaway win in the First Temuka Handicap, pacing tne 10 furlongs in the fast time of 2min 39 4-ssec. Sincerity will replace him in the Addington race. Light Command brought an overdue change of luck to followers of the stable of J. Grant and D. G. Jones when he lasted to beat the rather unlucky favourite, Fantastic, by half a neck in the Raukapuka Handicap. Sherwood Em held on for third, ahead of Ladies’ Pride, which I paced a splendid race.