Wag wins cup trial with fast finish

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33064, 3 November 1972, Page 4 (Supplement)

Wag wins cup trial with fast finish

A sizzling last halfmile in 57 3-5 marked a rather tame contest for the A. L. Matson Handicap in which eight of the candidates for next Tuesday’s New Zealand Cup competed. Wag ran out a decisive winner over Berkleigh, Rauka Lad and Globe Bay, with all four horses pacing comfortably at the end.

The photograph above shows Wag beating Berkleigh. Rauka Lad and Globe Bay in the event at Addington last evening. The pace was slack until the half-mile. Scottish Charm led out, to be passed before the end of half a mile by Rauka Lad. Globe Bay rushed clear at the three furlongs.

The leaders took 3min 30 3-ssec for the 13 furlongs, with the final quarter in 29 2-ssec.

The trials, run by the Canterbury Trotting Owners and Breeders’ Association, attracted a crowd of more than 7000. The track was very fast.

Wag was four places back on the outside of Arapaho, but he improved to follow Globe Bay into the straight, with Rauka Lad inside him. Berkleigh and Scottish Charm were together next, ahead of Sassenach. Wag finished best to win by half a length from Berkleigh, with a head to Rauka Lad, which finished strongly and was most impressive. Globe Bay was not pushed to hold fourth, a neck away, with a length to Jacquinot Bay and Scottish Charm, both of which went fairly well. Then came Arapaho, which was pushed back on the home turn. He came on reasonably well considering the hot pace over the final stages. MANAROA WELL Manaroa broke at the start and finished ninth. He looked in wonderful order and should benefit from the run, his first since returning from Australia.

Bambi led throughout the race for fast-class trotters and held on to beat Good Admiral after taking 29 2-ssec for his final quarter. Tunza Time held third, ahead of Fri, with Al Mundy and Merrin running on strongly at the head of the others. Siouan led from end to

end in his heat, winning well from a likely improver, Morpheus, with Bachelor Blue and Noble Lord close by. He took 3min 28 2-ssec for the 13 furlongs, the last quarter in 29sec. It was a sound run by all the place-getters. Other useful runs were the fifth of Van Glory and the seventh of Armbro Free.

Magic Time showed speed in his race, coming from last at the six furlongs to beat Jason McCord and Deodatus, after taking Imin 2 2-ssec for his last half-mile and 30 3-ssec for the final quarter. Iceberg shaped pleasingly when fourth, as did the next to finish, Philipino.

Levana, which broke after a furlong and a half, came with a great run to shade Thursa and Marama Boy in the first heat for 2:16 class pacers. The final half-mile took 59 4-ssec, with the last quarter in 28 l-ssec. Medbury and Grosvenor Globe were close up, also going well enough to suggest early successes. DASHING WIN Hardcraft gave a dashing display to win the other heat. He was in the open for most of the way and won easily by half a length from Van Valette and Spangled Mary after returning Imin 2 2-ssec for

the final half-mile and 29 2-5 sec for the last quarter. Hardcraft should have a profitable meeting, with the New Zealand Derby Stakes on the final night as his main mission. Individual stood out with a win in the 2:14 class pace in which the last half-mile took Imin 1 2-ssec, with the final quarter in 28 3-ssec. General Idea, Looking Forward and Pine Globe were next, but they were overshadowed by Individual, which should win more than one race at the meeting.

Holmfield, which took 3min 13sec for his last mile and a half, the final four furlongs in Imin 2sec and the last quarter in 30sec, Bobby Direct and Loyal Drift filled the placings in the first heat for two-year-olds. Hardcraft’s stablemate, Willie Win, after breaking early, came from last at the half-mile to second a furlong later and gained an easy win in the second heat, taking 31sec for the last quarter. Willie Win will be a great chance on Tuesday. Great Chase, another colt by Good Chase in R. H. Negus’s team, won the final heat, taking 3min 30sec for the 13 furlongs, the final quarter in 31sec. He won

handily from Kentucky Hanover and the pacemaker, Lady Hodgen, with a gap to Flying Eagle. Results:

TWO-YEAR-OLD TRIAL; 10f.— Strauss It M. Holmes 1; Master Dean It A. Purdon 2; Hanover Clan It J. Noble 3. Eight started. Two lengths, three lengths, four lengths. Viki Cash fourth. Time: 2:44. Second heat: Hamish Hanover It T. L. Thomas 1; Princess Nugent It F. Holmes 2; Golden Moose It R. Butt 3. Ten started. Neck, two lengths, three lengths. Likely Story fourth. Time: 2:45. Third heat: Royal Sceptre It D. D. Nyhan 1; Kiri it M. Holmes 2; Zarina Star it J. Smolensk! 3. Eight started. Two lengths, two lengths, length and a half. Adios Bachelor fourth. Time: 2:48 3-5.

L. M. DENTON HANDICAP, $65; 2:16 class; trotters; 13f.— Magic Time 12 C. Devine 1; Jason McCord 24 M. Holmes 2: Deodatus 24 J. Smolensk! 3. Thirteen started. Length, head, length. Iceberg fourth. Time: 3:37 1-5.

FIRST T. G. FOX HANDICAP. $65; 2:16 class; 13f.—Levana It G. Holmes 1; Thursa it F. Bennett 2; Marama Boy It J. Smolensk! 3. Nine started. Head, nose, head. Medbury- fourth. Time: 3:34 2-5.

SECOND T. G. FOX HANDICAP, $65; 2:16 class; 13f.—Hardcraft it M. Holmes 1; Van Valette it J. Crofts 2; Spangled Mary it K. Daly 3. Ten started. Half a length, head, head. Irton Prince fourth. Time: 3.35 2-5.

H. W. DREWERY HANDICAP, $65: 2:14 class; 13f.—Individual It D. D. Nyhan 1; General Idea It R. P. Nyhan 2; Looking Forward It M. Gillum 3. Ten started.

Length, length, head. Top Brass fourth. Time: 3.35 4-5.

FIRST G. R. HUNTER HANDICAP, $65; three-year-olds: 13f.— Holmfield It F. Newfield 1; Bobby Direct 12 R. Curtin 2; Loyal Drift It N. Edge 3. Nine started. Length, length, head. Robin Roy fourth. Time: 3:33 2-5.

SECOND G. R. HUNTER HANDICAP, $65; three-year-olds; 13f. —Willie Win 24 M. Holmes 1; Rolon Waitaki it J. Smolensk! 2; Drum Major 12 C. Devine 3. Thirteen started. Two lengths, neck, head. Even Step fourth. Time: 3:33 4-5.

THIRD G. R. HUNTER HANDICAP, $65; three-year-olds; 13f. —Great Chase It M. Holmes 1; Kentucky Hanover It N. Edge 2; Lady Hodgen It P. O’Reilly 3. Fourteen started. Length and a half, head, five lengths. Flying Eagle fourth. Time: 3:30.

A. L. MATSON HANDICAP, $65; 2:10 class; 13f.—Wag It W. E. Lowe 1; Berkleigh It M. Butt 2; Rauka Lad It R. Nyhan 3. Ten started. Half a length, head, neck. Globe Bay fourth. Time: 3:30 3-5.

F. E. SUTTON HANDICAP, $65; 2:13 class; trotters; 13f.— Bambi It P. Gallagher I; Good Admiral It T. May 2; Tunza Time It D. Jones 3. Twelve started. Length, two lengths, length. Fri fourth. Time: 3:35 2-5.

E. T. HUBBARD HANDICAP, $65; 2:13 class; 13f.—Siouan It W. Lowe 1; Morpheus It J. Noble 2; Bachelor Blue It B. Anderson 3. Fifteen started. Length, two lengths, length. Noble Lord fourth. Time: 3:28 2-5.

W. E. DESMOND HANDICAP, $65; 2:15 class; 13f.—Ar Miss It F. Newfield 1; Leldon It G. Adamson 2; Cushan It M. Purdon 3. Nine started. Length, length, half a length. Time: 3:37.