Bonney Belle wins well

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33069, 9 November 1972, Page 8

Bonney Belle wins well

Bonney Belle showed that she will be a force to reckon with in the Metropolitan Handicap next Saturday when she beat the open stayers hands down in the Fendalton Handicap at Riccarton yesterday.

This was Bonney Belle’s third race in a fresh campaign and her first success in open class. A five-year-old mare by Bellborough from Belleville, Bonney Belle is closely related to two former topclass Riccarton stayers. Her dam was a half-sister, by Massowa, to Shoal and McCool.

Bonney Belle, which is prepared by R. J. Cochrane at Gore and was capably handled yesterday by the stable apprentice, S. J. Allen, carries the colours of Mr J. A. McKenzie, of Invercargill, who paid $lOOO for her as a four-year-old. He bought her privately from her Winton breeders, Mr and Mrs T. R. Allison.

Allen settled Bonney Belle on the inside and about four places back until the home turn in yesterday’s race. She had only Totara Maid, Calmay and Redlo ahead of her starting the run home and had them all mastered just outside the furlong. Bonney Belle dashed away to win by three lengths from Ali Cat, which came with a late run from far back. In a tight finish for third, a length and a half back, Annenic, just behind the winner on the home turn,

nosed Totara Maid out in the last stride. The race was marred by the fall of the Awapunitrained Avocat Lad. The win favourite was brought down when there was a general tightening a furlong after the start. His rider, D. H. Harris escaped injury, but the horse broke a leg and had to be destroyed. GOOD RESULT Varuna and Hogan, both in the hands of North Island apprentices, gave the Riccarton trainer, G. D. Lee, a good result when they won the respective divisions of the Ellesmere Handicap. G. Clutterbuck had Varuna close behind the leading group to the straight in the first division and he ran on strongly to win by half a length. Hogan, in the hands of N. G. Harris, improved from the fourth line to take the lead early in the run home and never looked like giving it away. Pago Queen, a maiden mare from J. Didham’s Otaki stable having her first race at the meeting, broke through for her first win in the Port Cooper High-weight. G. A. Phillips had Mr N. Salisbury’s five-year-old in the rear group till the home turn. She was brought wide to make her run, reached a challenging position just inside the furlong and kept going strongly to beat Best Game by half a length. Best Game, which made his bid from mid-field, outfinished the favourite, My Opinion, which was fourth equal mostly and in front beginning the last furlong, by a length and a half. Chota came from a fair way back to run My Opinion to half a length and The Medico battled on from mid-field to head the others. DIDHAM AGAIN Four Leaf, the runner-up to Trumpet Call in the Welcome Stakes on the first day, justified solid backing and gave Didham his second successive victory when he wore down Panagor in the last few strides of the Irwell Handicap. J. P. Riordan had the Welling-ton-owned Sobig colt back a little, but not far from the co-leaders, Panagor and Daniel Defoe, cross-

ing the junction to the course proper. Running to the furlong Panagor had slipped away to a handy lead and for a time it seemed that Four Leaf was not going to peg him back. But a determined run close to home enabled the favourite to carry the day by a head.

Panagor saved second by a nose from Jan’s Pride, which was alongside and slightly behind the winner right through the last furlong. Rebel Lad brought his record to three wins and a third from his last four starts when he beat the hack milers narrowly, but well, in the Apprentices’ Handicap. The stable apprentice, I. Grant, had Rebel Lad in touch with the pace from the start and on the home turn he and Kel Sabaean were co-leaders. Rebel Lad forged ahead just outside the furlong and clung tenaciously to his lead as the challenges came at the end to win by a neck. Onset came fast and wide from mid-field to beat Ennis, well placed throughout, for second by half a head. The dividendpayers had the finish to themselves. Kel Sabaean, which led in the others, was two lengths and a half back. BY A NOSE Spring Plate form proved the best form to follow In the Stonyhurst Handicap. Coorabin and Jury, second and third to Show Gate on the first day, battled it out for honours this time and Jury got there by a nose in a battling finish. Hopes of a win by Jury did not look particularly bright as the field straightened for the run home and he was blocked behind a wall of horses. But G. W. Mein found racing room for the favourite on the inside soon after passing the false rail and he joined Coorabin, which had been in the line ahead of him on the home turn, starting the last furlong. From that point on the race developed into a two-sided tussle and Jury got in the deciding stride. Mellie ran on well from midfield for third, but was two lengths away. She beat Polystyrene, also running on, by three parts of a length and the weakening pacemaker, Cuesta Rev, led in the others. Crusade capped a highly successful campaign in the south for the Te Awamutu horseman, J. P. Riordan, when he beat the staying hacks in the Ashley Handicap. Riordan, who will go home today and will ride at Avondale on Saturday, came south with the New Zealand Cup hope, Mediate. He rode the Takanini stayer and The Prince to victory at Motukarara, won the New Zealand Derby last Saturday on Classic Wave and yesterday, in addition to Crusade, was also successful on Four Leaf in the Irwell Handicap. Crusade led the chase after the tearaway Big Flight down the back and around the home turn. He mastered the pacemaker without much trouble early in the run home, but lost the lead again inside the last furlong when Jovial Knight lodged his challenge. But just when Jovial Knight looked as if he would carry the day he came to the end of his run and Crusade rallied again to beat his Otaki rival by a head. These two had the finish to themselves. Solar Flight, fourth in the running most of the way, was two lengths and a half away third. He might have finished a bit closer if he had kept a straight course in the run home. Sudden Change, which chased the first two around to the straight, was half a length back, fourth and the rest were led in by Mr Ebee. i