TROTTING Loyal Drift too good for rivals in N.Z. Oaks

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 8

TROTTING Loyal Drift too good for rivals in N.Z. Oaks

Xlmost from the day that .N. Edge, an agricultural contractor, of Rakaia, put Loyal Drift into work, he was convinced he had a filly which would eventually make a name for herself in racing. The three-year-old daughter of Bye Bye Bill and Gancia has certainly \indicated her owner’s judgment in the last few weeks.

“Although she showed marked ability early in the piece, I realised a bit of patience was going to be required to get her properly organised,” said Edge, w hen discussing Loyal Drift after her stylish victory in the New Zealand Oaks at Addington Race Way on Saturday night.”

“She was a filly with an abundance of speed, but could have gone completely silly had she been rushed. . 1 had to get her to race kindly instead of keenly.” Edge’s patient policy has certainly paid dividends, tn

just three weeks Loyal Drift has earned $BllO. Two wins, and a second at the recent Forbury Park meeting j brought in $2260. and her, share of the $9OOO stake for the New Brighton Trotting; ..Club’s classic was $5850. In it addition, her owner-trainer,:

who also bred the filly, re-, iceived a $lOO trophy, presented by the New Zealand! i Standardbred Breeders’ Association to the breeder of the Oaks winner. All going well. Loyal Drift ;and her stablemate, Kentucky Hanover, which chased Rebel j Caste home in the Burwood ! Stakes on Saturday night, ■will race next at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting, which opens at Hutt I Park Raceway on Wednesday evening. Loyal Drift had the Oaks won! a long way from home. Edge took her into the lead with a

little more than a mile to go, and although Armbro Jodie im- , proved from the third line to challenge with a furlong to go, ishe could not muster the finish- ■ ing speed to peg Loyal Drift There was a length between the winner and the runner-up at I the end, then half a head to ■Scottish Joy, which came home well from mid-field. The firm favourite, Hill Crest, did not come up to expectations. She was in front for a time early, then tracked Loyal Drift to the straight, but could not pull out nothing extra when she finally found racing room in the run home. She battled into fourth, a length and a quarter" behind Scottish Joy and threequarters of a length ahead of Lady Hodgen, which was held up i for" a short time when the weakening Connie Frances drifted out just before the straight entrance. The rest, headed by Beedeecee seven lengths away, were soundly beaten. Adios Adieu’s win Adios Adieu brought his record to five wins, five seconds and a couple of other minor placings from 15 starts since joining the Methven stable ofj C. V. and T. M. May in the spring, when he beat Vanadium! narrowly and nine others handily? in the Members’ Handicap.

The prospect of a win for the s Wyndham-owned Dick Adios! gelding did not look particularly! bright as he ran into the last! five furlongs towards the tail of; the field and on the inside. But T. M. May w T orked Mr J. J. Holland's six-year-old out from a tight spot soon after passing the half-mile, and as Vanadium spurted three wide around the field approaching the home turn, Adios Adieu followed the backmarker through. Both .w r ere close to the pacemaker. Allenton, as they made the straight. They mastered him without much bother just inside the furlong then settled down to battle it out.

Adios Adieu lasted it out best by half a head to give him his third successive victory.. Vanadium w r as second by three-! quarters of a length from Allenton. whose place backers had to settle for a loss of 5c in every $1 invested.

Heatherloch, which disputed the early pace with Trafalgar then tracked Allenton for the last nine furlongs, was two lengths away fourth. Siouan. third on the inside and blocked for a run till the race was virtually over, was fifth in a similar gap, then came Lord ! Nugent, which failed to quicken 1 after sharing the third line.