RACING Dowling wins double at Oamaru

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33254, 18 June 1973, Page 9

RACING Dowling wins double at Oamaru

The successful \\ ingatui trainer-jockey, J. R. Dowling, was seen at his best at Oamaru on Saturday. Sound strategy and quick thinking by him landed Lady Mellay the narrowest of winners in the Oamaru W inter Cup and a cool, calculated ride gave him the T.A.B. double when Rose Tree, which he also trains, beat the staying hacks hands down in the Champion Handicap.

The consistent Lady Mellay, which B. J. Anderton trains at Wingatui for the estate of the late J. A. A. Reid, lasted by a nose, and a mighty small nose at that, to beat the warm favourite, Bonny Alouise, in the first leg.

It was obvious during the preliminary, as Lady Mellay tore into her work with zest, that with a reasonably good beginning she would be in or close to the lead from the start.

They had not reached the first turn before Lady Mellay was in front, but Dowling had her going kindly and was able to ease here to trail after two furlongs when Pukeiti pulled her way to the front. Near the two furlongs Dowling sensed that the pacemaker was tiring so he whisked Lady Mellay out from the trailing position and kicked her away to a lead of two or three lengths as they straightened

up. While Dowling was making the best of his opportunities things were not going too well at all for M. J. Skelton, the rider of Bonny Alouise. He had positioned the favourite perfectly, behind Lady Mellay, from the start but just before the straight he could make no headway at all at Pukeiti weakened and General Simm, on the outside, was going as well as his mount.

General Simm fought on for third. He was three-quar-ters of a length from Bonny Alouise and a length and a half ahead of Xavier, which ran on well from mid-field after striking traffic problems on the home turn. The Oamaru Winter Cup was Lady Mellay’s last race as a five-year-old. “I’ll turn her out now for a couple of months and bring her back again in time for spring racing." said Anderton after the race.

Rose Tree, a three-year-old half-sister, by Lomond, to the former high-class handicapper, Palisade, won the Champion Hack Handicap with a brilliant late run. By the time the rush for positions was over Rose Tree was nearer last than first and running into the last mile she was the tail-ender. Even three furlongs out her chance looked hopeless. But from that point all the “breaks” went her way. She was able to improve along the inside without having to cover an extra inch and stormed past the win favourite, Ardgowan, close to the end to win going away by a length and a half.

That victor,’ might have saved Rose Tree from early retirement. “That was to have been her last race if she hadn’t gone well today,” said Dowling after the race. “She has already been booked to go to Mellay next season but we will have to carry on with her for a while now.” Dowling said that he would pay up with Rose Tree for Ashburton this week and decide about her future after he sees how she performs next Saturday. In a great battle for Saturday’s minor placings Ardgowan held second by a head I from Lady Glamour and The Searcher was another head iawav fourth.