TROTTING M. Holmes will drive Al’s Holiday in N.Z. Derby

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 8

TROTTING M. Holmes will drive Al’s Holiday in N.Z. Derby

M. Holmes, who has already driven 12 winners of the New Zealand Derby Stakes —a record unapproached by any other reinsman—has been engaged to drive Al’s 1 ioliday in the $17,500 classic at Addington Raceway on Saturday evening.

Al’s Holiday is one of seven horses in the field of 11 for which a late entry fee of $5OO has been paid, the others being Bon Heur, Gliding Light. Kawerau Gold, Koarakau, Mighty Gay, and Spry Guy. Holmes was to have driven Strauss in Saturday’s race, but all has not been well with him since he raced on the first two days of the Cup meeting and he was among the 16 horses eliminated by the club. Al's Holiday has had a meteoric rise to prominence. He finished second at Kaikoura at his first race start, and then won the First Riccarton Stakes on Cup day. Al’s Holiday is raced in partnership by Mr N. Simpson, of Castlehill, Sydney, and the West Melton trainer, J. D. Litten. Holmes trained and drove Tobacco Road to win the Derby for Mr Simpson in 1957. Litten" s record Litten, too, has a remarkable record in the Derby, having trained and driven four winners—Fallacy' (1951), Caduceus (1953), False Step (1955), and Doctor Barry (1964). Litten has had a high opinion of Al’s Holiday since he first went into training. He still thinks he will develop into a top performer, but' is doubtful whether he is yet quite experienced enough for' a race such as the Derby. However, he is still hopeful of a bold run by the son of Meadow Al. The Derby looks to be the most exciting race of the: two days and two nights of the Cup carnival. The field' of 11 is one of the strongest l to contest the race and the performances of the various runners suggest that any: one of them could have been: a star performer in other' years. The stake of §17,500 is a record for the race, surpassing last year’s previous best of $17,020. The club added another $620 to the stake yesterday to bring it up to this figure, which also includes §4OOO from the stakes subsidy scheme of the New Zealand Racing Authority. The Derby will be the first leg of the T.A.B. concession

.double. Top-class pacers will compete in the second leg, the Olliver Handicap, which will be run over 2000 m. Another race certain to create interest is the New Zealand Spring Time Stakes, the first race of the season I in the South Island for two-, year-olds. The' selected field includes Noodlum, unbeaten in two starts and the only entrant with race experience. The on-course concession double will be run on the Harold Logan Handicap and the Churchill Handicap. There will be quinella bet-i ting on all races. Acceptances are: 4.05 p.m.— DICTATION HANDICAP $2100; C 4; trotters; 2600 m, Castleton’s Pride (4) .. It Miss Universe (3) .. It Miss Winter (2)lt Saint Moritz (5) .. .. It Snoopy (6) It Waipounamu (1) .. ..It Chatmos (1) 10 Ail Alone (8)20 Cee Ar (6) 20

| Frontier (5) 20 Great Applause (7) .. .. 20 ’ Grizzly Bear (3) .. ..20 1 Macamba (1)20 Scottish Cavalier (4) .. .. 20 , Zerox 42) 20 ' 6.35 p.m.— ' HAROLD LOGAN HANDICAP $2350; C 5; 2000 m. i Bredwardine 15) .. .. It Charliewells (1)It Fuse (7) it ' Geoff’s Gift (8)It Grosvenor Globe (unruly) .. It: Loyal Drift (6)lt I 1 Shakey Valley (2) .. .. It! ! Star Guest (4)lt Ticker Tape (3) .. .. Itj 7.05 p.m.— SHIRLEY HANDICAP $1200; Cl; 2600 m. Champion Rose (12) .. .. It Confederate (2) . .. It Cotton Jenny (3) .. ..It Credential (6)lt Egyptian Acres (14) .. .. It Infallible (11)it Josie’s Dream (1) .. .. It Keep Gay (s)lt My Royal (9)lt Nugent Lass (10) -. . ■ It Peter Gerald (4) .. ..It Reassurance (15) •. .. It Scottish Armbro (7) .. .. It Whatabattle (13) .. It ) Winter Haze (8) It

7.40 p.m.— CHURCHILL HANDICAP $2700; C 6; 3200 m. i Armbro Rebel (unruly 1) .. It Cornwallis (7)lt Game Lad (2) .. It General Demand (unruly 2) It Happy Song (1)It Lordy Boy (s)lt Ripolet (6) It Spangled Mary >3) .. .. It Stereo Light (41 .. .. It Fait Accompli (3) .. .. 20 Montana Gold (5) .. .. 20 (Star Land (4)20 I Top Brass <2)20 Trafalgar (1)20 18.10 p.m.— NEW ZEALAND SPRING TIME STAKES l$1750; two-year-olds; 2000 m. Astro Blue (s)lt Aztec King (7)lt Bar Master (4) . .. .. It Commissioner (2) .. it Don Lopez (12) .. .. It Double Agent (10) .. .. It Eau Sauvage (1) .. .. It Fancy Kate (6> .. it General Lopez (3) .. .. It Logan Knight (9) .. .. It Lopez Star (11)It Noodlum (8) It Bracket: Aztec King and Don Lopez. 8.40 p.m.— NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES $17,500; three-year-olds; 2600 m. Al’s Holiday (8) It Bon Heur (s)lt Eclipse (7) It Gliding Light (10) .. .. it Golden Moose (4) .. .. it Imperial Demand (1) .. .. It Kawarau Gold (6) .. .. It King Tryax (2)it Koarakau (3)it Mighty Gay (11) .. ..It Spry Guy (9)it 9.20 p.m.— GREYHOUND HANDICAP $4000; OC; trotters; 2600 m. Lessaday (1) it Able Adios (6)it Bachelor Tom (4) .. It Bambi (5) it I Donna Juanita (unrulv) .. It Edis Nova (3) it Honest John (7) .. It Mighty Dollar (2) .. .. It Tunza Time (B)it Aronmot (1) io Easton Light (1) .. ..15 Philemon (1)30 9.55 p.m.— OLLIVIER HANDICAP $5000; OC; 2000 m. Adios Adieu (5) it Bachelor Star (4) .. .. it Bomber Bill (6) .. .. it Dwayne (3) it Fab (2) it Hi Foyle (9) it Manawaru (1)n Sassenach (8) .. .. It Young Cardigan (7) .. .. It Young Quinn (10) .. .. it Berkleigh (5)10 Globe Bay (2)10 Manama (3) jq Noble Lord (4)10 Vanadium (1) jo ! Royal Ascot (1)15 ' Bracket: Manawaru, Manaroa :and Royal Ascot. 10.30 p.m.— FINAL HANDICAP $3100; C 7; 2000 m. (Bachelor Boy <6j ~ It' iCushan (3) it Fortunate (I)it Gay Rose (s)]t Golden Guest (8, .. .. it Johnny Kirk (2) .. ..It Siouan 14) i t Top Brass (7l it Speedy Guest (2) .. ..10 Stroll Away (3) 10 Tonton Macoute (1) .. .. 10 Van Glory (4) 10 Young Trouble (5) .. ~ io Ryal (1) .. ..20 Bracket: Golden Guest and Speedy Guest.