Robalan beats Arapaho in $15,000 Free-for-all

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 6

Robalan beats Arapaho in $15,000 Free-for-all

Robalan. as predicted, prmed the master of \rapaho m the Commonwealth Games Free-for-all at Addington Raceway last evening, e won comfortably by two lengths in the track record time of 3:21 for 26011 m. with Hi boy le a splendid third, a length behind Arapaho.

When Robalan settled three back on the rails, those "ho had hacked him down to odds-on thought success might elude them. But Robalan cleared the rails when Arapaho began to improve near the 2000 m. Robalan looked likely to break soon after, but D. D. Nyhan held him together skilfully. There was a minor skirmish near the 1200 m where Arapaho had moved through :to the lead, with Lightsey also moving through. Robalan was three wide at that ’stage, but soon after dropped ;tn behind Lightsey. Robalan moved up to Ara■paho at the 600 m and after a ’short tussle took a short Head. Hi Foyle moved into ■third approaching the 'straight, with the others falling away. For an instant, it appeared las though Robalan would be I tested when J. W. Smolensk! called on Arapaho’s great ’reserves of stamina, but he :could not reach the more ’brilliant Robalan, and was

two lengths back at the end. Hi Foyle's third placing was a grand final appearance before undertaking the long trip to Perth for the Inter-Dominion Championship series. Royal Ascot was five lengths back, making up ground for fourth. Robalan has now won $100,455 in stakes, including 54650 m Australia, He has had 27 wins and 26 placings in New Zealand, his last four wins in succession. He should be untroubled to add the Canterbury Park Free-for-all to this record tomorrow evening, when Arapaho will again be his main rival, this time over one mile. The Robaian-Arapaho quineila returned only SI 80, while Robalan's win dividend was $1.95. KOARAKAU WINS The much-awaited clash between Koarakau and Eclipse in the Garden City Stakes failed to create the excitement expected. Eclipse suffered a bad check .early in the race, while Koarakau went on to beat Gliding Light; I narrowly. Kota re Legend comfortably. and the rest easily. Koarakau had to be driven right out by his trainer, D. G. Nyhan, to beat Gliding Light by a head, but it was a first-class trial for the Great Northern! Derby at Alexandra Park in about a fortnight’s time. ‘ Last evening’s win brought Koarakau's earnings to 517.670. a. ■lucrative return from six wins; and a second from only eight! starts.

Gliding Light ran on, '.loutlx from the middle ot the field and ua- closing iU't near the end Only a length back waj Kotare Legend, which also made a game attempt in the straight. The rest were .soundly beaten. Golden Moose, the best ot them, being seven length, aua> But there was nothing in the result to settle the score ot three-vear-old supremacy in New Zealand. Eclipse, the hot tax ourite. got such a bail check soon after the start that lie did well to get to the front a few hundred metres later Not surprisingly. the effort took its toll, and he was allowed to ease out before the straight. STYLISH WIN Game Lad became ineligible lor the Cressy Stakes tomorrow with his stylish win over Loyal Drift, Adios Ned. and the warmly fancied Stereo Light in the Haere Mai Handicap. Baek in the earl) running, then up three wide with just on a round to go. Game I.ad went into the lead with 500 metres to run and staved off the few challengers, all weak of purpose. The best of them, but two lengths and a half back, was Loyal Drift, which ran a fine trial for the Breeders' Stakes .tomorrow night. Adios Ned. a likely candidate for the Cressy Stakes; and King’s Row. Patient driving more than anx- ! thing else paved the way for .Frontier to come from the rear lof the field for an easy win in the Kia Ora Handicap.

His chain e. at one siage, when he was 12 lengths from the leader at the 800 metres, looked far from good, but he strode out from there and finished far too well for Now Charles in the straight Waipounamu. checked m the middle stages by Snoopy inane ground well, and onh mi.-sed second b' half a neck. FIFTH WIN Noodlunz squeezed through tl » tiniest ot gaps lust short of the line to beat commissioner b- a nose in the Town Hall Stakes. It gave Noodlum his fifth win from six starts. In the othei. he ran second to Don Lopez at Addington on January I. Noodlum's part-owner aid trainer 1 I Holmes, gave him a trail behind the leader, and it was onh when Commissioner ran out close to him that Noodlum launched his bid. He was just in lime. Third, a length and a quarter back v..- the t’rst-iugiit winner. Parlez Vous. again well placed but only battling on from the top of the straight. EASTON LIGHT WINS Easton Light rounded off th» TA B double when hr easilx beat the favourite. Bachelor Tom. in the Avon Handicap Cec Ar tan Third. Great Applause foiyth. and Grizzly Bear fifth Easton Light's impressive win probably lias earned him favouritism for the Hagley tree-for-all tomorrow evening