Frederik spearheaded strong Northern assault

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33610, 12 August 1974, Page 8

Frederik spearheaded strong Northern assault

Frederik. surely one of New Zealand’s most talented winter performers of the last 30 years, spearheaded a strong North Island challenge on the final day of the Grand National carnival.

Grand National Hurdles, the carried through to the end em 'tables bv Just Tops tAugu.'t Handicap). Brad I Islington Hand.cap), and Flight Tracer ißedcltfN Handicap). Para Vince set the tone of rhe das bv carrying off a division of the' Rolleston Handicap, m which she was North Inland The North islands four and a half wins and eight minor placing* yielded 510.580 and a $2OO trophe. <>) a total of $22,500. Frederik had his second Grand National Hurdles as good as won from the moment the Southiander Cheeky Fella, mulled his leap at the third to last jump "He met it on the wrong

e foot, and hit hard, and when t Bob Waerea raw what had happened he pulled the stick b on Frederik and got away i from us.” said Cheekv Fella's - jockev. B Shaw, later. s Until then Shaw had • visions of a notable family t double in jumping races on the programme f Earlier he had won the i Koral Steeples on Cheekv i Fella's stablemate and > brother Big Bang in the col- • ours of Mr W. L. Sinnamon.

who bred both horses at Poolbum in Central Otago. Mudlark In any other set of circumstances. however. Frederik would still probably have emerged as the winner. He is good in the mud; and Ricarton was at its muddiest on Saturday. And he has struck up a wonderful working partnership with B. Waerea. who also won the Wellington Steeples on Mrs B.

Madsen s nine-year-old last month. Mrs Madsen was not at Riccarton on Saturday to see her great mudlark win by seven lengths: nor was the trainer, E. B. Skelton But both should have reason to believe that they will never have a greater year in racing — a year starting with Hose Mellay's Auckland Cup victory. and continued byFrederik's triumphs in the McGregor Grant Steeples, the Wellington Steeples, and now the Grand National Hurdles.

Another change Switches from one role to another have, it is believed, kept a keen edge on Frederik's form. Before the year is out Frederik might have another change of scene and roles — from New Zealand to Melbourne, and steeplechases at its rich spring I carnival. Even Terms, a battling third on Saturday, was making his j third bid to win the Grand ; National Hurdles. His first start ■ in the race produced a second [io Never Give In in 1972, and he | missed a place last year. But in 1972 and again last year ;he followed up his Riccarton I campaigns by winning the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, and the same programme is planned for . him this year, with reasonably ! high expectations of the hattrick. , Mystic Dancer, something of a surprise favourite in the Grand i I National Hurdles, was a distant I sixth, but under obvious difficul- ■ ties after swallowing some flying [mud when she had a run in her close to home. Loch Linnhe never really raised’ [hopes that lie would complete the Nationals double. ’ His jumping deteriorated badly after a round, and he dropped away to finish last. He came back showing signs of soreness in a leg that had given his connec- 1 ,tions some worries earlier in the winter.