Easton Light now best stake-winning trotter

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 8

Easton Light now best stake-winning trotter

Easton Light became the greatest stake-winning trotter raced in New Zealand when he won the Dominion Handicap at Addington Raceway yesterday. He was also successful in the same race in 1972, while he was third to Precocious in 1971 and to Philemon in 1973.

The $7BOO and $2OO trophy he received yesterday advanced Easton Light’s winnings to $72,605, the result of 24 wins and 51 placings from 114 starts.

The previous record stakewinner was Johnny Gee, which was retired with $67,580, the result of 28 wins and 53 placings. Easton Light is trained at East Tamaki by E. W. Running, who races him in partnership with his wife. He was driven by their son, Bruce.

A 10-year-old gelding by Great Evander from Beverley Light, he has trotted most of his best races at Addington Raceway. He will

compete again on the two nights of the meeting when the New Zealand Trotting Free-for-all next Saturday gives him a great chance of extending his record.

He started from 30m and trotted the 3200 m in the New Zealand record time of 4:13.1, a mile rate of 2:7.3. Easton Light began safely and was allowed to become well balanced before he began to improve. Running moved him out with about 1300 m to run and he gradually looped the field to take the lead from Cee Ar with 600 m left. He soon opened up a winning break and came on to win untested by four lengths and a half from Darky Forbes, which finished with both knee boots dangling round his hooves.

Edis Nova battled on for

third almost two lengths away, a neck in front of the tiring Philemon. Bachelor Tom was a further length away, clear of Jiilinda and Frontier,