Fancy Fred much too good in Timaru Nursery Stakes

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33776, 24 February 1975, Page 9

Fancy Fred much too good in Timaru Nursery Stakes

Fancy’ Fred reinstated himself as one of the top two-year-old pacers in Canterbury this season when he outclassed his rivals in the Timaru Nursery Stakes on Saturday. He won easing down bv more than six lengths from Tarnort Toby, with a longer break to Abide.

"I've had a lot of trouble with his teeth in the past few months." said his Highbank 1 owner-trainer, Gordon Middleton. after the ! race.

“A. cap came off one tooth *>n Friday and that must have been the one that was worrying him for he didn’t| hang at all and gave me an easy drive,” he said. Fancy Fred will probably he taken south for the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham next Saturday, after which he will contest the New Zealand WelconTe Stakes at Addington Raceway later in the month. A chestnut gelding by the Adios horse. Truant Hanover, he is out of the Fallacy mare, Idle Fancy, dam of the ill-fated Fancy Kate. Fancy Fred paced the 2000 m in 2:40.2, a grand run

on a rain-affected track and only one-fifth of a second slower than Commissioner’s 1 record-breaking run of 12 months earlier. Fancy Fred drew the second line, but got away well and was fifth when-the field settled down. Monarque set a torrid pace, the opening 1600 m taking 2:6.6 Monarque was joined by Fancy Fred just inside the last 800 m, with Monarque tangling about the 500 m. Fancy Fred was. then clear, and he • raced right away ! i from the others. He wasii eased down over the last ; 75m. winning by six lengths; and a half. ■'

’ Tarport Toby, which also [Started from the second line, made ground late for second, well clear of Abide, which came on gamely to cut Star Chance out of third by a length and a half. Monarque got going again and got up for fifth, clear of Scotty Bryce. The favourite, Ho Ho King, was never closer than mid-field and put no dash into his finish. He was ninth, one place behind Main Adios. which was never travelling well. Rewarded The patience of the Washdyke trainer. G. D. Shand, got its reward when his four-year-old, Mighty Gay, won the Clarendon Hotel Handicap. He made probably his

/best beginning of the season, ..moved up to second at the , 1600 m, took charge with i9oom to run. and raced ' away to win as he liked by i a length and a half. : Mighty Gay’s win was his ’ first for the season and it followed on a fair amount of racing marked by rather i erratic manners. Now that i he has struck form, he cou;d i repeat at short notice as he > is a most talented young i pacer. Armbro Song, forced wide for much of the race, did well to hold second, followed by Avon Song. The others were headed by Jan’s . Dream. , La Roue and Roseland ■ Knight failed to heighten the i prospects of their many sup- ■ porters over the final 800 m > and finished well back.

Vanderhall, owned in Oamaru by Mr K. Easton and trained and driven by Cecil Devine, received the run of the race in .the Washdyke Handicap and out-’ sprinted the others to win by a length and a half. Fair Chance made up grouind in the straight to take second from Cereband , and Flying Charlie, which looked uinlucky t miss the start. He was being steadied 1 back at barrier rise and tangled. Three three-year-old, Prosper, recorded a sound trial for the New Zealand Trotting Staked later in the month when he ran the promising Lojd Rodney to a length in the Temuka Handicap, He gave the winner a start of 30m. ,Rob;n Geddes gained his first win wheriHey Dryden, which started from the second line, got up to beat Tirieka in the First Seadown > Handicap. Waitaki Hope, wide for almost the whole race, did well for third.