FIXE GREYMOUTH WIN Lunar Chance now looks Easter Cup prospect

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33783, 4 March 1975, Page 8

FIXE GREYMOUTH WIN Lunar Chance now looks Easter Cup prospect

(From Our Own Reporter)

GREYMOUTH.

Lunar Chance, having his first start since December, emerged as a top prospect in the Easter Cup series at Addington Raceway later this month when he won the Victoria Park Raceway Stakes at Greymouth last evening.

Lunar Chance had to! return ~a performance well above average to come out on top. He broke and lost 30! to 40 metres at the start and for much of the last 1200 m he was three wide and in the! open.

He was fairly handy to King's Row, Deeside, Speedy Guest and Glentohi at the straight entrance, where he appeared to be fully extended. However when Keith Lawlor asked him for something extra he responded in grand style and won quite comfortably by a length.

“The mix-up actually helped me,” said Lawlor, when referring to the checks received by Hakim and Noble Lord when Sassenach broke after about 800 m.

“I will probably start him again on the second night and then keep him for the Easter Cup,” he said. Deeside raced on the outside for most of the way and he showed gameness to shade King’s Row for second. Speedy Guest, the hot favourite for the race, could do no better than a close fourth. He was always in the!

!first half-dozen and appeared; to have every chance but 1 could produce no dash ini | the straight. Speedy Guest carried $15,409 in a win and place: pool of $50,145, while on the double he carried $45,940 in a pool of $130,125.50. GENEROUS ODDS Living Doll, at false odds of almost ten to one, after her impressive win at Washdyke nine' days earlier, proved much too

[ good for her rivals in the PreJsident’s Handicap. Robert Dunn, who had driven Show Day to win the previous event got Living Doll away smartly from a wide barrier ; position, but soon steadied her 'into fourth place. He waited until the straight* ' before pulling her out and in a few strides she settled the issue, winning easily by two lengths and a half from the lightly supported Renay. Renay. after leading early, trailed Peterson’s Pride for the; last 2000 m. He came through 1

■ along the inside when Peterson's Pride drifted out under [ pressure, and beat Matai Mist, i, handy all the way, by half a length for second. The win favourite. Royal • Sceptre, did well to finish fourth. He was slow away and [was among those to suffer when r Cereband broke and dropped back near the 1200 m. i The next two most fancied i runners, Fair Chance and Flying Charlie, were a good way . b..ek early and lost any chance i ithey might have had when CereJband broke.