Don Lopez too good in first leg

Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 8

Don Lopez too good in first leg

Don Lopez won his fifth race for the season and his second under restricted free-for-all conditions in recent weeks when he beat True Fortune and Heather Lane in the New Zeaiand Autumn Stakes at Addington Raceway last evening. Don Lopez settled back in the field until ..ear the 800 m where Jack Carmichael sprinted him up to take the lead from Keep Gay.

From then on Mr Ben Grice’s gelding by Lopez Hanover from Highland Custom was always pacing easily and he won without being seriously tested by two lengths. Don Lopez paced the 2600 m from a flying start in 3:23.2, a smart run by one of his age. True Fortune paced a splendid race for second after starting from the second line. She sprinted up wide out to move into second place near the 1200 m. She fought on solidly to hold second by more than a length from Heather Lane, the outsider of the field and a stablemate of the third favour*

ite, Bonnie Charlie, which made no real impression, finishing seventh. Delvin Scott, close up all the way, was only a nose away fourth, with a length to Keep Gay, which forced much of the pace. Elevation, which was tailed off for most of the way, made up ground for sixth.

Noble Escort put little dash into his finish and was a disappointing eighth. Freight Train and In or Out dominated both the betting and the finish in the Maurice Holmes Stakes. Freight Train was in or near the lead ail the way and lasted to beat his younger rival by a head. There was much merit in the placing of In or Out, as she met trouble after 250 m when she clipped a wheel and broke. She sprinted up wide out near the 800 m and moved into third place soon after. She gave Freight Train a handy start from the straight entrance and did well to run him so close. The third horse, Waitaki Dawn was six lengths away, with three lengths to the fast finishing lan.