Black Rod is easy winner of Plate

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34026, 15 December 1975, Page 8

Black Rod is easy winner of Plate

(“The Press’* Special Service) AUCKLAND. The Otaki six-year-old. Black Rod, completed his three-race northern assignment in great style by taking the Founders' Plate at Avondale on Saturday. Two starts before he was successful in a weight-for-age 1600 m event at Te Aroha and betweer times he came fourth, unluckily in the Avondale Cup. Going 2000 m this time at weight-for-age Black Bod was altogether too fast for his 10

opponents. The best backed of them, Jandell and March Legend, looked distinctly uncomfortable on the hard ground before coming in sixth and fifth respectively. Jandeli’s stablemate. Shy Ways, was second, the Riccarton visitor Rebel Lad. third and Battle Eve fourth. Remarkably, for a horse which broke down less than three years ago and shows signs still of the knee operation needed to restore him. Black Rod ran more freely than any in the Founders’ Plate. His overkeenness was. in. fact, all that • worried rider Rill Skelton. Black Rod shared the trail behind the pacemaker Rebel Lad. on the nutside of Shv Wavs and came on to the front early in. the home straight, just as soon as Skelton wanted. In the last 200 m Black Rod* bounded away tn score bv two; lengths and a half from Shy* Wavs, which had slightly the better of Rebel Lad and the next two. TUDOR LIGHT FAILS Tudor Light’s winning streak came to a halt in the second leg iof the T.A.R. double, the Pegasus Stakes. She won her five pre-: vious races, two as a two-year- , old and three this season, but' ’his tone went under bv a neck .'to Melodv Relle. Just in behind, ■taking third place, was Ida: Marie, which was in her first race for six months. Melodv Belle, ridden bv D. A.' Peake certain I v had a dream; run. In no time she d r nnped ini to a trail behind the pace-j .makers Oraniwe and Panagor.i with Tudor Light on her outer. ’ r »nce round the home turn' C.renville Hughes had to angle, • T udnr Tight out further to clear the leaders. David Peake kept Melodv Relle •lose to the rail, brought her: through a san to the front and in a few strides had a winning; break Tudor Light was makm o- ; ground in the finish 'auicklv enough and Melody Re n e won prettv decisively. Up until restprdav morning her trainer. Ray Verner was 1 •ertain that Relle would start at Avnnda’e. H*» was con-! ; Adoring Awamini next week-end; <?nr hut she will now be kept Vpr>]Pr aISO lined up Snlilnnyv. j q fivct.dav winner, fnr the wric hut she finished onjv ‘ pjo nnc** t’'ein* i d Tn dry: and "as d’spr»nolr»ted at; , h**** Nn wore than hiimari i • hAp. b * was afforded hvj •XTn’Ad'- Rene’s latest wi n rather■ 'more that the usual satisfaction.l