Topeka easy winner of trotters9 event

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34041, 3 January 1976, Page 8

Topeka easy winner of trotters 9 event

Topeka almost certainly justified a trip to Adelaide next month for the trotters’ section at the In ter-Dominion Championship meeting when he won the Canterbury Park Cup at Addington Raceway last evening.

Topeka’s win was his fourth of the season and by far his most important. It also gave his 20-year-old driver, Peter Jones, his biggest win since he was granted a licence in June, 1974.

A seven-year-old gelding by Goodland from Tat Scott, the dam also of Merrin, Topeka is raced by Mr A. J. Howell and the estate of G. A. Lawton.

Topeka was three back on the inside for most of the way while his stablemate, Dupreez, set a strong pace.

He was moved off the rails inside the last 800 m and was trotting easily four wide at the straight entrance. He gathered in Dupreez with ease, and, without being shown the whip, he won with a lot in hand. His win completed a fine week as he had been successful in a S5OOO week at Alexandra Park on Wednesday. Dupreez completed a :stable quinella w’orth 535.40 when he fought back for j second, a length and a quarter in front of Rodney Dale,

which trailed the pacemaker throughout. Frontier, a moderate favourite, was well back for most of the way. He made up ground along the rails in the straight, but could not secure a clear run. He was a short length from Rodney Dale, with a neck to Macamba. Then there was a similar margin to Nigel Craig, which rushed up three wide to second at the 1200 m. He was beaten at the 400 m.

Master Dean gained an overdue win when he was successful in the Clarendon Free-For-All, a race for which he was the hot favourite. His host of supporters were dismayed when he dropped away early, but he sprinted up three wide to take second place at the 800 m. He passed the pacemaker, Deeside, early in the run home, and held off Cyclone Lad by half a length. Micron, four back on the outer for most of the way, came one boldly for third, less than two lengths back, with a neck to Bomber Bill, which flashed home .from the third line on the outer.

Van Glory made ground for fifth, but was four lengths away, with Commissioner next.

The second favourite, Robalan, was never pacing well and he was virtually pulled up with 500 m to run. Master Dean will race next at the Timaru meeting in a fortnight. He has been entered for the InterDominion series in Adelaide, but is unlikely to make the trip, according to his trainer, Alex Purdon.