Royal Gaze in demand for Pacers’ Grand Final

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34083, 21 February 1976, Page 9

Royal Gaze in demand for Pacers’ Grand Final

<5 Z Assr.— C&pyrtghi) ADELAIDE. Less than six months a?o the Victorian pacer. Rosal Gaze, diced with death and won the battle for life by a mere half an hour. Tonight at Globe Derby the - x-year-old son of Tar-; port K>ng faces another tremendous battle — a clash' un of Australia's pacer* in the grand final of the Benson and Hedge* InterDominion Championship A* in bis battle for life, in which he refused to give in, Rnval Gaze should again emerge the victor. If any faith can be placed in the old axiom “third time luck' then Royal Gaze has an excellent chance. As a flighty four-year-old he finished an excellent fourth to Hondo Grattan in a> sensational Grand Final at Gloucester Park. Perth, after losing about 200 metres at th- start Young Quinn won last year’s Grand Final at Alexandra Raceway, in Auckland, but the trainer-driver of Royal Gaze, Ken Pocock. wasi emphatic that had his horse not been knocked down at the start the five-year-old, would hav<> beaten the New Zealand idol. Royal Gaze has made a remarkable comeback to racing and has not done a thing wrong during the current Championship series.

Less than six months ago Royal Gaze was at death’s door, suffering from a scrotal hernia. Veterinarians told his owner. Mr Bernie Ahearn, that the horse was within half an hour of death. SI OW RECOVERY Royal Gaze took a long time to recover from his operation which corrected the hernia, but signalled a return to his brilliant best with an impressive win in last month’s Ballarat Cup. He struck interference in the opening heat on February 7, finishing fifth to the South Australian pacer. Nevada Smoke. Royal Gaze staged an amazing last-to-first victory in the 1810-metre mobile heat on the Wednesday night and last Saturday magnificently outstayed his rivals to ;win the Eight Qualifying Heat. At one stage of his career, he was a notoriously erratic! beginner, but with maturity I has mended his ways. Royal Gaze has drawn) barrier Xo. 2 on the front; row and Pocock will have to! be at his tactical best in the' mad scramble for early; positions. The race could be a case of win the start and win the title. Royal Gaze has an electrifying sprint, but he; cannot afford to give a starti to any of his rivals. Judging by his form in the heats Royal Gaze could bej sitting on the pace through-1

oiout but if Pocock elects to go, s ( straight to the front, then! il! Royal Gaze still has the abilsiity to outsprint his rivals in 1.1 the run home. n The lone New Zealand! pacer. Speedv Guest, and the! dashing New South Wales; horse, Don’t Retreat, could ?:fight out the finish with Royal Gaze. T It is hard to leave outll Spacers of the calibre of the!: 1 1 local star. Nevada Smoke. I; 1j ; :

;the boom western Australian : ’four-year-old. Pure Steel, and the Victorian pacer Alphalie.! There is no doubting that Pure Steel is a magnificent ’pacer but the hurly burly of a Grand Final could see his; lack of seasoning telling against him. Nevada Smoke has not' been disgraced in any of his; iheats and with an ounce of! !kick in' the running could! I take out the title.