Audaciter outstays his Hororata Cup rivals

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34097, 8 March 1976, Page 8

Audaciter outstays his Hororata Cup rivals

Les Ling added another trophy to an already impressive collection xxon tor him by Audaciter after the Mellay seven-year-old led from end to end for a decisix c x ictorx in the Hororata Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.

This latest success brought Audaciter close to a notable milestone in his career. “I guess he must have won about $50,000 now.” | said Mr Ling after the race. He was not far off the mark.

The $1950 for first in the Hororata Cup brought Audaciter’s life-time earnings! to $46,465, the result of 15 wins, including three in Australia, and numerous placings. He has earned all but $2570 of that total in Mr Ling’s colours. For his front-running gallop in the Hororata Racing Club’s feature race Audaciter i was rated perfectly by Phillip Smith. Smith allowed the gelding to bowl along comfortably but always with sufficient in reserve to cope with any challenges. Smith is well aware that if Audaciter can make hs own rules without being nig- ; gled at ne invariably runs! ihis races out strongly. With! this thought in mind, when two of his rivals got a little! close for comfort just before: ! they made the turn into the i straight, Smith gave Audaci- ! ter more rein and he quickly ran clear again. He began , the run home with a lead of two lengths and held that; margin ’o the finish.

The best of Audaciter’s rivals was Cappello, which; finished determinedly from ; mid-field without ever looking likely to peg the topweight back. Cappello ran the 2000. metres out slightly better] than rhe Gore-trained-favourite, Blue Day. There was a length and a half between these two then two lengths to Regal Ration, the tail-ender on the home turn. He edged out Warlight, which had his chance, in the last few strides, and Elcano was the best of the others. Audaciter. whose next race will probably be the] Nelson Cup later this month,: ] was one of three winners- ! ridden by Smith and saddled! by Kelvin Quayle. The comi bination also carried off the : honours in the H. A. Knight Memorial with Princess Velvet, and Sound Barrier represented the Riccarton stable successfully in the L. Derrett Handicap. Panagor's defeat in the

Gordon’s Gin Handicap, sec-1 ' ond leg ot the double, did, little more than confirm that I there are no certainties in racing. The Invercargilltrained sprinter was backed as if unbeatable — his win and place dividends at one ; stage were announced as ;$1.20 and 69c but for all his I class he was obviously in i need of the race after a fairly easy time since he -competed at the C.J.C. sum-: i mer meeting a month ago. i Panagor tried to justify! his favouritism — he set out to attempt an all-the-way-win — but his condition gave out in the last 100, metres and he was run down first by Kowhai Glen and a bit closer to home by Ribaldo as well. Although it was not the ] result: that the majority had hoped for it was fitting that I the honours should go to, ; Kowhai Glen. He was! ! handily enough placed -throughout but was still giv-. ing Panagor a good start

(running into the last 200 ; metres. At the finish he was out on his own. two lengths in advance of Ribaldo, which made his run from the tail of !the field, and five lengths ahead of the weakening Panagor. Kowhai Glen, which is prepared at Omoto by Tom Lalor for Mr E. J. Johnson, has been remarkably consistent in the last few months. This latest victory was his second on end at Riccarton — he had won the 'Craven Plate at the C.J.C. summer meeting at his previous start — and his fourth from his last six starts.