Addington double won by Wolfenden

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 8

Addington double won by Wolfenden

\ny chances of Peter Wolfenden being challenged on the list of successful reinsmen this season receded considerably at Xddington Raceway on Saturday. Wolfenden. in one of his infrequent visits to drive on the course, drove Coral Donna and Best Bet to win the T.A.B. double at odds of more than 75 to 1.

Before racing on Friday ( and Saturday Wolfenden had a comfortable lead over Peter Jones. But a win at •he Northland meeting on Friday and two on Saturday advanced Wolfenden’? total to close to 60. almost 20 more than Jones. Coral Donna’s winning run at Methven a week earlier was ignored by most when she contested the Metropolitan Junior Free-for-all and she started the tenth favourite of 14 at oods of almost, 18 to 1. Wolfenden gave her a, splendid run, firstly behind > Willie Win and then three hack when Tudor Gold took' over at the end of a sizzling first 600 m. Don Lopez mastered; Tudor Gold early in the ran home and it was fairly late; when Coral Donna moved up to him. But in a few strides the southern mare had her rivals well covered and she ■won handily by a length and a half in the smart time of; 3:19.7 for the 2600 m. Coral Donna, a six-year-old mare by Young Charles from Mighty Imp, a member of the well-known First I Water family, was bred at Otama by Colin Baynes, who trained her early in her career. Baynes races her in; partnership with his daughter, Miss C. D. Baynes, and 1 Alan Goergeson, who has

trained her at Dunedin for i the past 15 months or so. Coral Donna has tremendous value as a stud proposition. Apart from her bloodlines, she took a 2:00 record when third to In or Out and La Roue in the Standardbred Breeders’ iStakes earlier in the year. Don Lopez shaped like an ; early winner when he held on for second. He was a tailender early, but was handy, over the last 1400 m. He was half a head in front of Willie Win, which battled on gamely from a handy position. Walk Over did well to finish fourth after losing ground when he locked! sulky wheels with Streakernear the 700 m. This cost Walk Over a length or two and probably’ prevented him from returning a dividend. Hey Pronto, after an interrupted run along the inside, was fifth, ahead of Bound to Be and La Roue, which was pushed to the rear near the 700 m. She and Trevino were among the worst sufferers when the mid-field horses tried to avoid the tiring .Wheat.son near the 700 m. The Christchurch-owned four-year-old, Best Bet, set all of the strong pace in the hands of Wolfenden in the Stewards’ Handicap. He looked set for an easy win

inside the last 200 m, but • near the end Mighty Lee, which had tracked him I throughout, came on ; strongly and cut rapidly into his advantage. However, Best Bet held on to win by ia slender half-head. Raced by Mr Clarrie ; Rhodes and trained at Mori rinsville by a former Cantabrian. Neil White, Best Bet I has always looked to be ; above average. He will continue to race at the Addington Easter meeting before being prepared for a tilt at the rich Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park next month. Best Bet trotted the 2600 m in 3:26.6, with his last 800 m iin 1:1. Little wonder that the back markers could make no serious impression. Rodney Dale, another with [the Rowe Cup in her programme, came on boldly from a fairly handy position to take third a length and a ; quarter from Mighty Lee and half a neck in front of Now Charles, which had ■ every chance. The favourite. Armbro Lady, came on reasonably [well for fifth after a break, [with another gap to Gibbous Moon, which was closest at the end. Alias Armbro was among those to lose his chance at the start. Dupreez and Nigel Craig broke in the run home.