Ruling Lobell outstanding

Press, 6 September 1976, Page 18

Ruling Lobell outstanding

Any doubts about the staying qualities of Ruling Lobell were dispelled on Saturday night when the three-year-olds had their first attempt at 2600 m. Ruling Lobell gave away starts of up to 20m, was allowed to coast along at the tail of the field and gave the leaders a start

: of at least 15 lengths racing to the 800 m. She was still far back at the straight entrance, but unwound a paralysing final sprint which carried her to the post with an advantage of two - lengths. “She’s tons better if she can be restrained back in the field than when in front,” said Ivan Schwamm after the race, “I was confident of success all the way. She was going so easily that I knew I only had to let her go to gather in the others,” he added. Mr Ben Grice’s Mark Lobell— Ruling Caste filly thrives on hard work and she will no doubt ap pear regularly before her big test in the New Zealand Derby ; Stakes in November. i Her success on Saturday gained her selection as the Travelodge ! horse of the meeting made bj trotting journalists. The patron’s [ choice was Speedy Guest, which

beat Ruling Lobell by one vote. Ruling Lobell paced the 2600 m in 3min 27.25ec. the last 1600 m off the front in 2min 7.4 sec, a section she must have covered in better than 2min ssec. Our Location ran on gamely for second, ahead of Gianna, Radiant General and Ambridge, which was well back mostly. Ruling Lobell completed an oncourse treble worth $1544.65, there being six successful tickets. OUTSIDER Come Here, a 25-to-l chance, beat Jumbo and Be Free in the first leg. the Introductory Handicap. The middle leg. the Maiden Event, was won narrowly by Sail Again, a member of Ivan Schwamm’s team, with Roval Delivery taking second ahead of Black Regal and Princess Juanita. A start for Sail Again was uncertain until after 1 p.m. on Saturday. “We had a veterinary surgeon to him in the morning and gave serious consideration to scratching him. He seemed a good bit better by 1 p.m. so decided to run him,” said Schwamm. Sail Again is raced by Mr and Mrs Dave Spark, of Oamaru. for whom he should be a worthwhile winner now that he has made the initial step from maiden company. Mr Spark is a vice-

president of the Oamaru Trotting Club. Direct Magic justified favouritism in the Travis Handicap. The stablemate of Speedy Guest set much of the pace and fought back gamely to shade Glenwood, with Warragamba holding out the faster-finishing Tiny Time for third. Charlie Wood was too good for Dreamy Boy in the Oxford Handicap. Protagonist finished better than Vitellia to take third narrowly. Then came Royal Banner and Anne Francis, both of which shaped pleasingly. Another Day gave Ray Morris the first of his two training and driving successes when he got up to shade Tough Going by hailf a head in the Ern Smith Handicap, it was his second success for the season. Tough Going’s run was a sound trial for Hutt Park next week. Remlap, also at Hutt P.ark, was a fair third, with Marsha Donna coming fast wide out after breaking early to head the others. Patchwood followed Baimark over the last round of the Raceway Handicap and the Oamaruowned mare held on well tn beat a fast finisher in Waylynne, which was slow away, with Count Laverne and the hot favourite, Quite Regal, next, just ahead of Bonny River.