Gay Partner attractive Riccarton trialist

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 34

Gay Partner attractive Riccarton trialist

Gay Partner galloped with I the dash and power of an early winner in training at Riccarton yesterday. If there was not false promise in her run she will be a strong contender for high-weight honours on her home track at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Christmas'' meeting next Saturday. Gay Partner closed a gap of something like six lengths to her stablemate and halfbrother Hood in a 1600 m gallop 30 feet out on the course proper. Hood, which had started alongside Rebel Lad and raced on terms with him to the straight, ran the 1600 m in 1:47 and the last 800 in 53 on a track carrying a thick sole of grass. Rebel Lad lost interest in his task in the home straight, but Gay Partner rolled into her work so keenly that she finished up-1 sides with Hood, and would have run her last 800 at a rate comparable to some of those restricted to short sprints. Tom Lalor, who moved (from the West Coast last week to settle in Canterbury and brought a team of 18 horses with him, produced one of the most interesting trialists of yesterday’s training. Lugano, a Postillion gelding engaged in the first division of the Malvern Handicap on Saturday, showed sharp speed to finish clear of Mrs Ippi after running 800 m in 48.8 . It was a run that would have been considered more than satisfactory coming from an open sprinter and hinted at an early graduation from the rniaden ranks. Beau Trie, another noted keen trialist, was right in character while running 1400 m in 1:32.3, the last 800 in 48.5. If he races as generously on Saturday Beau

Trie should trouble the best of the others in the Christmas Handicap. Cappello and Sound Barrier, two more Christmas! Handicap candidates. ran: their 1600 m in 1:45.4, quick-' ening for the last 800 in 52.4. After a respectable sixth: in the New Zealand Cup Cappello disappointed in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup on the final day of the Cup meeting at Riccarton. He might have freshened enough in the meantime to be a real contender in the first leg of the T.A.B. double on Saturday. Classic Legend worked steadily from the 1800 metres. With Pythian for a companion for the last 800, he finished in 2:2.2. The last 800 took 53.4. Go Avanti was no match for Salvaro over 800. Salvaro won the trial by two lengths in 51.5. Nuriootpa, one of Salvaro’s more interesting rivals in the Peninsula Handicap, put plenty of dash into his 1200 m trial with High Lake. This pair finished in 1:19 after cutting out the; opening 400 in 26.6. Nuriootpa was close to! the best of his age in his I three-year-old racing last' spring and appears to have, come back well to start an-; other campaign next Satur-: day. Entourage, another Penin-; sula Handicap candidate, recorded 51 for his 800. Joint Effort’s prospects in the Christmas Handicap came in for some attention when he ran away from Sir Belfield over 1600 m. He won the trial-by six lengths and recorded 51.8 for the last 800. Ernest and Capriole did well for lower-grade performers to reel off 800 m in 50.8.

Ernest gets his chance in the first division of the iAmuri Handicap on Saturday. I Just a Song and Godsend I took 52.4 for the last 800 of J2oom. Castle Hill recorded 52.7. Firpo and Miss Gillie 52, Malboona 52.8, Golden (Trumpet and Yackam 52.4, Dancia led Shadow Blue by three lengths ending 800 in 53. Phoenix Lad, a winner from Garth Ivil’s Awapuni stable last season, reeled off 800 in 50.8. He is now with Raj' Moroney and will race on the West Coast circuit in January. On the trial grass, which gave faster footing than the outside of the course proper, the stablemates Young Kelly and Swirlaway sprinted 800 in 48.3. Young Kelly held a slight advantage through the straight.