Classic Move’s fine win

Press, 9 December 1976, Page 26

Classic Move’s fine win

Special correspondent Auckland Classic Move edged a step further towards fulfilling a life’s ambition for her veteran Auckland owner, Mr A. H. Carmichael, when she outsprinted her rivals to win the Dicke Rolfe Memorial Mile at Alexandra Park last Saturday. Mr Carmichael’s ambition is to win the $50,000 Auckland Cup and Classic Move left no doubts that she would be worthy of a place in the select field by the easy manner of her victory. The mare’s trainer, Roy Purdon, said after the race he would leave it up to Sir Carmichael to decide whether to enter her for the Cup. Peter Wolfenden expressed pure delight at the run Classic Move received in the Dick Rolfe Mile and was always confident of winning once the mare caught tiie pacemaker, Hitch Hill, early in the run home. She coasted in to record a respectable 2min I.7sec. Bitch Hill, which had little trouble qualifying as a trotter at trials last Thursday, set a true pace out in front and fought back splendidly to hold second from the home turn. I Whereas Classic Move, which

tracked the leader until the straight, enjoyed a perfect trail, the favourite, Tokorangi, did not get the best of runs. She had to be eased back to the rear early on because of her wide draw.

Her driver, John Langdon, set her alight with about 780 m to go, but had to cover extra ground from then on to keep within striking distance of the leaders. She tried gamelv to bridge the gap in the straight, but Classic Move had put a winning break on her and third was her share.

It might be a case of third time lucky for Mr Carmichael if Classic Move does line up in the Cup as her sire, Chequer Board, registered second and fourth placlngs in the 1967 and 1969 Auckland Cup contests respectively in Mr Carmichael’s ownership.