Tuteena a late addition

Press, 26 May 1977, Page 26

Tuteena a late addition

Special correspondent Auckland Tuteena was a last-minute addition to the team that the Clevedon trainer, Roy Purdon, took on a flight to North America this week. The well-performed trotter was a replacement for Game Too, which was originally booked on the trip along with Mabella, Lou Foyle and Hey Dryden. Game Too will continue to race in New Zealand for his syndicate of three Auckland owners, Messrs N. Craddock, M. Lang, and P. Skudder. “We will possibly send him over there next year,” said Mr Craddock yesterday. “He's been racing pretty well and we feel he is going to improve a tremendous amount by next year. At the moment he’s rather big and overgrown," he added. Game Too, according to Mr Lang, will be spelled shortly and gelded before being prepared for racing next season A combination of bad draws, bad luck and the handicapping system for trotters swayed Mr Lang to send Tuteena to North America. An outstanding young trotter, Tuteena won 'seven of his eight races at three years for $11245 in stakes but only enjoyed moderate success at four for one win and six placings from eight starts. This season he had one win and three placings from 14 attempts. After campaigning for a period in North America for

IMr Lang, who races Tuteena ! in partnership with his wife, the horse will be put up for sale, as will the other three . horses Mr Lan? owns with ’Messrs Craddock and Skudder. After a period of settling |in at Los Angeles the team j will travel to Sacramento. From there it will go on to San Francisco and then Holl lywood Park which starts a 113-week programme on August 1.. The three owners, who 1 will fly to California in July, hope to make these cam- - paigns of local horses on a ! regular basis, depending on how this first one does. If it is successful, they iwill take further teams to North America next season. i”Roy Purdon has indicated he may stay on, depending on what happens, for six weeks or perhaps even three months if need be.” said Mr ! Craddock. An attendant who will assist Purdon with the team, ; Miss Kirsty Lang, left Aucki land on another flight this I week to join up with the New Zealand contingent in I Los Angeles. | Mabella, Hey Dryden and I Lou Foyle were all out of duck in their final races in New Zealand, at Alexandra Park last week-end. Mabella was brought down by the falling Ellamon in j her race, while Hey Dryden did well to run fifth in the! same event after being i checked in the skirmish. Lou ; Foyle was similarly badly I checked in his race yet over-! came that to finish a close fourth. Game Too kept the team’s flag flying high, though, by winning narrowly in his engagement. " i