Roseland Lord at his best on grass track

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 15

Roseland Lord at his best on grass track

By

G. K. Yule

Roseland Lord is at his best on grass tracks and whether they are firm or soft does not concern him. He won twice at Ashburton last week-end and this will ensure that he starts a firm favourite for the Caltex Gold Cup on the first day of the Nelson Trotting Club’s winter meeting tomorrow.

Roseland Lord won before the track got too heavy at Ashburton on Saturday, but on Monday conditions could not have been worse. He strode through the quagmire with great ease and won untested by almost five' lengths.

Tomorrow he will race over an extra 800 m on, what at the best of times is a searching track. But that should not stop this promising four-year-old from carrying on on his winning way. Possibly the hardest for him to beat will be the filly, Remorse, which came with a true stayer’s run to finish a nose from Legacy over 2400 m at Ashburton on Monday. She is bred to stay, being by Regal Yankee from Morsel, the dam of an Auckland Cup winner in Royal Ascot, one of the best stayers of his time. Remorse has shown every sign of developing top staying form and even a filly of her age must be considered a top chance for this race.

Even though he has not raced since the end of March, Joeallan will not lack support.. He will be rac-l ing on his home track and! will only have to race with the same dash as when he raced away with a 3200 m race at Addington in the autumn to give more than a little opposition to his Canterbury rivals. Joeallan is raced in partnership by his trainer, Joe Hill, and Mr Allan Howat, of Nelson, both of whom have, enjoyed success on the Richmond Park track in the past. Tempest Frost appeals' more than any of the others[ on the front, but he goes;

into this race with a weak form background. Nevertheless, he is competent on his day and cannot be left out of calculations in this type of race. Curraghmore and Paula Brigade, both on 20m, raced creditably at Ashburton. Curraghmore was third on Saturday and on Monday he finished gamely to beat all but Karen’s Pride.

Paula Brigade was fourth in the Nicoll Handicap at her lone appearance. Bluegum Surprise, a noted mudlark, is on his own on 40m, a stiff assignment in normal circumstances, but not so formidable on a track unlikely to be really fast. Jaunty Hanover, winner of the Queen’s Birthday Stakes at Ashburton on Monday, should prove a class above his rival in the Norwich Union Handicap, a race for three and four-year-olds. Jaunty Hanover, which races in the same interests ias Remorse, should relish the long straight at Nelson and gain another win. Butler Brigade, a maiden graduate in his race debut at (Ashburton on Monday, is the lone runner handicapped on the front. He looks most promising and could get into the finish.

Oroton will be a reasonable prospect, but she might be held by Our Location, which was not at his ease in the conditions at Ashburton and did well to finish fifth 'behind Jaunty Hanover. The J firmer the conditions, the (better he will go.