Same finishing order for third time on end

Press, 19 September 1977, Page 20

Same finishing order for third time on end

By

G. K. YULE

On three occasions this season the fine trotters. Alias Armbro. Now, and Nigel Craig, have met at Addington Raceway and each time the result has been the same. Alias Armbro has won three times. Now has recorded a like number of seconds and Nigel Craig the same number of thirds.

When first thev met Alias Armbro and Now started from the limit and Nigel Craig from 30m. On Saturday in the Ordeal Cup Alias Armbro started from 15m and he recorded an eyecatching performance to beat his two main rivals once again.

After about 200 m Sharmbro, which had begun splendidly, wen*, to a bad break and Alias Armbro, which began safely if a little slowly, went off stride as he tried to avoid his galloping rival.

"I just scraped past Sharmbro." said Graham Holmes, the driver of Alias Armbro. after the race. “It was touch and go whether I collided with him or not. If it hadn’t been for that Alias Armbro wouldn’t have broken,” he added Holmes was full of praise for the run of Alias Armbro. “It was a phenomenal effort.” he said. “He had to cover so much ground when he began to improve. I think he might have been a little above himself, too, as he pulled pretty hard when I got in behind the field." Alias Armbro will not race again before competing

at Alexandra Park next month, according to Brian Gliddon. who trains him at Bumham for Messrs Brvan Crofts and Graham Pilkington.

Alias Armbro trotted the 2600 m in heavy rain in 3min 27.15.

Now received a splendid [run three back on the rails until the 400 m. She then had trouble working clear and came on in most determined style, failing by half a neck to get to Alias Armbro.

Nigel Craig trotted another grand race. He moved up three and then four wide in the back straight, with Alias Armbro tracking him. Nigel Craig hit the lead with about 200 m left, but could not quite hold off the other two.

The others, headed by Lord Rodney and Wai--1 pouamu. were outclassed on ithe night. The sixth placing ; of Armbro Lady was quite ai tgood start for the season.] ■ Last term’s Dominion Handi-, cap winner was making a fre-h start and attempted to lead for the last 1800 m. her condition giving out near the 200 m. Officials of the New! Brighton club took the

unusual step of issuing an invitation to the connections of Alias Armbro to nominate for the Stars Travel Miracle Mile, to be run at Addington Raceway on December 3. However, it is an invitation the connections of this fine trotter are unlikely to accept. ALSO INVITED I Earlier in the night invitations to nominate for the prestige mile event were issued to the connections of Balgove, Winning Smoke and Helen of Tara, the first three home in the O. Hutchinson Free-for-all. Balgove, favoured with a splendid run one off the fence and covered up behind Trusty Scot, surged up to the pacemaker, Stanley Rio, with about 200 m left and he came on to win quite easily by a short length after taking 2min 34.5 s for the 2000 m. The pace was hot early, but it slowed again in ithe middle stages. The lead-i ers streaked over the final; 400 m in 28.25. Winning Smoke, a shade slow away, came on with a great run to finish second three-parts of a length from Balgove and more than a<i

, length in front of Helen of ; Tara, which received a per- > feet trail behind Stanley Rio > and then go through along i the rails. Stanley Rio, making a fresh start, was only half a length back after pacemaki ing, with a head to PalesItine, which had his chance, and a length and a quarter to Wee Win, which broke at the start. Trustv Scot, after vying for the lead early and racing 1 in the open later, dropped right away to finish seventh. B a Igov e ’ s Lawrence owners, Bill and Jeff Roberts, are undecided about the horse’s lead-up programme to the New Zealand Cup on November 8, but he will probably contest the Ashburton Flying Stakes on Saturday week. “He had a dream run,” said his driver, Bob Cameron. “He felt good all the way and I didn’t have to do more than just flick him with the whip.” ; Michael de Filippi was equallv as enthusiastic about; the second of Winning Smoke. “He came on very strongly over the last 200 m and should be an even better ! horse next time,” he said.