Spartan Prince best N.Z. hope tonight

Press, 4 March 1978, Page 20

Spartan Prince best N.Z. hope tonight

From

G. K. YULE

in Melbourne

Spartan Prince is considered the leading chance among the New Zealand horses engaged on the first night of the Inter-Dominion Championship series at Moonnee Valley this evening He s in the first heat for trotters and will start from the outside harrier position of No. 8. H’s trainer-driver, "Doody’ Townley hopes for a bold run from the four-year-old, which is quoted at 5 to 2 by bookmakers in Melbourne But his price could well' shorten dramatically before, the race. Townley is quite satisfied with the condition of Spartan Prince. “I worked him on Thursday in company with Waipounamu. We didn’t go after a fast time but he trotted beautifully and I think he’s just about as good as I can get him,” he said. Townley had a worrying trip over with Spartan Prince. "He took fright when Wee Win went down in the plane and tried to climb out of his stall. Finally he.

finished up in a sitting posi-l tion. He lost skin under his! tail and off his hocks but fortunately there was noy swelling. He’s settled in wellj and seem‘d unconcerned.”! Townley said. Spartan Prince’s first meeting with the champion I Maori's Idol will probably] take place on Wednesday.! Already this is being widely! discussed with few conceeding the New Zealander' the slightest chance of matching the brilliant Vic-] ’ torian. which will start from I 125 m in the other heat this! evening. Wee Win and Regal Light; have attracted more interest than Captain Harcourt ori Sole Command as prospects! in the Grand Final. A Mel-! bourne bookmaker. Pat Hannah. who last year paid out* SIOO.OOO to SIO,OOO on one. bet by an Auckland man onj Stanley Rio when he won: the Grand Final in Brisbane, has heavy committments; about both Wee Win and] Regal Light. One bet of; 825,000 to SIOOO each way!

was laid on Regal Light on Thursday while an earlier jbet on him was $6250 to I $250. A Sydney bookmaker. Colin Dale, took one bet of $5OOO to SIOO on Regal Light earlier in the week. Hannah accepted one bet of ■520,000 to $lOOO about Wee Win last week and on Thursday he bet $BOOO to $5OO about the same horse. Two of the bets were from ‘New Zealand Regal Light's price has dropped from 50 to 20-to-l while that of Wee Win has dropped from 33-to-l to 16-ito-l. Max Thompson is delighted with the progress made bv Wee Win since his ! arrival in Melbourne on' Monday. "He got down! ‘twice on the plane coming! over but lost very little I (skin. 1 was a bit worried at the time but since he arrived] at Ted Demmler’s place he; hasn’t looked back,” said; Thompson yesterday. “I[ think he is a better horse | than when he ran third in I 'the New Brighton Cup. He’s drawn the toughest heat by] far but I’ll be disappointed if; Ihe doesn’t finish close up,”; Ihe added. [ Regal Light, too, has] [thrived and he worked] [pleasingly on Thursday. He! | is expected to find Paleface] [Adios, Koala King and; ; Markovina his main rivals I [while Western Australians! .'hold out high hopes for Nix-1 ion Adios. , Fields for tonight s heats are:—| •9.55 p.m. (N.Z. time) — FIRST TROTTERS 2400 m. I 1 Olympic Medal tl) (Vic.) It! S. Rothacker 2 Strong Flex (2) t N.S.W.) It J. Paton 3 Yadran (3) (N.Z.) It ■ T. Milina I 4 Maori Monarch i 4) (Vic.) Iti B. Healey I 5 Albey Logan (5) N.S.W.) It T. Mahar 6 Boid Apepa (6) (Vic.) It G. Robinson t 7 Hee's Hope (7) (Vic.) it G. Senior 8 Spartan Prince ;«» iN.Z.) It D. Townley ; 9 Rodtllo Bronze 19) (Vic.) It G. Gath ilO Bay Johnny (unrulv) (N.S.W)' L. Moulds It; [ll Touch Merchant (1) (Vic.) lu G. Wilson 'l2 Derby Royale (2) (Vic.) 10. ; C. Powell 10.30 p.m.— FIRST PACERS HEAT 2400 m. 1 Taronga (1) (Vic.) It ; A. Buckley 2 Nixon Adios (2) (W.A.) It F. Kersley i 3 Gallagher (3) (Vic.) It; G. Rochacker I 4 Markovmia (4) (S.A.) It! | B. Gath , 5 Regal Light (5) (N.Z.) Hi P. Jones 6 Mark Radium (6) (Vic.) It J. Treloar I 7 Infield 7) (Vic.) It M. Kelly 3 Palerace Adios iBi (N.S.W.) It! C Pike 9 Koala King (9) (N.S.W.) It. | K. Robinson 10 Junction Road (10.) (N.S.W.) It R. Treasure •11 Abidair (11/ (Vic.) It K. Clarke Balloted out with right of relent ry: Taronga. I 11.10 p.m.— SECOND PACERS HEAT 2400 m. 1 James Armagh 1) (N.S.W.) It M. Wish art 2 Don't Retreat •2> (N.S.W.) It L. Moulds ] 3 Apre Ski (3) (Vic.) It B. Gath ’ 4 On Credit 4; (Vic.) It J. Harland 5 Velvet Prince (5i (W.A.) It , F. Kersley 6 Diamante Hanover (6) T. ihitchings 1 7 Sporting Son i7> (Vic.) It I K. Ci a ike 9 Tan Heel (9) (Vic.) It K. Richard10 Sole Command 10* N.Z.) It T. Knowles ill Conmurra Chief HI) (S.A.) It 11. Hocking Scratched: Rip Van Winkle. ’12.20 a.m.— THIRD PACERS HEAT 2400 m. 1 1 High Advice H) (S.A.) It T. Martin 2 Hermosa Star (2> .N.S.W,) It P. Norrgard 3 Dillon Titian 3) (Vic.) It •J. Cakebread 4 Top Hand (4) (Vie.) It W. Clarke ■ 5 Lincoln Star (5) iVic.) It R. Conroy 6 Wee Win 16) \ Z.i It W. Butt 7 Transpec (7) iW.A.i It L. Maher 8 Royal Gaze .8< iVic.) it K Pocock 9 Captain Harcourt .9) (N.Z.) It T. Knowles 10 Michael Frost HOj N.S.W.) It J. I!sle\ 11 Pure Steel unruly • W.A.) It P Coulson Balloted out with right of relent ry: Top Hand. 12.55 a.m.— SECOND TROTTERS HEAT 2400 m. 1 Wenona Dancer <IJ (Vic.) It R. Cunningham 2 Silken (2i tVic.) It ; K. Murray 3 Billboard i3> X’ic.i It 4 Storm Raider <4- Vic.) It N. Shinn .» Homage 5i N.S.W j It H. Young 6 Akenaten 6i «Vic.) It G. Sexton 7 Gay David i 7) iVic.) It K. Semmens 3 Rockin' Dale (8i Vic.' It I C. Abell I 9 Hilton Adios i9i (Vic.) It S. Rothacker 10 Waipounamu H) iN.Z.) 10 P Jones jll El Cordobies 2) Vic.) 1C K. Rowiller 2 Maori's Idol !• Vic.' 25