Moon Commander sound prospect for Claudelands

Press, 7 March 1978, Page 23

Moon Commander sound prospect for Claudelands

Special correspondent Auckland. On the score of reliability, there would be few moie conj sistent pacers in the north than j Moon Commander and he appeals as a sound prospect for the first ‘leg of the i.A.B. double on the ' last night of racing at Ciaude- . lands tonight. The WaiKato Trotting Club has .found it necessary, for various reasons, to terminate its lease of ‘ the Ciaudelands track and more I than likely it will race at Cambridge in the future. The club is expected to cal! a meeting of memoers before the end of this month to confirm the I new venue. The Te Rapa track was one other possible venue suggested earlier on. Moon Commander may lack brilliance for he lias won only twice this season from 19 attempts. but he has hardly ever been tar away at the finish. He has no fewer than 11 placings to his credit. He is a grand stayer, is usually a safe beginner and should he ideally suited by the small field of nine this evening. Van James, which has been i freshened since being pulled up at Rotorua on January 2, has plenty of speed when at his peak and he looms as a big threat to Moon Commander. Gaelic Princess's latest form is not inspiring but on her day ! she has fine ability. She could i easily improve sharply to be a distinct chance tonight. Chiquilla has been racing consistently well lately and. being! ’nicely placed on the front row,l she.could take the second leg, the L. J. and .J. Thompson Han- ‘ dicap. from her more experienc- ■ ed rivals. i A fillies and mares event, it I has among its acceptors the near, open class trio of Tokorangi, ■Scottish Lustre and Del’s Dream, ‘all of which are on 40m. Provided luck is in the runining with her. Scottish Lustre ! could do best of these. ; Selections:— 6.45 p.m.—A. G. Downes Handicap- Davey's Jill, Lady EvaHna, First Debut. 7.15 p.m.—T. R. Thompson ' Pace: Emory Direct, Character Key, Moorfield Lass. j 7.45 p.m.—J. L. Dike Pace: ’ Bodhan Hanover, Redition, i Brydo Boy. ! 8.15 p.m.—N.A.C. Probation- . ary Dricers' Qualifying Race: , Struggle On. Gunn Tartan, ; Springfield Legend. 1 ■ 8.45 p.m.—H. W. Miers Pace: ■■ Moon Commander, Van James, , Gaelic Princess. j 9.15 o.m.—Hotel Rivertna I Stakes: Del's Trophy, Tawhai Chief, I Am Able. 9.45 p.m.—L. J. and J. Thompson Handicap: Chiquilla, Scottish Lustre, Royal Pandora. 10.15 p.m.—C. S. Williams Handicap: Yahatzee, Pompano, Prince. Tana Wood. 10.45 p.m.—Claudelands Farewell Pace: Marshall Fields, Bishop Command, Well To Do. , i

T.A.B. TREBLE 8.15 p.m.— N.A.C. PROBATIONARY DRIVERS QUALIFYING RACE $1500; Cl; mobile; 2ooom. 1 070 Roseland Major .1> ;ti 2 1890 Joes Prestise i2) 111 3 2194 Lady Lord .3) 4 5566 Toi Tawa d) 4a 1677 Love All i!2> 7 9601 Struggle On 7) It, 8 6900 Lucky i 8) 9 9642 Gunn Tartan <9i I; 10 8217 Junior Fair ■lOl It 11 5807 Hasty Beau 11) it 12 2780 Springfield Legend !13i H; Bracket: Toi Tawa and Love' All. Scratched: Garrison Lopez, Pre sence Felt. Nandina Trust. Sun Peterson, Jerry Williams. Piriaka T.A.B. DOUBLE 8.45 p.m.— H. W. MIERS PACE $3500; C 4, C 5: 2900 m. 2 0782 Leitrim .21 | t 3 3158 Lady Andra 3) 4 3476 Majestic Heir i4l it 5 4800 Red Summer <5; It 6 2509 Gaelic Princess ,1) io 7 1040 Moon Commander (2i 10 8 9430 Van James <3> 10 9 2680 Theseus iunntlyi 10 10 597 Mister Spyro ;b 20 i Scratched: Parisian Doctor. T.A.B. TREBLE 9.45 p.m.— HOTEL RIVERINA STAKES $1760; two-year-olds; mobile; 1700 m. 1 80 Thurber's Pride (1) It 4 7 Merry Berry (5) It , 5 00 Nandina Guy t 6) It 7 2601 Tawhai Chief i«) ]t 8 3145 Del's Trophy 9) It 9 Single Gee (10) It 10 4522 I Am Able ill) It 11 San Diego »12) It 12 0050 Blue Mercury (13) It 13 206 Swartz Again <l4) Itj 14 04 Robbie Scott (15) It 15 4633 Nagero (16) Itj Scratched: Blue Berry, Via Tor-; ino, Direct Gold. The Bishop.

T A B. DOUBLK 9.45 p.m.— L. J. AND J. THOMPSON HANDICAP $2500; fillies and mares; 2500rr i 1 II Royal Pandora iS) 20 I 2 0008 Friendly Time 1) H ; 2a 8666 Lily Black (2) It 3a 0000 Kafell io* It 4 2355 Fleeting Anno -4) It i 5 8253 Chiquilla 66 1529 Gipsy Command (7) It 7 7851 Worthy May 8t It 10 9174 Autumn Jo <2‘ 2'l 11 055 Jean Chance 3) ?0 Ila 0290 Sly Nodra 4 29 13 0808 Tokorangi -b 40 !4 6853 Scottish Lustre (2) 4<> 15 3787 Del's Dream 3> 40 • Brackets; Friend!' Time and Lilv Black; Jean Chance and Sly Nedra. Scratched- » iescent Vonn. Lightwax, Social Girl, Delightful Lad\. T.A.B. TREBLB 10.45 p.m.— CLAUDELANDS FAREWELL PACE $1700: C2; mobile; 2500 m. 1 003 l Well To Do I It 3 0649 Mighty Lion (3) It 4 7219 Pixawin 4- It 5 2173 Marshall Fields 'S' It 6 5173 Bishop's Command It (6) 7 0608 Moorfield Lad <7) It . 9 0980 Keystone (9i It 9a 6110 Mairo King 16) It 'll 1857 Tribal Hanover (11) It 12 H 602 Bonny Cardy <l2 It 115 9000 Scotland Yard 15' it Bracket: Keystone and Mairo King. I Scratched: Earl Rico. Heldez, I- rosty Charles. Michael'* Advice. ! Jana Bax. Halter Prize.