Outlay of $l50 has proved rewarding for owner

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 19

Outlay of $l50 has proved rewarding for owner

By

J. J. BOYLE

Mr Dennis Watson se- c cured a bargain when het bought the Underwood mare, v Peach, at auction for SISO in I Christchurch over seven c ! years ago. r The Mosgiel bred mare!t 1 was carrying a foal to a ser- i ( vice from Gate Keeper, and 1

the product of that mating i is Golden Gate, easy winner < of the Ashburton County I Handicap at Ashburton I yesterday. Mr Watson passed Peach ; on to the Morwenstow stud- £ master, Mr David Allin and;’ the mare has since died, but i Golden Gate remains a t lively interest, and is fulfill- I

ing a prediction made bx his Ashburton trainer. Jim Lalor that he would find Ins best form as a six-x ear-old. “Considering he lost almost a vear with a damaged leg, he’s done pretty well,’’ Lalor said after rhe chestnu' won the first leg of the Ashburton T.A.B. double by four lengths and a half.

Golden Gate was riddei by the stable appt entice, Barry Rule, who ilsu partnered the chestnut when h» • won a loxver-graded race al •the Nelson meeting Golden Gate has hi- linn tations vx hen the track* soften, but showed signs < promise as a stayet earl:when he was placed behint

Bamboozle in the lounj Otaio Plate at Riccarion Robauna, was hacked dowt to lavouritism (or xestei- - day’s race. She xvas top I weight with 57kg. and ta lied late for fifth, after betri 1 *up for a run briefly n the straight. I “She xx as not going xxe’j (enough at the time she be

(came pocketed to make nn think she was unlucky,” sai< her rider. David Walsh kept improving when sh« got into the clear, but xxs. only battling past beatei horses.” Arapeta. the 2/3 favour l * was left near the tail ol tin field on the inside xvhei ; rivals made runs across tin top and never really got int« the race, finishing seventk of 11. Riccarton’s best was Jipicho. He finished second afte getting the run of the ra« close behind the xx’inner. Red Demon, from the Rio (carton stable of Robanna I owner. Toni Lalor. fille< thjrd place at good .oddand with a run that carrii her from far hack in fit (field. ! Red Demon beat Watel-> by inches for third.