Two N.Z. trotters likely to qualify tonight

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 19

Two N.Z. trotters likely to qualify tonight

From G. K. YULE in Melbourne New Zealand looks certain to have two runners, Spartan Prince and Waipounamu, in the $25,000! Trotter’s Final on Saturday. Waipounamu had a firsthand taste of the brilliant artistry of Maori’s Idol last Saturday and he struggled into second place 10m from the Victorian champion. Peter Jones who drove Waipounamu with great skill summed up the view of the; hundreds of visitors who! were seeing Maori’s Idol for the first time when he said “He’s just unreal.” Fortunately for Waipounamu he will not have another strength-sapping run against Maori’s Idol this evening, but he will have to contend with Spartan Prince, which is expected to give a much improved display. His trainer-driver, Doody > Townley, had Spartan Prince undergo a searching veterinary examination on Monday. “He came through with flying colours and I expect him to be a much bet-| ter horse in this heat,” he said. “I've a good draw this time! and will be disappointed if he! doesn’t finish first or| second.” Townley also was enthu-| siastic about Maori’s Idol! “He’s a beautiful trotting

machine and goes in the manner I would like to think Spartan Prince was capable of. Two veteran Victorian trotters Silken, a ten-year-old and Touch Merchant, a year older, look the ones most likely to trouble the New Zealanders. Touch Merchant beat Bold Apepa and Spartan Prince on Saturday and in his present form he must go well again. Silken had a preliminary of only 900 m, being delayed I on getting onto the track ! while a shoe was replaced. Silken was unsettled at the start and put in a determined finish for fourth behind Maori’s Idol. She is expected to appreciate the longer distance tonight as her best efforts have been as a stayer. The good news is that Maori’s Idol will start in the final heat for trotters. His owner-trainer, Ric Healy, yesterday morning appeared before an emergency meeting of the Grand Council of the Inter - Dominion Trotting [Council and made application to scratch Maori’s Idol without penalty from tonight’s | heats. Under the rules of the I Championships, a horse I scratched without valid reaIson can be barred from rac- | ing for up to eight weeks, i Healy made' his request on the grounds that “the horse

i is going off and can’t stand : two hard runs. As he is exs pected to win, we feel we have to scratch him, if this i request is not granted.” I Healy was given the op- ■ portunity to address the : Grand Council which after a • two hour hearing rejected : the application on the ■ grounds that the contemI plated scratching would give : Maori’s Idol an unfair advantage in the final on Saturday ' over the horses which had I contested two heats. Healy : subsequently advised officials . that the horse would start ; tonight. I Maori’s Idol will be trying I to equal the record winning I sequence of 24, established • by Lucky Creed, and his at- ; tempt is creating tremendous i interest. Selections:— 9.55 p.m. (N.Z. time).—Trotters' Heat: Spartan Prince, Waipounamu, Silken. 10.30 p.m Fourth Pacers' Heat: Don't Retreat, Regal Light. Adidair. i 11.5 p.m.—Fifth Pacers' Heat: ■ Captain Harcourt, On Credit, Royal Gaze. 12.15 p.m.—Sixth Pacers' Heat: Paleface Adios, Pure Steel, Tan Heel. 12.50 a.m.—Fourth Trotters' Heat: Maori's Idol, Bold Ap- : peal Derby Royal. 7.55 p.m— FIRST INTER DOMINION TROTTERS' QUALIFYING DIVISION 2900 m. 1 1 2823 Storm Rider (Vic) It ! N. Shinn

i 2 5030 Maori Monarch (Vic) It B. Healy 3 2323 Spartan Prince (NZ) It 3 D. Townley 5 4 0000 Weeona Dancer (Vic) It R. Cunninghame 5 0000 Strong Flex (NSW) it - J. Paton > 6 1940 Billboard (Vic) it ' G. Lang ‘ 7 5879 Homage (NSW) It I H. Young a 8 5088 Olympic Medal (Vic) it S. Rothacker • 9 6454 Silken (Vic) It 3 K. Murray .10 7606 El Cordobies (Vic) 10 K. Rawiller fll 7532 Waipounamu (NZ) 10 I P. Jones j 12 3231 Touch Merchant I (Vic) 10 5 G. Wilson t j 8.30 a.m.— FIRST INTER DOMINION „ PACERS' s QUALIFYING DIVISION 1609 m; mobile. 1 1538 Wee Win (NZ) It W. Butt 2 1134 Don't Retreat (NSW) it L. Moulds 3 1649 Abidair (Vic) It K. Clarke 4 2327 Dillon Titian (Vic) It J. Cakebread 6 2433 Nixon Adios (WA) It F. Kersley 6 1146 Regal Light (NZ) It P. Jones 7 5672 Apre Ski (Vic) It B. Gath 8 2125 Michael Frost (NSW) It J. Ilsley 9 7211 Hermosa Star (NSW) It P) Norrgard 10 8800 Dimante Hanover (NSW) (unruly) It T. Hutchings t ImnmUm SECOND INTER-DOMINION PACERS' QUALIFYING DIVISION 1609 m; mobile. 1 6683 Royal Gaze (Vic) It K. Pocock 2 1060 Transpec (Vic) It L. Maher 3 6867 Velvet Prince (WA) it F. Kersley 4 3876 Sporting Son (Vic) It K. Clarke 5 1139 On Credit (Vic) It J. Harland 6 1122 Captain Harcourt (NZ) it , T. H. Knowles (j 7 4225 Junction Road (NSW) It i- R. Treasure K 8 2541 Markovina (SA) It s B. Gath , 9 2419 Lincoln Star (Vic) It p R. Conroy 0 ’ THIRD INTER-DOMINION ’ PACERS' QUALIFYING DIVISION 1 6613 Tan Heel iVic) It K. Rickaro 2 2216 High Advice (SA) It T. Martin 3 1214 Pure Steel (WA) It P. Coulson 4 4411 Sole Command (NZ) It T. H. Knowles 5 5 4154 Paleface Adios (NSW) It 0 C. Pike 0 6 1898 James Armagh (Vic) It 5 M. Wishart 5 7 6108 Koala King (NSW) It 0 K. Robinson 5 8 8217 Mark Radium (Vic) It 0 J. Treloar 5 9 1765 Conmurra Chief (SA) It 5 H. Hocking 5 10 8432 Gallagher (Vic) It 0 T. Demmler 0 0 o iiflvgwa o 10.50 p.m.— SECOND INTER-DOMINION TROTTERS' QUALIFYING DIVISION 2900 m. 1 1335 Rorodillo Bronze (Vici It G. Gath i 2 1036 Albey Logan (NSW) It 3 T. Mahar B 3 5577 Gay David iVic) It K. Semmens 4 6945 Rockin Dale (Vic) It C. Redwood ■ 5 4410 Akenaten (Vic) It » G. Sexton > 6 4709 Yadran (NZ> It '■ T. Milina 7 3357 Hee's Hope (Vic) It G. Senior ( 8 5212 Bold Apepa (Vic) It G. Robinson 8 6228 Hilton Adios (Vic) (unruly) It S. Rothacker 10 5970 Bay Johnny (NSW) It (unruly i It L. Moulds • 11 4034 Derby Royale (Vic) 10 1 C. Powell 12 1111 Maori's Idol (Vic) 30 > B. Healy