Johnny Regalo’s fifth for season

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 18

Johnny Regalo’s fifth for season

~ By GK. YULE, d Johnny Regain capped off i a busy and successful season i with a narrow win at the expense of Jenlight in the 1 Cheviot Cup on Saturday ' The four-year-old has now had 31 starts this term for i five wins and 15 placings. 'On Saturday he received a : splendid run about four back 1 on the rails while Charlie s Wood was setting a solid 1 pace. After being fourth intoJ the straight he soon mast-p ered Jaunty Hanover. Then.' near the end, Jenlight came ' at him, but he lasted it out j I well by half a head. Jaunty Hanover was tiring It ir» third place a length and a, half back, with the same| distance to Dreamy Boy, which did well to finish sol' close after starting from ' 30m. Paula Brigade was 1 close by. clear of Transglo.. which met trouble ear'y and' wax'closest at the finish. 1 A four-year-old by Regal : Yankee ' frbm. Roschiara. ) Johnny Regalo is trained by his owner. Ken Chapman, at Springston, and he is usually driven by Kevin Chapman. a son of the trainer. Immediate plans for [ Johnny Regalo are not certain. He has a

irace to suit at Ad-, dington on Wednesday, but might be reserved for the, Methven meeting next Satur ! day, when he will be handicapped on 10m. “I’ve been criticised for: not putting him out for aj spell." said Ken Chapman on Saturday, “but once he’s been out a day or two he■, starts tearing around the) paddock and is likely to do ihimself an injury. He’s;i : thriving and is easier to) control when he’s doing a : ■ bit of work. Once he starts , Ito get tired I'll have to put I him aside, but he’s fresh at I the moment," he added. EASY WIN Sir Robin, favoured with la perfect rail to the straight, charged along the rails and gained an easy win in the IRangiora Handicap. The j Schell Hanover three-year-!old. in the hands of Peter Jones, who had won earlier behind Don Cortez, beat) Castle Derby by a length,' (with Robbie’s Talent, Tennessee, Kanapa and Tara) Drive in a bunch. The favourite, Eistam, lost his chance at the start. Richard Brosnan, who had) produced Jenlight and Castlel

Derby to finish second in the legs of the T.A.B. double,; [gained compensation when: Ihe drove Seafield Hanover to) win the Gold Bar Handicap.) She received a dream run behind Remorse and won I handily from Abbe Gold.; which beat Butler Belle by) half a head. Crown Top made a late bid for sixth.; 'four places in front of Abbe) Princess, another to be late: (Corning on the scene. The Trotting Stakes win-) ner, Kotare Gunner, proed a highlight of the day when he outclassed the field in the Ripcord Handicap. Garry Hillier let him take his time to become balanced and he was last on settling. However, he recovered quickly and strode to the front near the 1700 m. He opened up a handy lead and was easing down at the line, where he had more than three lengths to spare over Elgin Ladv, which took seciond by half a head from I Lady Castletown, with the others down the track. i Kotare Gunner’s future; 'racing programme is not, definite. He is entered for) the Methven meeting next Saturday, but is not a cer-l Itain starter.