Silver Wraith brilliant in Stars Travel Stakes

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 16

Silver Wraith brilliant in Stars Travel Stakes

Special Correspondent Auckland Among decisions facing the Cambridge trainer, L. K. Laxon, in next few days will be one concerning his brilliant three-year-old Silver Wraith — whether to run him again at Tauranga on Saturday or keep him for Avondale at the end of the month. The attraction cm the second day of the present Bay of Plenty meeting is the Japan-Bay of Plenty International, the one at Avondale, on April 29, the Championship Stakes. In the Japan-Bay of Plenty International, over the same 1600 m he ran so brilliantly to take the Stars Travel Stakes on Saturday, Silver Wraith has no more than 52kg, a result of early declaration of the weights and the handicap having a maximum top-weight of 59kg. It will be a very long time indeed before Silver Wraith gets in a handicap race with as little weight. However, at Avondale he will have the opportunity of competing agains. only those of his own age. The distance will he 2000 m, but Laxon and Silver Wraith’s regular rider, P. D. Johnson, have few worries of the gelding’s ability to see it out.

Silver Wraith might even run in both events — certainly he looks to be stand-1 ing up to his regular racing i in great order.

. The attractions of big I stakes and a succession of I weight-for-age sprints have been two reasons for Silver . I Wraith having such a busy programme this last month i or so. Another is a fear Laxon has that once Silver II Wraith is eased he might become affected by the respi- • ratory irregularity of which J he has lately shown signs. A strong possibility, too, jis that Silver Wraith will race in Queensland this winiter. Last Friday Laxon entered him for some of thq big sprints in Brisbane, one jof them a 1360 m event run 'for a stake of SlOO.OOO.

i Silver Wraith won the Stars Travel Stakes with remarkable acceleration from the home turn. 1 His great quickness en[abled him to run easily just in behind the pacemakers, Greek Magic and Silver Boy, to the home turn. There was a moment when it seemed he might have difficulty getting between the leaders but once through he burst clear in a few strides. Vice Regal chased him hard, made ground for a bit, but was then held safe by Silver Wraith, which cruised on to win by a length and a half. Vice Regal was clear, in turn, of March Legend and Carlaw which deadheated for third, just in front of Copper Belt, Extra Flash and Silver Boy. Shivaree, from whom much more was expected, [came next and would have

ibeen much closer but fori jbeing stopped dead some 150 m from home when trying for a run close to thei inside. He would not have won! •Ibut he looked sufficiently! •(full of running to have se-| •Icured, with a clear passage,! ■ | some of the money. ( Shivaree had been last with Aghios Nikalaos to] I begin with and, in his usual ! |way, had to make up much! 'ground from the home turn. ! Copper Belt, made favourite by a big weight of T.A.B. i bets — he would have paid around $3 and $1.20 on the jwin and place — was disappointing when failing to (raise anything more after : i trailing Greek Magic, Silver Boy, Silver Wraith and Stipulyvin to the home straight.

Carlaw came from a long way back at the 600 m, March Legend from about mid-field for their share of the stake.

I The big race was run fast lover the last 1200 m after a | comparatively-easy first 400 m. The "winning gallop took Imin 35.55, just a tenth jof a second outside Copper ! Belt’s time when he won last year. The last 1200 m i(took imin 11.25.

Silver Wraith was only moderately well backed as second favourite so that 'with Award in the T.A.B. double he paid a very re■spectable $41.60. I Award, in spite of several 'good free-running perfqrmlances during the previous

few weeks, was only eighth favourite for the Duty Free Handicap which she won narrowly from Blue Rula.

■ Big Gamble was a creditable third. Hearts are, Trumps came fourth and (Lovestruck, fifth. Lovestruck I might have beaten them all ibut for being forced to (check sharply-just short of the post when his fast finish all but carried him on to the heels of the leaders.

Award was ridden by a stable apprentice, B. A. Doyle and so enjoyed relief of 3kg in the way of allowance. She had been beaten the previous time,- over 2400 m at Ellerslie, but her form otherwise had been pretty consistent. Just five starts back she took the Paeroa Cup. Another solid run brought her a second to Tamboura during the Auckland Easter meeting.