Top grade has style

Press, 28 April 1978, Page 3 (Supplement)

Top grade has style

By W. R. CARSTON

In winning the Apprentices’ Handicap in style at Awapuni on Tuesday Top Grade recorded his fourth victory in as many starts for his Nelson owner-breed-er, Mr Alex Newman. And much of the credit for Top Grade’s rapid progress through the lower classes goes to his young Riccarton trainer, Kevin Miller, whose flair for the preparation of a difficult horse combined with patience is bringing its rewards.

In the ordinary course of events Top Grade would have been doing his racing from the stable of George Humphries, who prepared the highly promising but illfated Manuka Street for Mr Newman. But the veteran Riccarton trainer found that the Aristoi three-year-old, with his temperamental nature and wayward habits, was a bit more than he, or his staff, could comfortably manage.

So Miller was given Top Grade to educate and made such a good job of it Humphries suggested to Mr Newman that he be allowed to keep the horse to train.

It took time and much patience to iron out all the rough spots but once Miller had Top Grade properly organised he quickly showed his potential. Even before he raced for the first time, at Nelson in February, his reputation was already firmly established. In fact, in winning the Second Nelson Evening Mail Maiden first-up he was at odds of less than two-to-one.

That first victory was achieved on a firm track. On rain-affected going on the second day at Nelson he beat a field of class three, four and five sprinters almost as easily. Top Grade had to be good to win his next race, the Papanui Handicap at Riccarton on Easter Monday. In that event his chance of victory looked hopeless 100 metres out but he finished brilliantly once he cleared a tight spot on the inner and pegged back I .ord Hymac — until then un' \ ten in three starts — in the last few strides.

Top Grade showed his versatility again on Tuesday when his fourth consecutive success came up on a rainaffected track. Although he showed he has not reached

his full potential yet, by running greenly in the run home, he was still far too good for his rivals and in the capable hands of the Awapuni apprentice, Graeme Lord, he justified his favouritism with a length-and-a-half victory over, ' idge and 16 others.

If breeding counts for anything Top Grade should be good. He is from a family which produced Cadiz and Boundless two of Riccarton’s top performers in the late 50s and early 60s. Top Grade’s dam is Country Lass, a daughter of Agricola and Naumai. She was the product of a mating of Knight’s Romance and Gratuity, which was out of Pay Roll which, to Airway, produced Infinity, the dam of Cadiz and Boundless.

Top Grade recorded Imin 39.8 sec in winning Tuesday’s 1600 m event. This was not much slower than Master Token took to win the Anzac Metric Mile, first leg o r the T.A B. double — he recorded Imin 39sec.

If all goes well with Top Grade within the next 10 days patrons at the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting will probably see him in action at Trentham next Saturday week.