Rockford regains top form

Press, 7 August 1978, Page 21

Rockford regains top form

B.

W. R. CARSTON

Rockford, one of the “stars” in the lower grades at the Grand National meeting last year, made a belated return to his peak form with a narrow but impressive victory against the open sprinters in the Paparua Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday. Colin Austin’s Rocky I Mountain gelding could havel got back to form earlier this time up had his preparation ! not been interrupted by a: bruised foot. On Saturday, in the hands, of the northern horseman, Nigel Tiley. Rockford settled not far ahead of the tailenders but he made good' progress to mid-field on the! home turn and kept going strongly wide out on the track to peg Dual back close to home. Dual which was going j like a winner three wide in the third line on the home turn, looked as if he might

i see it through when he mas- j itered the pacemaker, Hi 1 Roona, 200 m out but he 1 : could find nothing extra < when Rockford ranged i 1 alongside. 1 There was only a neck be- i tween winner and runner- ( up. Hi Roona stuck to his i task gamely to keep third i but was two lengths and i ■ I three-quarters back. Never-;] dtheless, he was in no danger |i ;i of losing that place for Deep 1 I Mystery (.fourth) was in[l i! almost a similar gap Khush i: Amadi and Jolt, always inli : i challengin'' positions, weretl the best of the others. I Rockford rounaed off a;< course double with Innes lI'Lad orth $18.45 and the; ■: concession with Dual was!; paid $7.50. The Cambridge-trained 1 , ■ Innes Lad justified solid; backing, but only just, scor-J] 1 ing narrowly from the long- 1 shot, Jet Ahead, in thej Avonhead Handicap. < Innes Lad disputed the It 1

pace till the home turn, looked to be in for a comfortable win when he shook off the attentions of Sirrom early in the run home but was all out in the last few metres to keep Jet Ahead out. Jet Ahead, at odds of more than 21-to-one, finished determinedly from ; mid-field to run Innes Lad Ito a nose. Three parts of a length back Riley shaded [Rustique for fourth and the I top-weight. Town and CounItry, was close at hand in 'fifth place. | A little more than an hour land, a half before Jet Ahead | nearly brought off a three-1 I figure coup, patrons saw Bill I I Skelton kick home Country I ■King at long odds in the; Akama Handicap. Being off the scene since. l , May, wearing blinkers and I 'having Bill Skelton as a rider worked wonders for : Country King, which carries I the colours of Clarrie Williams, one of the club’s ■ clerks of the course, and Hubert Christie and his wife. Country King, after running clear of the others, never looked like surrender- ■ ing his lead and won by three lengths at odds of 57I to-one. Neti, going for his (second consecutive victory, ; chased Country King home and outfinished Yipp’s Pride ; which was followed in by I Grey Bov. i —