Trusty Scott wins tame N.Z. Cup from Sapling

Press, 8 November 1978, Page 20

Trusty Scott wins tame N.Z. Cup from Sapling

By

G. K. YULE

A “dream" run aided a fit Trusty Scot to victory in the seventy-fifth, $75,000 New Zealand Cup at Addington Raceway yesterday. The favourite. Sapling, made most of the pace in a lack-lustre race and he held on for second, a length and a half in front of Rocky Try ax.

The field ambled over the f first 2400 m at a pace more ) associated with qualifying ' trials and when Sapling r sprinted his last 800 m in 1 58s, those who had been 2 content to sit away off the ' pace had little chance of making up much leeway. ' The lack of pace also took . its toll on the recognised ' sayers in the field, which . could not muster the speed necessary to make any impression. This in no way detracted from the performance f Trusty Scot, which was by far the fastest beginner and led for the first 700 m. after which he received a perfect cover behind Sapling In or Out was alongside • him until near the 400 m, at which stage she began to drop away. This left Hender- < son Hunter a clear passage i when he wanted to move I Trusty Scot out. He made i this move with about 300 m left, mastered the favourite about 100 m later and. although hotly purused, lasted it out to win by half a i length. The lack of race fitness ' probably cost Sapling a win. He had a race in September i and another in October, while Trusty Scott had had i

four starts, including two wins, in the five weeks leading up to the Cup. Both the winner and run-ner-up were bred in Southland and both are by New Zealand-bred sires, Trusty Scot being a son of Scottish Command, sire of the 1977 winner. Sole Command, while Sapling is by Young Charles. Trusty Scot is -rained at Ohoka by Henderson Hunter,

who races the six-year-old in partnership with his father, Mr Adam Hunter, a 58-year-old farmer from Edendale. They hold him on lease from Mr John Morton, of Seaward Downs, and had a right-of-purchase before the lease expires at the end of the current season. Mr Adam Hunter had a previous Cup runner. Viking Water, which broke down during the running of the race. Henderson Hunter trains Trusty Scot on the property of his father-in-law Bill Bagrie, at Ohoka. He has trained him for about six, months, after he was put

► into work following his re- - covery from an operation to remove a chip from a sesa- • moid bone in a hind leg in ■ September, 1977. j Originally Fledgling, the; / dam of Trusty Scot, was i - trained in Canterbury by 7 Clem Scott at Makikihi, "but ,'she couldn’t go fast enough > to get warm,” he recalled yesterday. “I returned her to t. her owners, the Duffy fam- ■. ily, who passed her on to

Mr Morton for $3O for use as a hack.” When Trusty Scot was foaled he was very poor, but he attracted Henderson Hunter, who arranged to lease him. “He'll race in the free-for-all on Friday, then the Pan Am Mile next month. The Auckland Cup and the InterDominions are also in mind,” said Mr Adam Hunter, who added that he would consider a trip to Australia in the late autumn “if things go well with him.” Trusty Scot has now had 64 starts for 16 wins and 20 , placings with $93,220 in stakes.

“The other fellow was jusi too good on the day.” said Henry Skinner, the driver ol Sapling. Rocky Tryax’s placing delighted Michael de Filippi. “He ran on really well even ; though he couldn’t get tc The other two.” i Rocky Tryax followed Trusty Scot ail the way and finished a length and a hail ifrom Sapling. Wee Win, a good way ; back and buried on the rails, fought on gamely for fourth only half a neck back. “The ! slow pace early didn’t suit jhim and I couldn’t get out into the open,” commented Wes Butt, who drove him. Lord Module was a short length behind Wee Win at the line. He lost ground at the start and settled six back on the rails. Like a number of others he was never in the clear and, although he tried desperately ;to get a run, changing course several times in the ■ straight, it was to no avail. ;“I just couldn’t get an opening at any stage,” said a disappointed Cecil Devine, who was more than satisfied with his run just the same. Lord Module was privateIly timed over his last 800 m in 575. Belmer’s Image showed ! more speed than any of the I others to make ground for ! sixth, ahead of Bronze Trail, ; which made the worst beginning of any in the race.