Owner to consider late entry in Derby

Press, 8 November 1978, Page 20

Owner to consider late entry in Derby

In winning the First Derby Trial Stakes in style at Addington Raceway yesterday Wing Commander convinced his Ashburton owner-trainer, ‘‘Ted” Lowe, that to pay the late entry fee of S6OO to get the Flying Lord gelding into next Saturday week’s classic might be money well spent. Through the first 2000 metres "Doody” Townley could not find cover at all for Wing Commander. He was still three wide and half a dozen lengths from the leading group, comprised of Ostrava. Orkan. Sovereign and Passable as they ran into the last 1200 metres but running into the back the last time he had closed the gap and had secured a railsrun. Wing Commander, third on the inner, was tracking Passable as they made the home turn, worked off the hub rail as Sovereign dropped back early in the run home and gathered in Ostrava fairly close to the end. There was a length and a quarter between Wing Commander and Ostrava then three lengths to Passable, which lasted the 2600 metres out slightly better than Orkan, a battling fourth a nose ahead of the favourite, Genesis, another which was forced over a bit of extra ground but nowhere near as much as the winner. I

The First Derby Trial U :i Stakes was the second leg of;I i yesterday’s on-course treble, s First Prize earned her con-Is Jnections $1920 and herself al .■start in the Dominion Handi-p ■ cap on Friday when she led; 1 ; through the last 2000 metres;; ■ for a decisive victory in the; I . first leg, the Moon Boy; < Handicap. < But before First Prize was t confirmed as the winner and 1 , Game Pointer's third placing < was safe both had to survive < ' objections against their placings for galloping during the 1 ’ running. ' First Prize had gone off' * stride rather badly when theU 1 race was no more than 500: ‘ metres old and Game Point- < er galloped off the mark and broke again about 900!* metres out. : 1 If the judge’s placings hadT not been allowed to stand 1 ithe race would have gone to 5 ■ the long-shot, Wee Laurel.!, ■which was responsible for 2 the pace through the first 1 1200 metres then led the * chase after First Prize theT rest of the way. Spartan Prince, unbeaten in three starts at the Cup < ■ meeting 12 months ago,;‘ shaped as if a repeat per- > formance this year was well ! J within his reach when he 1 led from end to end for a comfortable victory in the . Worthy Queen Handicap. F In winning he rounded off I ii a course treble worth; ; $333.40. a dividend which; iwas only about half of that)

I his treble supporters would; ;have received had No Re-| Isponse not been a late: j scratching. But, whereas Spartan ! Prince’s treble supporters! had some justification for grumbling about their monetary loss it proved a windfall . for those with tickets; on No Response. Those were; transferred to Spartan Prince which, going for his third win on end, was, nat-; urally enough, the favourite. ; The best behind Spartan Prince in yesterday’s contest! was Framalda for which -Peter Wolfenden secured a: jgood run, three places back; .and on the outer of Our! One. till the home turn. Without ever looking likely to put the winner to the test Framalda battled gamely to run him to a length and beat Our One by! a slightly wider margin. Ilsa Voss, which received the run of the race but never saw daylight in the ' run home, was fourth in a gap of two lengths. Golf.—The first women’s professional golf circuit will be launched in Britain next vear <".ith prize money that could'top • VlOO.OOO. The tour will include « or more events and will begin next April. "COUNT DARNLEY" TOR sale, hay T.B. gelding, 16.2 ih, foaled 1971. Apply "Press," 6378. I —Advt'