Colim beats fancied runners in treble

Press, 25 January 1979, Page 24

Colim beats fancied runners in treble

Colim, a long-priced win- ■ ner on the course last season, followed up a sound third last Friday with a clear-cut win in the Heat hcote Handicap at Addington Raceway last evening. Even though his placing had been a good one. it was not really expected that he would be able to foot it with the odds-on favourite. About Now, Miss Castleton and Hano Direct However, once he worked to the front with 1800 m left, he was trotting comfortably and Clarrie Woodward did not have to ask him for a serious effort to have a length to spare at the line. Miss Castleton did slightly better than About Now to take second by a nose, with a length and a half to Hano Direct, which led the other two up three wide from the 700 m. Colim completed an oncourse treble worth $628.55, the other two legs going to Regal Cheval and Avalon.

Regal Cheval credited c.l Patron with his second winner from his first crop when she won the Debutante Stakes, a race which had its stake increased by $2OO when it was changed to a totalisator event at the time of withdrawals.

Regai Cheval put in a game run from mid-field to hold out Elfin by half a neck. Debbie Direct came on solidly for a distant third, clear of Meadow Bonny. The surprise favourite, Jovalight, was handy enough for 1600 m, but soon began to feel the strain, dropping out to tenth.

Avalon, patiently driven by Denis Nyhan, cleared a pocket on the rails at the straight entrance and finished much too well for the pacemaker, Frosty Lobell, in the Templton Stakes. There was half a length between them, with Dame Bromac doing well for third after an early break. Winning Lass cut Aventureux out of fourth.

The surprise second favourite for a win, Johnny Land, was slot, early. He improved on the home turn, but tangled before straightening up and was well beaten in eighth place. Liz Winter improved sharply from the 1400 m and took the lead with 600 m to run in the January Handicap. She was not tested in the run home and won comfortably from Sam Roday, with Westland Cee making ground for third, as did the next to finish, Game Mander, which was at false odds, ,

Bamboo gained his fourth consecutive win and cemented his position as early favourite for the Nelson Cup on Saturday when he proved too good for seven rivals in the Clifton Handicap. He was always handy and over the last piece he had too much in reserve for Charles Twinkle and Graduand.

Pine Ship, another Nelson Cup candidate, was a good fourth.