Matai Dreamer wins Derby

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 20

Matai Dreamer wins Derby

Special correspondent , Auckland Mr and Mrs A. L. Milne have seen their grand colt; Matai Dreamer score 10 ofj his 11 wins. The exception; was the biggest prize of all.' the Great Northern Pacing Derby at Alexandra Park on' Saturday night. "They would have loved to be here,” said a close friend,' Mr R. Hanford, who ac-t cepted, on their behalf, the 1 trophy that went with the!' race. “But family matters ; come first.” Mr Hanford was referring 1 to the fact that Milne’s son John married on the same i day. “This was one time.” he I said, “The horse came ■ second.” In a tense finish. Matai • I Dreamer just held off a deter- . mined challenge by another;! visitor from Southland, |i Johnny Mac. ! i The four were well clear, of the other 12 runners. I which were headed by Os- ’ trava. ■ I Matai Dreamer maintained :< a remarkable record at Alex-j; »ndra Park, where he is un-il beaten in five races. it He won the Great Northern j Pacing Stakes in his loneit «iart at the park as a two-h ycar-old. This season, he|< notched a double at the ' A.T.C. Christmas meeting I •nd he won on the [I Srst night of the Derby fix- I fure last Wednesday. The Milnes bred the son of I Frosty Dream and Matai jr Song and they have said re- f peatedly they will never sell* iim. i i Matai Dreamer has cer- s lainly been a great money';! •pinner. He has had 11 wins is •nd nine minor placings from'c 15 starts and the first prize, >f $13,935 in the Derby tookje tis earnings to $40,635. It He has rightly earned the Is

i name of being the best staying three-year-old pacer in I New Zealand for years. , More often than not, he has been parked out in his races. But he keeps pressing on. A tough race like the ; Derby with the mobile start iover 2700 m suited him admirably and. as expected, he was a solid win favourite. He had to call on all his ■ reserves of stamina however, to keep out Johnny Mac, i which is from G. McEwan’s .stable at Winton. Mr iMilne, incidentally, is the president: of the Winton Trotting Club.] Johnny Mac began from; the second row and was at! the rear when the field had; settled down. He had only Wing Commander behind him going into the last round. A big run carried him into fifth place at the home turn and he maintained it in fine style. Ostrava, a strong second favourite, looked the winner when he was clear at the 200 m. But he was easily run down over the last bit. Possibly, his driver. J. W. Smolensk!, made his run a bit early. W. E. Lowe s pair, Wing Commander and West Street, were disappointing. Wing Commander broke twice and when he did settle he hung badly. West Street was beaten a long way from home. Matai Dreamers’ driver, R. M. Cameron, also won the race last year, with Main, Star. He said after Saturday’s! race that Matai Dreamer was; always going well. “1 got a! bit of a fright, though.” he said, “when Johnny Mac came at us.” Northern horses were out-1 classed. Captain Forward,; the best of them, was! seventh. J