Tui’s Lass will be big attraction at Nelson today

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 20

Tui’s Lass will be big attraction at Nelson today

Bv

J. J. BOYLE

Tui’s Lass will be the big attraction on the final day of the Nelson Jockey Club's meeting today.

As winner of the New [Zealand St Leger and an unlucky second in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentharo this year she holds an eminent position in the rankings of top second-season parformers. She also holds a big lead in the Broadlands Series for three-year-old fillies and ‘if, as expected, she is successful in the Nelson club’s $BOOO Newman’s Travel Stakes today, she will probably be taken to Auckland at Easter to run in the Great Northern Oaks. However if there are any hitches in travelling arrangements the strong Gate Keeper filly will have the last two races of the Broadlands Series, at Rangiora and Riccarton, to fall back on. “She travelled well, and has never stopped eating,” Tui’s Lass’s Wingatui trainer, Stan McKay, said after the young star of his stable worked at Richmond yesterday morning. A victory for Tui’s Eass today, would be a substantial boost to the record of South Island-trained horses at the meeting. The North Islanders, more especially members of Garth I v i 1 ’ s team, toiled rewardinglv on the opesning day of the meeting, but there was a change of fortunes on Saturday. The Matangi-owned and trained Young Jeff won the opening event on Saturday, but the South Islanders had an unrelieved run of suc-

cesses throughout .the rest of. the nine-race programme. The equine star of the day was Riccarton’s Star Order. He won the historic Nelson Cup running away by eight lengths and a half. Star Order has been ridden in his two recent victories by the Riccarton apprentice, Tom Cowan. Each time Cowan must have felt something like someone behind the wheel of a supercharged racing ma-; chine idling along behind a line of ancient vintage cars, i There sas no holding them when Cowan made a gentle call on the chestnut for more horsepower on Saturday. In a few strides the'Final Orders gelding was. careering away into a lead that must, surely, represent one; of the widest winning mar-; gins in the history of a race first run back in the 1880 s. Star Order is raced in partnership by Mrs Muriel McDonald and her brothers Messrs lan, Robert, and John Dawson. He is a descendant of Rebel Lady, which was winning in the Dawson colours before the Second World War. As winner of seven races he [has brought the family right ito the forefront in recent I starts. I The Dawson brothers were | quick to pay tribute on Sat- ! urday to the veteran Riccar- | ton jockey, Eddie Low. who ; has won races on Star Order, land has ridden the gelding in I much of his training. ! Star Order lightened in [condition with Saturday’s; i race and after he was exer- 1

cised at. Richmond yesterday his part-owner, Mr John Dawson, said the five-year-old would not run in the Smirnoff Handicap on the final day of the meeting today. Star Order was weighted at 57kg. placing him half a kilo above Sir James and 2 kg above Highland Flight. Sir James was out. of sorts after his failure against the sprinters on the first day of the meeting, but shook off

the trouble quickly. At his best his weight of 56.5 would not keep him out of contention. Highland Flight will be going out. for her third race in five days,, and will have to find substantial improvement to beat. Star Order. Sean’s Gift is also in the second leg of the T.A.B. jdouble, and if kept, for that lone the search for the fai vourite will be over.