Ashburton hopefuls

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 25

Ashburton hopefuls

By PAUL MEIN The familiar pair of winter performers, Hi Roona and Firpo, showed that they will be a formidable combination for the Lalor stable at Ashburton next Saturday with encouraging performances at the Riccarton Turf Club’s trials at Motukarara yesterday. Hi Roona displayed all his old sparkle when he led from start to finish over 1200 m. Firpo did his cause no harm with a fast-finishing second to the veteran Celsius for allcomers over 1600 m.

Hi Roona comfortably held out dabs by Halfaya and Capital, deadheaters for second.

Halfaya, a former northerner and Watkins Handicap winner, showed that he has retained plenty of his former speed by chasing Hi Roona throughout. He will kick off his South Island innings for his owner-trainer, Max Bradley, against the sprinters at Ashburton.

Celsius, an eight-year-old, and unraced since pulling up lame in a highweight event at Amberley 13 months ago, belied his age when beating Firpo and Neti over 1600 m. With the weight benefit of the elfin-like Gary Blair, Celsius managed to keep out the faster-finishing Firpo, with Neti making ground for third.

Celsius mixed flat racing and hurdling successfully last year but was forced out for a lengthy spell after dislocating a pastern joint. Jolt was also impressive in his 1600 m heat. He led virtually from the start and had too much in reserve in the final 200 m to beat Rondarves by a length, with a nose to Try Two. Rondarves made ground steadily from mid-field and took advantage of an inside gap while Try Two held third after tracking Jolt throughout. Of the Oamaru candidates, the John Parsons-trained trio headed by the Riccarton winner, Ashnelle, all had winning turns. Ashnelle, which received the run of the race, was favoured by a nice run through on the turn and kept up a strong gallop to hold out her unlucky stablemate, Good Way. Good Way lost all of four lengths at the start but finished with a rush to get within a head of the winner, with a head back to Dunbeg.

Ashnelle was a last-start second on the Oamaru course to Sweet Brew. She will get her chance to go one better in the First Kakanui Handicap there on Saturday. Her half-sister by Beaufort Sea, Jane Again, was a narrow winner over Miss Lisa

and Dee Cee in a 1000 m event for class 3 and 4 and maideners yesterday. She will make her debut at Oamaru in the First Weston Maiden. Parsons’s third winner of the day was a Lomond-Fluff filly named Mystic Light, which was a length and a half winner in her qualifying heat for two-year-olds over 1000 m.

Mystic Light won handily by a length and a half in Imin 4.95.

The other qualifying heat for youngsters was won in dashing style by the superbly bred Heir Apparent filly, Nasushi, who lost four lengths at the start to win by two lengths from Falcon Reay (Falconhurst — New Reay) and Golden Ash (Fraxinus —Rustan).

Et Tu, a brother to the W.R.C.’s Marlboro Mile winner, Brutus, furthered his preparation for the three-year-old classic when he dashed over 500 m in 24.85. Its trainer, Ray Harris, has nominated the John Grigg Stakes as the youngster’s immediate goal. Tideway, a last-start Riccarton winner, was another impressive winner in the hands of its raceday rider, Colleen Christieson, a run which bodes well for her Oamaru assignment on Saturday.