Racing and trotting Locarno shows dash in win at Addington trials

Press, 23 August 1979, Page 23

Racing and trotting Locarno shows dash in win at Addington trials

By

G. K. YULE

Locarno showed sharpness when he held Lancia out by half a neck in the main race at the Addington trials yesterday. Obviously his run when third behind In to View last Saturday has brought him close to his peak.

Locarno will meet a f-:rly strong field in the Royal Ascot Handicap on Saturday »nd no doubt he will start favourite once again. He took 3min 27.2 s for the 2600 m, the last 800 m in Imin 2.45, and the final 400 m in 31.25.

The disappointment of the race was Main Star, which set much of the pace and dropped out to a rather distant last.

Frosty Lobell and Loyal Wave had the finish to the C 3 heat to themselves, with the Brian Gliddon-trained stallion doing slightly the better at the post to win by a half a head. Frosty Lobell, slow away, moved up to be mid-field on the outside with 1100 m to run, rushed up quickly over the final 200 m and seemed set for a - comfortable win. However, Loyal Wave, which led for the last 200 m, stuck oh gamely and was coming again at the line. Loyal Wave has appealing form close up, a pointer to his chances in the Visitors’ Handicap on Saturday while Frosty Lobell will take on Philippa Frost and company in the Hillmorton Handicap. Spot Luck was a decisive winner of the main trotters’ heat. The gelding was last away, but improved gradually to be lying third with 1200 m to run. He surged to the lead 400 m out and had little trouble holding Excalibur and Cool Cat at bay down the straight. Wise Game trialed impressively, winning the minor trotting heat by a length from the pacemaker Holistar, Kotare Flight was a half a neck away, third. Lee Mir came on strongly for fourth after having trouble clearing a pocket. Pierre Hanover was the fastest of the three maiden and Cl winners leading throughout in 3min 30.75. Second home, a length and a

half back was Armbro Play, which trailed throughout, with Newparks putting in some telling strides over the final 100 m for third.

Merry Chase showed the (benefit of her race last Saturday when she came on ■ solidly to shade Flora Dor in the race for C 4 to C 6 pacers. She took Smin 32.7 s for the 2600 m, the last 800 m jin Imin, and the final 400 m jin 30.85. Merry Chase could (surprise in the Wildwood Handicap, second leg of the [T.A.B. treble this week. j Flora Dor also shaped pleasingly in preparation for the Young Quinn Handicap, finishing half a head from Merry Chase and a neck in front of Be Sly, which came on strongly after appearing to be struggling at the 800 m. Orfeo, which was not pushed, held on for fourth, ahead of the pacemaker, Hurricane Kirk, with Altamura and Hanover Star following. THREE-YEAR-OLDS Chantilly Bell did best of ■ nine youngsters in the three- | year-old heat, ' Back early, Fred Fletcher sent the filly three wide to sit without cover, sprinting quickly over the final 400 m in 295. to beat Noble Ring by half a head, with Armbro Star taking the eye in third place a half neck away. Armbro Star was only let loose over the final 50m, after clearing a pocket, but was finishing over the top of everything at the post.

Celevale Bay and Yankee Hall dead-heated for first in the second minor trial in 3min 31s, and Patou was a comfortable victor by a length and a half in 3min 35.75, the slowest of the three. Results: CO AND Cl PACE, 2600 m—- . It J. Noble 1; Ardross It J. Burrows 2; Coo’s Boy It J. Milne 3. Nine started. 11 len, hd, 2J len. Royal Butler fourth. Time: 3:35.7. CO-C2 TROTTERS, 2600m—Wise Game It P. Jones 1; Holistar It R. Asquith 2; Kotare Flight It O. Cameron 3. Eleven started. .Len, 4 nk, 11 len. Lee Mir fourth. Time: 3:38.7. CO AND Cl PACE, 2600 m Yankee Hall It P. Jones and Celevale Bay It R. Tatterson 1; Unique Princess It M. de Filippi 3. Ten. started. Dead-heat, J len, len. Lord Supreme fourth. Time: 3:31. C2 AND C 3 PACE, 2600 m Frosty Lobell It B. Gliddon 1; Loyal Wave It J. Curtin 2: Nandina Maestro It W. Butt 3. Eleven started. 1 hd, 5 len, I len. Passable fourth. Time: 3:35. CO AND Cl PACE, 2600 m Tactile Star It R. Tatterson 1; Orkan It J. Smolensk! 2: Loyal Lad It R. Stockdale 3. Ten started. 21 len, 1 nk, I.’. len. Unique Holiday fourth. Time: 3:39.4. C3-OC TROTTERS, 2600 m Spot Luck It T. McMillan 1; Excalibur It W. Hart 2; Cool Cat It P. Jones 3. Seven started. Len, 3 len, len. Delpelo fourth. Time: C4-C6 PACE, 2600m.—Merry Chase It L. Thomas 1 Flora Dor It K. Townley 2; Be Sly It K. Norman 3. Eight started. J hd, nk, len. Orfeo fourth. Time: CO AND Cl PACE, 2600 m Pierre Hanover It M. O’Leary 1; Armbro Play It R. Payne 2; Newparks It T. McMillan 3. Eleven started. 11 len, 1 len, nk. Butler’s Command fourth. Time: 3:30.7. C7-OC PACE, 2600m.—Locarno It R. Butt 1; Lancia It D. Mangos 2; Canis Minor It T. Thomas 3. Eight started. J len, 4 hd, len. Rocky Tryax fourth. Time: 3:27.2.

Locarno, winner of the New Zealand Messenger last season, looks in great heart and he should win several races in the next few weeks.

Lancia, which met trouble early in the Louisson Handicap last Saturday, made ground steadily for second. She will not be a forlorn chance in the National Handicap. Ganis Minor, which has been entered for the New Brighton meeting next week, began much better than he has on most occasions. He moved up to shade Main Star before the 400 m and held on well for third only a head from Lancia. Canis Minor is carrying more condition than usual and he looks in great heart to start another campaign. . Rocky Tryax, which will! resume racing on Saturday,: was inclined to hang in the i early part of the event, but; he raced splendidly in the run home to finish fourth, ahead of Regal Belmont and Ostrava, which was checked with 2100 m to run. Ostrava came on well and was doing his work easily at the finish. He could run his half-brother, Locarno, fairly dose ,on Saturday.

THREE-YEAR-OLD PACE, 2600 m—Chantilly Belle It W. Fletcher 1; Noble Ring It P. O'Reilly, jun. 2; Armbro Star It W. Butt. 3. Nine started. 1 hd, J nk, 14 len. High Card fourth. Time: 2:47.4.