Gary Willetts in fine ride to win Metropolitan

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 24

Gary Willetts in fine ride to win Metropolitan

NZPA Sydney Superbly ridden by former New Zealand jockey Gary Willetts, the 40-to-l outsider, Earthquake McGoon, upset a strong field to win the $100,500 Metropolitan Handicap at T.andwick yesterday. The four-year-old Melbourne entire, best-known as a mud-lark, defied the sceptics with a brilliant staying performance on a firm track to beat the New Zealand-bred Red Nose (Reindeer Pin by a long neck in 2min 425.

Salamander was a fur ther neck away third.

The New Zealanders in the race fared poorly, although Happy Union finished well for his fifth. Our Big Gamble ran ninth and Big Skipper fifteenth of 21 starters.

The scratchings included New Zealander Pierree’s Order, which got dow r n on his heels when running at Randwick on Saturday. Willetts said after the race that the further Earthquake McGoOn ran the better he went. Red Nose had the run of the race, but could not quite reach Earthquake McGoon.

The 5-to-l equal favourite with French Command. Iko, was a big disappointment, running eleventh and his jockey, Malcolm Johnston, said the gelding had failed to last the distance.

Earthquake McG«on was named after a jazz club run by Turk Murphy in San Francisco. Mr Geoff Russell, a part-owner of Earthquake McGoon with trainer

Geoff Murphy and » fel-low-Queen»lander Barr. Morrison, said the idea of using the name for a racehorse had come to him at 3 a.m. during a visit to the club.

Earthquake McGoon is entered tor both the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups. He carried 51kg in the Metropolitan, but has lesser weights in the big Melbourne events, although they are now likely to be increased bypenalties.

METROPOLITAN HANDICAP $100,500: .’6oom.

11/14 EARTHQUAKE Me. GOON br h 4 yrs b\ Diamond Joe — Die Laughing (13* 51

G. Willetts 7/3 RED NOSE -ID 52

b. De Montfort 8 9 SALAMANDER i2> 57

M. Broadfoot 3 Scratched: Pierree’s- Order, Hawaiian Sun. Romulus.

Others in finishing order: 20/20 Lord Folkestone, 5/4 Happy Lnion, 2/5 French Command, 18/18 Rothschild. 11/11 Ming Dynasty. 4/3 Our Big Gamble, 16/16 Mr Bluebeard. 6/6 Iko. 3/2 Over The Ocean, 1/1 Stormy Rex, 19/19 Marlborough. 21/21 Oh Real!', 10/10 Big Skipper. 12/12 In Luck, 13/13 Dear John, 17/17 Fullback. 9/7 Grey Affair, 15 15 Dancairo. Long_ nk. nk.

Time: 2:42. Win: $34.45. Place* 39.15. $4.50. $5. 9uinella: $170.55