Vance’s success continues with Southland win

Press, 4 January 1980, Page 12

Vance’s success continues with Southland win

Special correspondent Invercargill “He would be about the best South Island horse I have ridden/’ the champion jockey, Bob Vance, remarked after landing the favourite, Windvale Beau, a clear-cut winner of the Passport Whisky Stakes at the Southland Racing Club’s meeting at Invercargill yesterday.

Vance, aged 20, making his first visit to Southland and riding for the first time south of Ashburton, extended his season's tally to 42

on Windvale Beau. His career tally is now close to 300. •„ Vance, staying in invercafgill with an uncle, re-

called that he had already ridden several winners in the South Island in earlier visits to Riccarton, Ashburton and other Canterbury courses.

Some winners he has ridden in the South Island include — Giovanni, Sir

James, Fantan, Highfield and Uncle Remus. “He is a nice horse to ride. I only had to give him a couple of quiet ones and he shot to the lead,” Vance said-of Windvale Beau. Grey Way, rallying gamely for Alex Cowan after being three wide most of the way, was two and a half lengths in arrears of Windvale Beau and had only a head to spare from Napiat, which was unlucky. “He was rolling out on the turns,” Cowan said of Grey Way. “I still thought he might win on the turn, but the winner was just too gOOd.” 4 » Kto “It was a good run, Napiat’s rider, Kevin Morton, said. “He was held up in the run home after the winner beat us for a gap between Like Magic and Grey Way.

Ohcee, only a head away, was a weakening fourth, but his run was a fine one.

“He was unsettled in the stalls and reared and lost two or three lengths,” Jim Collett, his rider, said. “We were a bit wide when we followed Grey Way up to them and he came to the end of his run about 50m out. GOOD TRIAL The New Zealand Cup winner, Star Order, pleased in his final trial for the $20,000 Invercargill Gold Cup tomorrow when he worked yesterday. The Royal Order gelding started quietly from the 2100 but was stretching out when he passed the 1400. He was timed to run from that mark in Imin 30s, quickening over the last 800 m in 50.25, and the last 600 in 36.55.

Nvah enhanced her prospects for the open sprint tomorrow when she dashed over 600 in 35.55. Nyah pulled a shoe in her race at Wyndham on New Year’s Day and finished last.