Trevira’s impressive trial for Easter Cup

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 26

Trevira’s impressive trial for Easter Cup

By

W. R. CARSTON

So far this season success in the rich metric two-milers has eluded Trevira but he gave more than a hint that he is going to be a force to reckon with in next Saturday’s $20,000 Lion Brown Easter Cup when he trounced a field of cup hopefuls in the Lion Invitation Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday night. Although Saturday’s race, like the other two Trevira has won this season — one at Cambridge and the other at Ruakaka — was a sprint event, stamina is one of his stronger points. He showed that 3200 m is well within his range when he finished third to Lord Module and Rocky Tryax in the New Zealand Cup in November. Richard Brosnan, seen at his best in his handling of Trevira. was most impressed with the six-year-old’s per-, formance. So he should have been for the Scottish ComJmand gelding scampered

away from the others in the run home to win by seven lengths and in doing so went within a tenth of a second of the New Zealand record of 2min 32s for 2000 m from a stand, held jointly by Forto Prontezza and Roydon Scott.

If Brosnan had the chance of choosing an Easter Cup drive he would not go past Trevira. Unfortunately he will not get that choice and is quite happy about it for on Saturday he was only the “stand in” man for the gelding’s regular driver, Gavin Hamilton, who had commitments at the Winton meeting.

While Trevira convinced many good judges on Saturday that he will be a top Easter Cup ' prospect the same could not be said for the majority of his beaten rivals. There was merit in Timely Robin’s effort to keep second after setting such a scorching pace and Bronze Queen, as usual,

battled her way info the fin-i ish but one could hardly get enthusiastic about the performances of the three top fancies, Roydon Scott, Idolmite and Sapling Admittedly, Roydon Scott had to be used up early to get a position, then was forced to race in the “suicide” spot till the home turn. Perhaps it wag ' not surprising that he wilted early in the run horne but, nevertheless it was a bit disappointing to see him fade so quickly.; Roydon Scott finished tenth, one place ahead of Idolmite, which after beginning safely went into a hopeless gallop and was never in it after, and two places ahead of. Sapling, which settled with the tailenders and failed to-“fire” at 'any stage of the race., Fred Fletcher, who prepares Roydon Scott, could have two Easter Cup runners. Philippa Frost, another member of his highly suc-

icessful team, became eligible for consideration for inclusion in next Saturday’s field when she- won- the Canterbury Handicap in style oh. Saturday night. In winning this one Mrs B. M. Steel’s consistent Armbro Hurricane mare had to do it the hard way. When the favourite. Tempest Tiger, went to the front 1800 m out Fred Fletcher was left without a trailing run for Philippa Frost. She stuck doggedly to her task in the open on the outer of the pacemaker till the home turn, came to the front as the tiring Tempest Tiger drifted back early in the run home and kept going strongly to win by a length and a half. Individualist, which shared the fourth line till the home turn, finished fast wide out to cut Ascot Fair out of second by half a neck. The latter, which tracked the winner around to the straight, was half a length in advance of Port View, a solid finisher from mid-field.