Wingatui horses triumph

Press, 10 April 1980, Page 26

Wingatui horses triumph

By

J. J. BOYLE

The Wingatui trainer, Hector T. Anderton, took up an invitation a year ago from Mr Peter Louis, of Wellington, to try four unraced horses. One of them was Master Grey, narrow winner of the Templeton Handicap, first leg of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double at Riccarton yesterday.

At the time Anderton thought little good could come out of such a trip, because Mellseur was injured when galloped on and had to be spelled.

But in the last few weeks Master Grey has emerged as a very useful member of the Anderton team, second only

to Mellseur for ability in the stable.

Master Grey was ■one of the obvious chances yesterday after his Great Easter Handicap fourth, but the Riccarton veteran Ernest came in for heavier backing, and also figured in a spectacular three-sided finish. Master Grey had dashed away to a handy-looking lead about 400 m out but Ernest made good headway wider out, and alongside him, even wider, came Oldtimer.

Master Grey kept Oldtimer out by half a head and Ernest was only a neck back third.

Ay Em was unable to maintain a promising-look-

ing run close to home, but battled well for his fourth three-quarters of a length back. Peligro was the best of the others. Wingatui’s Bob Heasley successfully filled the twin roles of owner and trainer with Taieri Special in the second leg of the T.A.B. double yesterday. A four-year-old by the well-performed New Zea-land-bred Trelay, Taieri Special ran the others ragged, winning running away by three lengths from the topweight, Dolmar. Heasley, whose successes as a trainer include a Melbourne Cup with Baghdad Note, races Taieri Special in

partnership with Mrs B. M> and Mr D. Holdsworth. The four-year-old was ridden by Joanne Lamond, who also partnered him when he ran second to Dancer Boy on the first day of the meeting.

Dolmar battled into second by three parts of a length from the little-fancied Sweeney Todd, which made his run from the middle of the field.

The favourite, Puketitiro, made a likely run on the outside to reach a contending position early in the run home, but could not find anything extra when Taieri Special kicked away. He had to settle for fourth, his second such placing at the meeting.