Interesting field in $21,250 D.B. Final

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 25

Interesting field in $21,250 D.B. Final

While Armalight stands out in the final of the D.B. fillies’ series at Alexandra Park on Saturday, the second running of this important classic looks likely to be much more successful than the initial contest 12 months ago. The stake for Saturday’s event is $21,250, a record for ah event for pacing fillies ih New Zealand. Next year’s will be even bigger, ensuring that the series will continue to become more Important in the eyes of owners and trainers. Last year’s final was won by the Gentry filly, Dawn Mist, but the South Island entry was not as strong as it should have been. Seafield Rose, which finished fourth, did best of the visitors, but this year southern representatives should take a big proportion of the stake. As well as Armalight there will be Royal Decision, Regal Cheval and Chantilly Belle to do battle for the south. Royal Decision, a splendid third in the New Zealand Oaks, advanced in favour for this event when she. raced away with the third heat of the series run in the north at Cambridge last Friday. She won by more than

s three lengths after pacing :. the mile ih 2min 3.55, Well i outside Armalight’s record - of imin 59.1 s for a filly re- - Corded w at Alexandra Park » earlier in the autumn. i Her stablemate, Regal s Cheval, driven by Michael de Filippi, could do no bet- § ter than eighth after failing j to sfeCure a clear tun over . the final stages. She looked t to be pacing easily at the : end and is expected to do j much better with a more a favourable run in the final. f Chantilly Belle, too, contested that race at Cam- , bridge, finishing fifth after , being left in the open. j Northerners have high . hopes of a bold bid from the j Estes Minbar filly, KarhWood Belle, Which has made rapid £ progress through the classes . since she graduated from , maiden company at Cam- ’ bridge on January 2. She has now had six wins, inE eluding a heat of the D.B. ’ series at the Morrinsville ' meeting on April 22. Then 5 she won the T. C. McCarthy Stakes, of $7OOO, at Alexan1 dra Park on Anzac Day, 1 beating Regal Nova, Mockr ing Byrd and Frangipahni, 1 all of which Will be among f her riyals oh Saturday. i Kamwood Belle is trained at Pukekohe by Max Allen, i who was associated With the

I Nandina Stud from its for--1 mation until its sale about 1 12 months ago. The other northerners < have shown only fair average form, with WejoVer 1 Rose expected to be the pick 1 of them. This filly, owned -by Mr Roy McKenzie, of ’’Wellington, and trained for r him by Charlie Hunter and d,Gary Smith, has some splene did placings to her credit; as □ well as two wins. e She was runner-up to Armalight in a heat of the D.B. . series at the Thames meet- . ing on March 22, while earlj.|ier she was third to El Guago and Friendly Chase at j Alexandra Park in March, as » well as finishing second to [ Remarkable on the same j course in February. 5 WejoVer Rose had her ’ first, start for more than a . month at the Cambridge „ meeting, last Friday when ' she beat only one home, . However, the race is eXj pected to improve her and ' from No. 2 at the barrier , she is expected to be profni- . nent throughout Saturday’s race. However, like all of ’ the others, she will be fully , extended to keep within 5 range of Armalight and I Royal Decision in what will ( be the first leg of the T.A.B. ) double.