Judena’s Trentham win unpopular with punters

Press, 8 May 1980, Page 26

Judena’s Trentham win unpopular with punters

Special correspondent ' Wellington “She reminds me of the All Blacks. She’s all black and she’s tough.” The comment came from Bob Vance, just a few minutes after he had ridden Judena to win yesterday’s Galaxy Stakes at Trentham. But as tough as Judena may be, it is doubtful whether any New Zealand rugby team ever received a reception like the one given to Judena when she returned to scale after beating Dark Isa in the feature race. She was the subject of severe booing, but her trainer and part-owner Peter Hollinshead was surprised. Judena had been beaten on Saturday in the Cuddle Stakes, a race of 1600 m and at this stage of her campaign no good to her. Yesterday she had a track to suit and she made the most of the distance. Judena had been an unpopular; winner of the St Leger on the course in March and then even Hollinshead had some sympathy for the punters. But since Judena had gone on to win

the Galaxy Stakes at Ellerslie and the Great Northern Oaks on the same track. Then came a failure in the Avondale Championship Stakes when she was beaten in a slow-run race and Saturday’s Cuddle Stakes failure. Trentham, though, has always been a happy hunting ’ ground for Judena. Apart from her two wins on the track this term, she won the Wakefield Stakes at the end of last term. The season is not over for Judena. Despite her recent racing, she is standing up well and there is a slight chance that she could try the Gloaming Stakes on the last day, though it seems more likely that Judena will attempt the §20,000 Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie on Queen’s Birthday. Yesterday Vance settled the mare in the third line on the fence and the place was reaonably tight, but he was able to work her into the clear and < she was in front at the top of the straight. The challenge came from Dark Isa and she closed the gap quickly enough, but Ju- ■ dena, having taken control i

did not relinquish it and her margin was always comfortVance’s win has made the battle at the top of the jockeys’ table quite intense, Garry Phillips after the Galaxy had ridden 68 winners, one more than Maurice Campbell and Vance. Greg Childs, with 62 is? not far away either. Judena is a filly by Zephyr Bay from Loma Loma by Calm Cougage. She showed her courage as the second top-rated filly of last season and second on the r e Handicap. Judena is tne sixth live foal of Loma Loma who was* lightly raced o'f lth Loma ho Loma’s°™arliest foals was Delkaren. which won three and left Great Northern Guineas winner El npf.Hr David Peake, the rider of Dark Isa was disappointed. Dark Isa had been beaten by a nose in Judena’s first Galaxy and her rider yesterday felt that buffeting at the start cost him a handy place in the running. Peake had to use her up to «et her handy and that eariy work may have made the difference.

Royal Fencer was thi rd and his was a good effort considering that he did not get the best of runs in the early stage* He fought on gamely though. Arethusa made ground j nto fourth ahead of Blue Defence, pacemaker Super Saree and the favourite Dancing Queen, which was out of her ground early and neV er made up the differenCe. Luck Roona confirmed his ranking as a Trentham speciajist w hen he won the second leg> the Adventure Hand j cap narrowly but well from star pjper> Master ‘ Token and Bottler. The striking Chestnut has now won five races on the course and his success yesterday followed one on the first day of the meeting in the Wadestown. Now Luck Roona will go for a meeting treble when he tries the Capain Cook stakes, a weight-for-age ra ce, on the last day. This is the race that partowner and trainer Ted Skinnet would dearly love to win. Luck Roona has bear m hs two prewous attempts on the race.