Gatcombe successful

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 24

Gatcombe successful

Gatcombe failed last Wednesday in his bid to complete in the family double in the Wellington Racing Club’s Parliamentary Handicap. But he showed much of the prowess of his dam, Aurora’s Pride, as a wet-track performer by winning the Winter Oats on the final day of the Wellington winter meeting on Saturday. Mrs Olga Fraser’s five-year-old All A Light II gelding finished third six lengths from the winner, Ross Hunter, in the Parliamentary. On Saturday he looked as if he had matters in hand from the time he ran past Ross Hunter to get to the front about 300 m out.

Gatcombe was ridden on Saturday by Jim Cassidy, who also partnered the geld-

ing when he won fresh up. at Levin last August. Be-1 tween times he also won on a firm track at Hastings last November and he has kept his record moving with several minor platings. Glenayr was Gatcombe s only challenger near the end of Saturday’s race' but the Hawera-owned and trained Indian Order gelding was safely held by three parts of a length.

Merman was given every chance in the running but the top weight of 57kg took the edge off his finishing run though he kept going purposefully to the end for his third.

Barry Stuart, the favourite, had much more to do in the last 800 m. He was checked twice and the strength of his finish for

[fourth left everyone wondering if any of the others could have matched’ him if he had been better served, in the running.

Head Planet also appeared to have run out of luck when he ran into cramped quarters twice in the Onslow Handicap, the second leg of the T.A.B. double, but he rallied brilliantly for Bill Skelton to beat Bonnie Azure by a neck. Head Planet came through the Wellington meeting with a record of two wins and a second from three starts. He also won a double at Trentham in the winter of 1978. Owned by Mr and Mrs Roley Gray, of Wellington, Head Planet will now be pointed for the Winter Cup at Riccarton next month.