Albatross' sous shine

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 23

Albatross ' sous shine

By

W. R. CARSTON

‘ Two three-year-old sons of 'Albatross, one of America’s top standardbred sires, made ; major contributions to their records within two hours of each other on Saturday but their individual wins 'were achieved in different hemispheres. Roydon Albatross, a member of a highly successful team prepared at Templeton by Fred Fletcher, carae up with his third win on the trot in the Raceway Stakes at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington and an hour and 40 minutes later Niatross trounced the best of his age group in the United States by winning the Meadowlands Three-Year-Old Stakes, the world’s first $1 million race.

Roydon Albatross, which is raced by Roy McKenzie, of Wellington, is out of the Adios Butler mare, Poppy Butler, which was in foal to Albatross when she was imported to New Zealand by Mr McKenzie in 1975.

Roydon Albatross, one of seven three-year-olds in Saturday’s contest, proved to be far superior to the others in his own age group and had no trouble coping with the best of. the four-year-olds among his rivals. Fred Fletcher, going for his twenty-eighth training success for the season, settled Roydon Albatross on the outer of Logan Chance in the fifth line and did not attempt to make a move from that position in the first 2000 metres. But as they began the run around the home turn Fletcher sent Roydon Albatross forward around the outer and he was third behind Looking Glass and Aventureux as they made the straight .

;It was all plain sailing from there. Roydon Albatross soon put the others behind him and coasted to the finish with a lead of two lengths. Stormbom and National Victory, racing abreast two places ahead of the winner a round from home, finished second and third separated by half a neck. That margin may have been wider if the runner-up had not jumped a shadow and stumbled right on the line. Forest Wind improved a few places from mid-field for a handy fourth and Span Out came from about the same position to lead in the others in the first leg of the second-on-course treble.

Espiritu . kept the run of popular fancies moving with a decisive win in the second leg, the July Stakes. In the hands of one of his part-1

[owners, Denzil Hayden (tho ! other partners in the ownership are J. T. Thyne and J. Bowry), the Tuft two-year-old began to improve from the fourth line 600 metres out, was a clear third as they ran to the straight, and swamped the others for finishing speed in the run home. Espiritu won by three lengths from Motu Command, which was two places behind the winner until they began the run around the home turn. Sir Ron. which received the run of the race early but was shuffled back two places by the half-way mark, ran on for third three parts of a length back. He outfinished Scout, which had his chance, by a neck and Ripper’s Bigshot, the pacemaker from the 1000 m peg until the home turn, led in the others. Longridge capped off a string of recent minor placings with a deserved win in the third leg , the R. Young Handicap, for which he was the 4/3 favourite of 11. Michael Rennie had Longridge on the outer and tracking the win favourite. Air Pocket, sitting in the open and just behind the daw’dling pacemaker. Cresta Dore, until they started on the last 900 metres. Air Pocket went ahead as they ran into the back the last time but he tangled for a few strides 600 metres out and Longridge was left in front as they ran around the home turn. From that point on he kept clear of all challengers and won handily by a length. In a tight line-up for the minor placings, Coastalong, the early pacemaker, was second by half a head from Tigerade, handily placed throughout, then there was a head to Air Pocket, which tangled again in the run home, and half a neck to Del Miller, which did well to get so close. The combination of Roydon Albatross, Espiritu, and Longridge returned a treble dividend of $117.35.