Hands Down expected to carry on winning way

Press, 15 August 1980, Page 21 (Supplement)

Hands Down expected to carry on winning way

By

G. K. YULE

There will be heavy support for Hands Down as he tries to continue on his winning way in the Louisson Handicap at Addington Raceway tomorrow evening.

The five-year-old son of Armbro Del made spectacular progress through the classes last season after j kuitting maiden companv at Washdyke early in December. He finished with a C 9 assessment and requires but one success to be eligible for a start in the $lOO,OOO New Zealand Cup on December 11, a race for which he is already one of the most frequently-mentioned prospects; Hands Down will be trying for his fifth successive

win, his most recent success . being in the Canterbury Park Winter Cup bn May 23 when he paced the 3200 m in I4min 9.3 s and beat Philippa : Frost, one of his rivals tomorrow, by a head. i Philippa Frost gave Hands Down a start of 10m last time they met, and this time they will meet on level terms. The mare will again : be expected to provide the greater opposition to Derek Jones’s representative. Rocky Tryax, Lordable and Canis Minor are the only three open class horses

i in the race. Rocky Tryax r and Canis Minor have been 1 off the scene since they' i were campaigned in Sydney t in March. Both have gone • well in the past when on the fresh side and they should ; beat most in this field. : However, they might be > extended to match Lordable, I now being trained by Jack i Smolenski. The son of Lori dship looks to be coming : back to the fine form he showed early in his career ! and he might not be far > from gaining success. Mack Dougal and Crow

: Bar are other C 9 horses in i the field, the remainder ■' being on CB. They will find 'it hard to match Hands ■ Down and Philippa Frost, j which will no doubt form the favourite quinella com- ! bination. ’ Dreamy Dragon, Individ- ; ualist and Game Adios look ; to be three of the leading ! contenders for honours in ; the Ribbonwood Handicap, the second leg of the main r double.