Short spell for brilliant Hands Down after win

Press, 25 August 1980, Page 24

Short spell for brilliant Hands Down after win

By

G. K. YULE

Hands Down completed a notable August double when he made short work of his rivals in the National Handicap at Addington on Saturday.

The A'rmbro Del gelding will now go out for a brief■ spell before continuing his preparation for the $lOO,OOO New Zealand Cup on November 11. Whereas he was towards the tail of the field for most of the Louisson Handicap a week earlier, Hands Down began splendidly on Saturday and sprinted hard to work in behind the pacemaker, Mack Dougal after about 500 m. It was late . before he worked into the open, but he gathered in Mack Dougal with ease and beat him by a length and a quarter going away. “I’ll put him aside for a week or so and he won’t race for at least three weeks,” .: said Derek Jones, the trainer of Hands Down, after his stylish victory. “I’ve got nothing definite planned in the way of racing:

before the Cup, but he’ll probably have two or. three starts, plus a few runs at trials before November.” Peter Jones, who usually drives Hands Down, said Mr and Mrs Bill McAughtrie’s horse had hesitated at the start, but settled almost immediately and caught top speed in a few strides. “He just coasted round behind Mack Dougal and once I was able to get him out he had no trouble winning,” he said. Peter Jones has yet to drive in a New Zealand Cup. One of the most successful young reinsmen in the country, Jones will have his big chance in November and those who saw him win his two races this month expect him to offer more than token opposition to the likes of Lord Module, Locarno, Roydon Scott, Trevira and Delightful Lady. Mack Dougal again finished second to Hands

[Down. His driver, Michael! de Filippi, tried to prevent Hands Down securing an! opening from inside the tiring Game Adios, but saw Philippa Frost mounting a determined challenge wide out and had to go on. This allowed Hands Down to gain his sixth successive win. Mack Dougal . lasted for second a short length in front of Philippa Frost, which did remarkably well as she was shuffled back to the tail of the field less than 500 m put, Philippa Frost will not contest the free-for-all next Saturday and will probably start next at Forbury Park. Crow Bar had his. chance] and finished a fair fourth, with Lordable, an early breaker, showing speed to shade Game Adios, with Fallimento next, clear of .'Mary Isabel. ■ Bionic Star showed her diking for a testing pace

when she led practically throughout the Royal Ascot Handicap. The correspondirig race on the first night was won by her younger halfbrother, Game Adios, also trained at Lauriston by Alistair Kerslake, who races them both in partnership with his wife, Betty, and brother-in-law, Francis. Bionic Star was always in command and won convincingly by three lengths from the hot favourite, Dreamy Dragon, which tracked her throughout. She paced the 2600 m in 3min 23.65, 0.2 s slower than the winning time of Hands Down. The Raider, which beat Bionic Star on the first night, came on steadily to cut Glen Moira out of third in the last stride. Torle was not far off fifth, with the others struggling home at intervals.