Treasurer wins Stakes

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 27

Treasurer wins Stakes

Treasurer, one of the most consistent pacers to have raced in Canterbury last season — he weighed in in all but one of 16 starts — made no race of the Four-year-old Stakes at Methven on Saturday. After being handily placed, he strode past Regal Guy inside the last 200 m, and won handily by threequarters of a length. Le Rae, an early breaker, did well to cut Regal Guy out of second by a length and a half, with two lengths back to Irish Boa, which had his chance. Then came Chantilly Belle and Capinsay. Treasurer, a gelding by Scottish Hanover from a useful winner in Margaret Marie, is raced by Mr and Mrs Rex Gillman, of Rangiora, for whom he should be a big winner this season. He is trained for them by Jack Smolensk!, who has had mixed fortunes with • his team this season.

Aventureux broke the track record for 2000 m when he won the S. G. Holmes Memorial in 2min 395. He began splendidly from 10m and his owner-trainer, Gary Shand, had him handy in the open after 400 m. Later he dropped in behind the favourite, Right Bower, which went keenly in the lead.

Right Bower was still clear inside the last 200 m, but soon began to feel the strain and Aventureux gathered him in with ease by two lengths. Avalon, a long-shot, was a sound third, ahead of Rocketing Star and Prince Nugent, which dead-heated. The O’Reilly family have long been closely associated with meetings at Methven. Patrick O’Reilly, sen., produced Royal Lodge to win the Drayton Handicap at odds of almost 12-to-l, and Errol Hanover to win the

Avonmore Handicap, while Le Rae was runner-up in the Four-year-old Stakes. All three were driven by Kerry O’Reilly. Another son, Patrick, jun., trained and drove Ture Bay to win the Mount Harding Handicap.