Pays Anne survives protest

Press, 2 March 1981, Page 23

Pays Anne survives protest

Special Correspondent Auckland Whether Pays Anne should have been allowed to hold her first placing at Ellerslie on Saturday will long be argued. Her veering across the track in the run home certainly gave ample grounds for the protest which held up dividends. Consideration of the protest, by Chris . McNab, the rider of the runner-up, Drum, in the Air New Zealand Stakes, occupied the ju-

dicial committee beyond the next race. Close to an hour went by before it was announced that the Judge’s placings would stand. The committee also dis* missed a charge by the stipendiary steward, Mr Les Muirhead, of careless riding against Phillip Aiderman, who was on Pays Anne. Aiderman was let off with a warning to take greater care and make more positive attempts to straighten his mounts should they shift ground.

McNab alleged that Pays Anne took Dram’s line starting on the last 200 m of the race. A head on film, which the press were invited to view once the inquiry was finished, showed Drum challenge on the outside of Pays Anne and the next moment check and switch to the inside. The ground lost by Drum in his changing direction was the difference between winning and losing because he was only half a head behind Pays Anne in the finish. One thing the committee had to decide was whether Pays Anne was sufficiently clear of Drum before she veered out. She did not appear to be but the committee, in their report,, said that no “conclusive evidence” had been presented to them that Pays Anne was less than the required two lengths in front of the other horse. The protest was dismissed on the ground that in the committee’s view Drum’s chance of finishing closer in the race had not been prejudiced. What the outcome would have been with Drum continuing his challenge on the outside and Pays Anne continuing to veer out is anyone’s guess. Drum, one way or the other, would surely have got the race. Then again it was lucky for both Pays Anne and Drum that Mun Lee was not within closer range .■ on the home .turn. Mun Lee was also hampered by Pays Anne, when making a late run, but perhaps too close to home for it to make any difference to the result. Her rider, Greg Childs, could have been excused, nevertheless adding his protest to that of McNab. Though only fourth Mun Lee was no more than a neck and a nose from second

place, almost in line with Ring the Bell (third). Pays Anne, by running wide, marred an otherwise thoroughly good perform* ance. She was quickly to the lead and galloping so freely, coming to the home turn that it seemed already she would be very hard to beat. Had young Aiderman kept her straight she would have won decisively. A bay mare, by Alvaro, Pays Anne’ was successful only once as a three year old but at four, this season, she has won five of her 10 T3C6S. This latest time she earned for her eight racing owners the §32,656 first prize and for her trainer, Brian Cameron, of Tokoroa, an award of free air travel for two to any destination served by Air New Zealand, the race sponsors. Just where Pays Anne will go from here is not certain. Some consideration is being given to her early retirement from racing. The syndicate which races her has an arrangement with the mare’s breeder, Mr Dave Barker, of Cambridge, whereby they will take her first colt foal. Ring the Bell, bound for Sydney on March 10, ran very well indeed for his share of the stake, as did Gold Rhapsody his stablemate, Blue Denim and Young Shaun. . Autumn racing in Sydney seems also assured now for Golden Rhapsody and Blue Denim. The trainer of Mun Lee, Malcolm Smith, has been encouraged as well to look towards the big prizes offering in Australia during the next month or so. Speculation, for which, a Sydney trip has been considered ran his worst race when finishing 10th. He was near last of the 14 runners before they covered much distance and never in a position afterwards to be a threat. .