Quay Princess easily wins Nelson feature

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 24

Quay Princess easily wins Nelson feature

From

J. J. BOYLE

in Nelson

The skills of the leading jockey, Bruce Compton, in combination with the promising middle-distance talent of Quay Princess, produced a clear-cut victory in the Caltex Gold Cup, first leg of the Nelson Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double yesterday.

The combination triumphed by a length and a half, a margin that flattered the effort of the runner-up, Country Mile. It was Quay Princess’s fifth win from 30 starts for Mr and Mrs Kevin O’Brien, of Blenheim. It was also Compton’s eighty-fifth success for the season and he achieved it without being forced into anything like hard labour. ,

Compton had Quay Princess going easily at the quarters of the early leader, Payco. “She did not have to do anything to get so handy and I decided ‘this is where you are going to stay my darling’,” Compton said later. Kaitoa supplanted his

stablemate, Payco, as pacemaker about halfway through the race but Compton kept the Nelson Cup winner under close observation till the home turn and had nothing to concern him after that.

He soon had Quay Princess nicely clear, under urging from hands and heels, and in the last few strides he was able to take the pressure right off.

Mr and Mrs O’Brien race Quay Princess on lease from Mr Fred Mason, of Cambridge, and will have the Wharf mare for another season.

“Her record would have beeh better than it is if she had been ridden more often

like Bruce Compton rode her today,” Kevin O’Brien said yesterday. Country Mile came from second - last in the small field to beat a one-paced Payco comfortably for second. Kaitoa faded from the front end to fourth.

Red Epic and Father Lou, the minor place-getters in the Nelson Cup, did not show much on firmer footing this time. Red Epic dropped away to finish last. Septimus, a newcomer at the meeting, bravely overcame a slow start to win the Transport Nelson Handicap narrowly for his Carterton owners, Mr and Mrs Ben Archer. At seven he was one of the

veterans of the field but he acted young to hurry over the 1400 m in the fast time of Irnin 22.85.

Until they were almost in the shadow of the post it looked as if St Johann, which had trailed, would see it out but Septimus found enough and under vigorous handling from Garry Blair snatched a head victory. Peligro, the sprint winner on Saturday, battled into third, a neck away, but the others were right out of it. Highborn led them in, but in a gap of seven lengths.

In the Clear ran himself pacemaking, fading to fifth.