Good Way excels on soft track at Riccarton

Press, 21 May 1981, Page 23

Good Way excels on soft track at Riccarton

By

J. J. BOYLE

Good Way and Palais Glide mastered a rain-affected track better than their rivals to win the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double at Riccarton yesterday.

Good Way. outfinished Firefly and In Flight for a length victory in the first ‘leg, the May Handicap, and Palais Glide sustained a big run in chase of the tearaway In the Clear for an easy win in the Suburban Handicap. The combination returned $158.25, and In the Clear completed a concession double worth $14.75. This was Good Way’s second win on Riccarton this year for Mrs Lily Smellie and the Amberley stable of John Parsons and his third win altogether in the hands of Tommy Cowan. He was scratched from the Amberley Centennial Cup last Saturday because of the firmness of the ground on the Rangiora course. Under something more like winter conditions .yesterday the well-condioned five-year-old found too much for the Amberley Centennial Cup winner, Firefly, which snatched second from the Gore-trained In Flight.

The race placed no premium on stamina. Fields of hurdlers have found more early speed than what was displayed over the opening 800 m of yesterday’s race. Lady Link was responsible for what, for a better word, passed for the pace and Star Order was close behind, like most of the others, pulling like a train.

Mr Ay Bee had an inside position in the middle and the favourite, John Peel, was the tail-ender.

Tommy Cowan, on Good Way, had Mr Ay Bee in his sights on the home turn, and saw nothing to concern him. Firefly was taken past him in chase of the lead soon after, but Cowan brought Good Way powering home to peg her back in the last 100 m.

Allie Robinson said Firefly had handled the ground but had not settled well because of the absence of early pace.

Mr Ay Bee’s rider, Michael Mein, was not dismayed by the topweight’s

failure to do better than fifth.

He said the ground was getting heavy down on the inside, and Mr Ay Bee was not hardened enough for such a challenge first time up at a middle distance after a freshener.

Mr Ay Bee’s trainer, Tony Prendergast, said that soft and heavy tracks would probably be a stumbling block from now on. He has entered the seven-year-old for the Otago winter meeting, but is not hopeful of getting good footing for him at Wingatui.

John Peel was a disappointing favourite yesterday. He managed to beat only two rivals, but had the odds against him in his effort to come from the back because of an absence of a true pace early. Palais Glide’s win in the Suburban Handicap was his first for Messrs Brian Dingwall and Noel Watson since he joined the Riccarton stable of John Cowan and

■ Jack Phillips earlier thi 'year. He won two races las spring for Mrs Helen Preston’s Riccarton stable, botk of them on Southland courses, but his opportunities were restricted wher the tracks firmed. The six-year-old’s successful partner yesterday was the apprentice, Tane Matthews, who was able tc claim 3kg. Matthews had Palais Glide second, but in a gap behinc In the Clear, coming to th» home turn. In the Clear' shortened stride half way down the straight and Palais Glide was the only rival able to capitalise on the pacemaker’s tiring gallop. Spy Force, the each-way favourite, made some headway for third, but in a gap behind In the Clear.

Lady Creosote was beaten off fourth, just beating Napiat.