Longshot wins after Major He st is disqualified

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 27

Longshot wins after Major He st is disqualified

Major Hest was first past the post in the l.ongbeach Handicap at Ashburton yesterday, but after an inquiry he was disqualified for galloping near the 1000 m. Major Hest recovered quickly from his gallop and in the opinion of the stipendiary stewards he did not lose ground. He quickly looped the field and took control inside the last 800 m. He opened up a lead of about a dozen lengths over his rivals, but ran out badly near the 200 m. Dick Prendergast got him going away and he won comfortably by six lengths. Jay Apollo, trained and driven by Bill Denton, was the 14/17 favourite, and he was promoted to first pay-, ing a win dividend of $62.35. and $18.20 for a place. Joe Brush was promoted to second, while Great Win. was promoted to third for a short time before being rele-, gated for galloping near the finish. Third place then went I to Unravel, second outsider) of the field. He paid $24.05! for a place. ; Major Hest’s owner, Mr C.' J. Campbell, of Palmerston,l, gave notice of appeal im-|' mediately the decision was|j announced. }} •Lord Derek qualified for}, the Caltex Geld Cup at Nel-' son on Saturday week when I } he broke through for an|, overdue win in the Acton I. Handicap. Paul Young gave}him the run of the race and! he lasted it oct well to beat Reincheck by a short length, }; Now’s Your Chance came' fast from well back to cut!

Acco out of third in the last stride. Alistair Kerslake, who has raced dozens of horses at Ashburton, gained his first win on the course when: Triple Guest was successful in the Ruapuna Handicap. The Garrison Hanover five-; . year-cld was driven by his! [trainer’s son. Lindsay.' aged! 17. for whom it was a first : win from about 10 race! drivers. Triple Guest was always) in command in the run! home and won well from! Siesta, with True Charm’ holding third by a nose from: the fast-finishing Flint Hard, I which was well back until I ! late. Far Out gave his Amber-) ley part-owner and trainer.l -lan Cruickshank, his first, win when he beat Cooshoo) by half a length in the Trial) Handicap. Colin de Filippi: gave Far Out a splendid: trail behind Big Hope, which' 'went down on his knees! .about the 200 m when chai-' llenged by Cooshoo. Far Out; !then followed Cooshoo for a! short time and then worried: him out of first, with gaps' to Zepol and Turbulent Hanover. • ! Brookfield Lad gave Dick} Prendergast a change of: tine when he outfinished the} pacemaker, Jonroy, in the I Autumn Handicap. Therel was a neck between them,} with a break to Mesopo-| tami<„ which shaded Fort! Wayne. Bob Cameron gained hist fourth, win at the meeting! when he drove Paper} Chance to a decisive win in} the Sherwood Handicap.!

: I Paper Chance led from the ;1100m, opened up a short break inside the last 800 m and held on well. Fashion Drive battled into second -from a fair way back, followed bv King’s Rainbow ‘and Scotch Cloud, which made a forward showing in his first attempt after a !short let-uo. ■ Spring’s Pride broke with 'about 2300 m to run and looked to lose her chance in I the Dalgety Travel HandiJcap. However, she recovered I quickly and racing to the .'front with 1400 m left. She i showed gameness to hold off iher rivals in the long ! straight and won handily -from General Link and Dryden Lobell. with Brother ■ James, a bad breaker early, 'doing well to head the ■ ethers. The Gore four-year-old. ! Rocking Berry, probably learned favouritism for the I Caltex Gold Cup at Nelson :!on Saturday week when he .'completed a double for the -meeting in the Winter Handicap. He was given a : splendid run by Robin Swain 'and went to the front more than 200 m out. Royal Tempo, which startled from 10m, made a game ■effort to overhaul the south- } ern pacer, . but Rocking I Bern' held on to win by a I length and a half in the fine itime of 3min 13.1 s for the 12400 m. by far the fastest of 'the day for the distance. Rocking Berry is not i entered for the Canterburv | Park meeting this week, and |he will remain in Ashburton I before going to Nelson.