Bad start for punters at Marlborough

Press, 23 June 1981, Page 22

Bad start for punters at Marlborough

From

G. K. YULE

Blenheim Two Blenheim-owned and trained horses, Emancipate . and Little Julie, got punters away to a bad start at the Marlborough meeting yester- ' day. Emancipate, a five-year- ■ old gelding by Larnie Scott, ■ • is owned and trained by John i Taylor, a milkman, of Blenheim. His form background < was bleak and he paid $28.45 < for a win when he raced ] away from Hurricane Kelly j and Rajah Lad at the end of i the Waterlea Handicap. i “Doody” Townley drove Little Julie, a five-year-old j by' Historic Time, to win the t Marlborough 0.T.8. Handi- t •cap for her owner-trainer, j Percy Haack... < Townley, some years ago, t trained and drove Little ; Julie’s dam, Julienne, to win 1 several races. 1

Little Julie, which paid $23.80, fought on to shade Terri’s Terror by half a ■ length, with Secret Song, at even longer odds, next. Grande Abbe, which was bred in the Nelson district, more than recouped the $5OO paid for him last March when he won the Penfolds Chardon Handicap.' *‘l knew he could read,” chuckled the six-year-old’s owner-trainer, Peter van der Looy, after the win. “I printed a sign in his box telling him to remember it was my birthday today.” Grande Abbe,, which qualified both as a pacer and a trotter early in his career, tracked Red ‘' Peter and responded well when.. Michael de Filippi asked him for an effort and he won handily by a long neck. They were ten lengths in front of . the third horse, Four Ply.

The Chertsey trainer, Dick Prendergast has worn a path to the judicial room after most of the wins by members of his team in recent weeks.

He got Major Hest back to a trot in the last few metres of the Tim Morton Handicap, but he broke inside the last 70m and the 1 stipendiary stewards inquired into his performance and an inquiry was also held into the breaking of the second horse, Emarusa, in the run home. However, no action was taken.

Major Hest lasted to win by half a length from Emarusa. Then there was a great line up. Boots, now raced and trained by John Trathen. of Nelson, held on for third a neck back, shading the unlucky Sea Buoy and Jay Apollo, Johnny Courtell and Avalon Batman.

Morano Hurricane was one of the most impressive maiden graduates on the circuit. He gave "Doody” Townley a difficult drive refusing to relax even when given a good cover. However, he was much too good in the run home and beat Eddie's Reward by two lengths and a half, with only a head to Frecwheeler.

Trained by his part-owner, Wayne Ross, at Springston, Morano Hurricane is a three-year-old colt by Armbro Hurricane from Right Step. Tarlad gave Colin de Filippi his first training success on the circuit when he tracked Triple Guest until inside the last 200 m of the A. R. Gardiner Handicap, then sprinted him home, beating him by a length. The pace found the others out and the third horse, Lockfast, wag eight lengths back.