He did it his way . .. Good Way

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 26

He did it his way . .. Good Way

By

J.J. BOYLE

Good Way brought off his tenth win for Mrs L. G. Smellie, of North Canterbury, when he beat Styline narrowly and the others handily in the Heathcote Handicap, first leg of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double yesterday.

He was the favourite but he did not appear to be at all certain of justifying it 100 metres out when Styline was charging home down the middle of the track on a run he had launched from the tail of the field. Closer to home, however. Styline lost a first-rate chance by going off line. While Brian Hibberd was concentrating on correcting the drift. Good Way found enough for David Walsh to beat the Wingatui horse by half a neck.

“A pretty handy horse,” Walsh Commented. “He's got one or two funny little ways. He seemed to want to stand in the stalls and watch the others go on their way, but it didn’t mean much anyway because they only did pace work early."

Walsh said he was in . a tight spot for a time behind Jaws, but he got the gaps when he wanted them.

Good Way, the best winner for John Parsons’ Amberley stable, will attempt to extend his record in the Amalgamated Handicap on the final day of the meeting, then will” be prepared for the Ashburton Cup.

Styline ran up to his encourging form from last Saturday in beating all but Good Way yesterday. He is a seven-year-old brother of Dandyman, a good winner for Mr Cecil Wallis, but now in retirement, and destined for a stud career in Queensland.

Prince Yoko, third in yesterday’s race, had been responsible for a casual pace. The tempo of the race did not suit Fleetwood Mac, which was attempting to win the race for a second time. Fourth was the best he could manage this time. “But that pace work they were doing

early didn’t help him one bit,” said his rider, Jim Collett.

One of the most exasperated riders after the race was Gary Blair, who found serious traffic problems with Wat’s To Come down on the inside near the 800 m.

“He was bolting not far off the pace one minute. Then the others shot round on the outside and we were shuffled back to last,” Blair said.

"A big fellow like that takes all day to recover when he is put off stride.” Swaps, the North Island’s only runner, ran the others ragged in the Selwyn Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double. The Te Awamutu-owned and trained Balkan Knight gelding was favourite, and he showed his front-running powers to stay well beyond challenging range of the others.

Mr Richard Sherwin’s gelding has now won seven races, and each time the successful rider has been the apprentice Gary Grylls. Grylls, who is 17, is on his first trip to Riccarton. and will remain for the final day of the meeting on Saturday. Grylls said Swaps was able to' improve sharply on his Winter Cup run because he had had more time to get over his tiring trip from the North Island last week.

“The ground was different today, and it was no trouble to him,” Grylls said.

Supremity, Swaps’ bestbacked rival, was the best of the nine South Island runners in the Selwyn Handicap. Under vigorous handling she saved second by a short head from Risky Step.

Red Rebel tired of the chase after Swaps to the straight and was a fading fifth.