Stormy Morn narrow Dominion winner

Press, 23 November 1981, Page 25

Stormy Morn narrow Dominion winner

Stormy Morn, owned in Christchurch and trained at Pukekohe, gave Tony Perucich. aged 40, his biggest win when he held off Game Way and About Now in the $40,000 Dominion Handicap. Stormy Morn is now the biggest stake-winning trotter to have been raced in New Zealand. With some $37,000 won in Australia, he has now won close to $140,000, against $135,200 credited to Scotch Tar.

Stormy Morn took the lead from Game Way with less than 1900 m left. He only had to trot his final 800 m in about Imin 2s, and the full 3200 m in 4min 20.5 s to win for his Christchurch owner, Mr Peter Moore, who originally bought him for $l5O to be used as a hack by his daughter, Diane. Stormy Morn is a seven-year-old gelding by Westland King from Stormy Time. He is much stronger now than earlier in his career. It is intended that he will race next at Alexandra Park in December.

Brother James and Regal Flyer pressed Game Way for the lead early. Both were under pressure before the straight entrance, but they held their positions even after that, holding up some of the more talented horses close by. Game Way was closing rapidly on Stormy Morn at the end, failing by half a head to get up. About Now was given a perfect run by Doody Townley and she was only half a

head back third, followed a short length away by McShane, which came in for surprisingly strong support considering his record this season.

Jenner, which broke and lost a few lengths at the start made ground for fifth, half a neck back, a nose in front of his stablemate, Kenwood Song, which had trouble securing a clear run in the straight after being favourably placed on the rails. Norton wins A few reputations were damaged when Norton finished with a determined late run to catch Mister- Wood Chips in the last few strides of the Courier Systems Three-year-old Championship. Mister Wood Chips, which led for the last 1800 m, looked to have the result in safe keeping when he went out by about six lengths near the straight entrance. He began to shorten stride soon after and Norton gathered him in close to the line, beating him by half a neck. “He’s a tough stayer and certainly had to be as he must have been 10 lengths from the leader on the home turn,” said Kerry O'Reilly, who drove the son of Tactile for his Gore owners, Messrs M. and L. Anderson. Norton has been entered for the Orari Challenge Stakes next Saturday, but is by no means a certain starter.

Mel’s Boy went fairly for third, but he was eight lengths away, just ahead of Enterprise, which was well back early and was wide for much of the way. Noble Jo did well for a maiden to finish fifth, clear of Hilarious Guest, which broke and gave Peter Jones a difficult drive.

The meeting started with remarkable winning runs by Undercheck and Toshack. Undercheck was four and then three wide before leading near the 600 m. Just when it seemed as though he was going to drop out, he surged again and won by a length and a half in the very fast time of 3min 22.1 s for the 2600 m. He was driven by Lindsay Kerslake, a son of the four-year-old’s partowner and trainer. Auckland trip Toshack made amends for no luck earlier at the meeting when he raced away with the Harold Logan Stakes in 2min 31s for the 2600 m. His win probably earned him a trip to Auckland to contest the New Zealand Messenger next month. “I stabled him at Alexandra Park last time he went north and he didn’t settle,” said Toshack’s owner-trainer, Peter Van der Looy. “If I do go up, it will have to be by air and arrangements will have to be made to stable him where he’s got a paddock to run in.”

Israel brought his record to three consecutive wins at

the meeting when he made his rivals look second-rate in the Dictation Handicap, He overcame his handicap of 20m with a minimum of effort, led for the last 1990 m and won under a hold from Game Again and Triarmbro. Slow pace While there is nothing in the rule book governing the speed at which races should be run, few on the course were impressed with the tactics employed by horsemen in the Great Mann Handicap. Dundas set a time slower than that required in a qualifying trial and at the end he was shaded by Sweet Jessica, which raced in the open for most of the way. Royal Illusion came late on the' scene to cut Heather Chief out of third, at the end of a race which would be best forgotten.

Karena made no race of the Churchill Stakes, for which she was a hot favourite. She won with something in hand by a length from The Sting, with Rosewood Charger a respectable third. Michelle McDonald, aged 21, gained her first success when she won the Hip-Hi Handicap with Montana Lass, part-owned by a Rangiora mechanic and hobby trainer, Peter Hills.

Montana Lass was fairly handily placed and the daughter of Good Chase stormed home to win by almost two lengths from the fast-finishing -El Conquistador.