Courageous win by Gammalite in Cup

Press, 13 February 1982, Page 22

Courageous win by Gammalite in Cup

From

G. K. YULE

Auckland Gammalite, which arrived in Auckland only 20 hours before the big race, showed remarkable courage and speed to take out the $66,000 first prize in the Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park last evening.

Just when it appeared as though victory would go to the favourite, Bonnie’s Chance, Gammalite rallied and beat her by a head. Delightful Lady, late working clear, dashed into third, a length away, with half a length to Idolmite. For Leo O’Connor, the breeder, owner and trainer of Gammalite, it was a successful second attempt to win a race in New Zealand with his five-year-old. He competed at Addington Raceway last November but had to be content with minor placings. “I’ve always claimed he is one of the greatest staying pacers ever, and now he has shown you New Zealanders just how good he really is,” said a delighted O’Connor.

"I will probably bring him back to Auckland for the Inter-Dominions next year but don’t think I will come back for another New Zealand Cup. “Make the Cup a free-for-all and I would be back in Christchurch pretty quickly,” he said. Gammalite will now return home next Thursday and start in the $lOO,OOO A. G. Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley next Saturday night. After that it is possible he will go to Perth for the Inter-Dominion series in March. O’Connor, who trains at Glenormiston. some 200 km from Melbourne, has enjoyed a tremendous run of success with High Valley, the dam of Gammalite. A mare which cost him $3OO, she has now produced 10 winners from 11 foals. Gammalite came in for confident support from a large number of Australian visitors in the crowd of about 20,000 and paid $6.65 for a win. At one stage in the betting he was the actual favourite showing $3.50, but his price lengthened near the end of the betting. Favouritism rested with Bonnie’s Chance, which was paying $2.70. “The barrier draw beat

her,"’ said Richard Brosnan the trainer-driver of Bonnie's Chance. “She got pushed down on the rails af|pr bursting through quickly at the start and she was facing an almost impossible task on the home turn.” Bonnie’s Chance sprinted up fast at this point and was six wide into the straight. Gammalite has now won 46 races and some $460,000 in stakes. Last evening he

paced the 2700 m in 3min 24.65, a mile rale of 2min 02s. Bruce Clarke, who resumed driving Gammalite only a week ago after suffering a hip injury early in January, had no complaints about the run he received. “I was getting a bit worried when he lost a place or two in the middle part of the race but he got through fairly easily and was on the back of Hands Down on the turn. I thought Bonnie’s Chance had me 100 m out but he kept fighting back and got there,” said Clarke. O’Connor received the $3OOO Auckland Cup trophy from the Australian cricketer. Dennis Lillee.