Derby rivals impress

Press, 15 February 1982, Page 30

Derby rivals impress

Guest of Honour and Mel’s Boy. rivals in the New Zealand Derby Stakes on Wednesday filled the first two placfngs with a head between them in the $2500 Galaxy Grand Slam Series heat for colts and geldings at Addington Raceway yesterday. Guest of Honours ownertrainer Sam Ballantyme, is considering taking his speedy young pacer to. Melbourne to contest the other sections of the series at Moonee Valley in April and May. Guest of Honour recorded 2min 40.6 s for the'mobile 2000 m. the pace being slack until the final 400 m in 29.15" Mel's Boy lost no friends for the Derby when he went down narrowly. He was coasting at the line. The section for three-j-ear-old fillies attracted only three starters and Tact Boyden made no race of it. She won unextended by two lengths and a half from

Helter Skelter, with four lengths back to Bonnie Bromac at the end of 2000 m in 2min 46.85. the last 400 m in 28.45. El Master won the heat for four-year-olds in 2min 40.75, beating Princess Arania by a length. Ambrogin was half a length back third, followed by Autumn Storm. The Leeds Stakes, for Cl pacers, saw Spry Lad wear down Financial Times and win by a head in 3min 31.4 s for the 2600 m. with the final 400 m in 31.25. Wes Butt, at 66. was the youngest competitor in the Coca Cola Old Masters' Handicap, and he drove Stormborn to a handy win over Siesta, driven by Bill Doyle with Almighty, driven bv Colin McLaughlin a fair third, clear of Game Classic driven by Bob Townley. The winner's time for the 2600 m was 3min 29.85. with the last 400 m in 30.65.