Andretti late entry for Golden Slipper Stakes

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 20

Andretti late entry for Golden Slipper Stakes

Special correspondent Wellington The Levin trainer, Errol Skelton, admits that he ha§ a liking for gallopers with what he terms “good motors.” At Awapuni on Saturday he produced one, Asheen, to win the Radio 2ZA Handicap, but maybe the galloper with the best tuned engine there at the week-end was not Asheen, but the smart two-year-old, Andretti. Andretti moved quickly into gear and his acceleration .was enough to see him motor though 1400 m in lmin 235, to just beat Romantic Bay and other juvenile stars in the 74th running of the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes. As it happens, Andretti may be looking to a motor of another kind, an airplane engine to get him to Sydney in time for this week’s rich, $250,000 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill. The late fee for the race is $15,000 and it must be paid before 11 a.m. today. That payment has to be followed by a $3OO fee tomorrow, a late acceptance. A late fee is not a bad omen. It cost trainer and part owner, John Thurston

sl7oo’ to get in the Sires Produce field and on Saturday they were far from sorry about that payment. So no, it may be Sydney if, as Thurston put it on Saturday, “all parties come to help.” If not, it is the Ellerslie Sires’ Produce, the last of the big three two-year-old races in this country. Andretti’s win was the first step in quite a day for John Thurston. A one-time Cambridge farmer, he has an owner-trainer’s licence, but he plans now to take out a full-time licence for next season. He has some four gallopers in work and on Saturday one of them the mare, Honour Jan, shared first money in the Ocean Park Handicap, the second leg of the main treble. Thurston dabbles in breeding as well. He stood Balkan Knight for a time, but that stallion is now leased out to a Matamata farmer. Andretti cost Thurston $6250 at the 1981 Wrightson Waikato yearling sale. Thurston, who admits to being influenced by both Ray Cleaver and Brian Smith, then placed him in the Dalgety ready-to-run sale held last September.

He impressed so much that three offers, one of $40,000, arrived, but Thurston decided not to sell him. Andretti is a compact chestnut colt. He is by Shifnal, a brother to Noholme and Todman. His winners are many and include Jandell, Prince Shifnal (who won the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes in 1973), Sun Monarch (South Africa), Shifnal Chief, and Golden Key. Andretti, which is not unlike his sire, is out of Hi Fujin, a Rich Gift mare out of Cossette, by Le Filou from Night Messenger. Hi Fujin won four races and her first four foals included three winners, Hi Niscola and Fujette being the other two. The durable Serroco features in the background while further back is the family made so successful by Riccarton’s Colin Austin, Ribaldo, Fiore and Capello. Andretti was ridden on Saturday by Earl Harrison, aged 29, from Cambridge, who holds a trainer’s licence as well. It has been quite a year for Harrison. Last month he rode Rajeunir to win the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes and Saturday saw the first big clash between the two.

Harrison has the choice of rides, his decision was right, but he did have a strange feeling when the Rotorua filly was Andretti’s close companion during the early part of the stakes. She finished tenth. Harrison seems certain to be offered the ride should the Sydney visit go ahead. “I shouldn’t get into much trouble the way he races,” he said. The place favourite, Romantic Bay, was second. She settled well on the fence, moved off at the right time and was in a fine place to challenge on the turn. Her trainer, Colin Jillings, said that Romantic Bay would try the Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes and then go for a spell with the fillies series next season a likely objective. The busy Long Range finished well to get third. Freewheeling was a game fourth ahead of the favourite, Beaufort Lass and Lizander, which made ground well. Beaufort Lass had every chance and she was right in line to the turn, but just battled from there. She will tackle the Ellerslie race well, her trainer, Paddy Nusuttin. said.