Lyndon Robert should go close in Sapling Stakes

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 17

Lyndon Robert should go close in Sapling Stakes

By

G. K. YULE

Lyndon Robert, a handsome winner of the Standardbred Sires’ Produce Stakes Final at Addington Raceway on May 7 at his latest start, will be a deserved dominating favourite for the $13,000 New Zealand Saplings Stakes at Ashburton today. He has had one start over 2400 m- the distance of today’s race, finishing a fair third to Lord Manhattan in a

record-run Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham early in the autumn. The son of Nardin’s Byrd was not quite at his best that day and he has. improved immensely since. Should the track be anywhere near as fast as it was for trials run on the course last Tuesday, the race record of 3min 11.2 s established by Genesis in 1978 should be threatened. Double Smooth could

hardly have been more impressive ip his race debut at Addington Raceway last Saturday when he ran out a decisive winner over Ashley Knight and Bee El. He showed his lack of experience by failing to keep up in the middle part, but once into the home straight he unwound a finishing burst superior to anything shown by the majority in today's race. He should have benefited from last week’s' race

and it will be surprising if he fails to race prominently. Bee El. ..like Double Smooth, made his race debut at Addington last week. After being wide from the 600 m, he ran about in the straight. He. too. can be expected to be improved and could be as good «as any of the others, although the chances of Bedlum. Ferrari and Born to Win will have to be considered.