Hobart Star leading chance in Nelson feature

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 25 (Supplement)

Hobart Star leading chance in Nelson feature

By

G. K. YULE

Not 100 many three-year-old pacers have contested the Caltex Gold Cup. the feature race on the first day of the Nelson Trotting Club’s winter meeting, since Barbara Del won at that age in 1972. Dreamy Dragon, which was in rare form at the time, was successful at three in 1980. Tomorrow Hobart Star. Pacific Vale and Lord Thorpe w'ill represent this

age group in a capacity field, which includes a number of up-and-coming pacers. Hobart Star will be one of the leading prospects in spite of his failure to do better than fourth in Derbys Queen’s Birthday Stakes on June 7. He started from 20m and had to spring hard to be handy on. the home turn, leaving him with little in reserve over the final 400 m. That was his first race for a month and it should have

improved him sufficiently to enable him to run out 3200 m quite comfortably on this searching course. Bob Negus seldom treks far outside Canterbury with his team. He has been to Nelson before and could improve his record on the course with Robert Henry in this event. He went down narrowly over one mile io Betty Adios four starts back and since then he has gone particularly well but without

luck. There is no reason to doubt his ability to master the distance and it will be surprising if he is not in the thick of the finish. Likely Lord, trying for his fourth successive win. will havejplenty of followers. He won twice at Ashburton, once over 3200 m and the other over 2400 m. On both occasions he showed fine staying qualities and he impresses as the type to race to advantage at Richmond Park. Thon there arc Stortford

Lodge. Nigbtania. Pacific Vale. Loyal Onedin and Faberge, all with fine form close up in their records. All could be in the thick of the finish on what is expected to be a firm track. Jack Shine. Templar and Lumber Creek could be as good as any in the second leg. the Norwich Winterthur Insurance Handicap. Elderberry. Aztec and Morgan James appeal most of the remainder.