Up the Creek cruises home at Ashburton

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 26

Up the Creek cruises home at Ashburton

By

J. J. BOYLE

Up the Creek made some quick metric milers look like plodding beach ponies in capturing the Maronan Handicap, first leg of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s T.A.B. double yesterday.

He swooped down the outside to win by a length and a quarter, a margin he was widening with each powerful stride. It was Up the Creek’s third win from his last four starts from the Wingatui stable of Jock Benfell and his purple patch of form in recent weeks will make his departure from the South Island scene felt all the more keenly when he is sent north to join the Takanini stable of Ray Verner. Verner was one of the first of the top trainers to recognise the potential of Noble Bijou as a sire. Up the Creek is one of the tribe, and he will be an interesting addition to the powerful stable which has as its star the Otago-bred Prince Majestic, which was bred to a mating of this season's champion stallion with Princess Mellay. Up the Creek's dam, In the

Red (by Gate Keeper), descends from Lady Melrose, whose sister. White Robe, became the grandam of Princess Mellay. Mr Allan Georgeson. who races Up the Creek in partnership with Jock Benfell, decided some weeks ago to send the four-year-old north to join the Verner team, but before that happens another promising Otago product might run in the Winter Cup. Jim Moffat, one of the most successful Otago apprentices this season, did not find much to concern him when he got Up the Creek balanced and poised for his final challenge yesterday. But earlier in the race the four-year-old slipped and scrambled for a few strides when in close quarters. Moffat has now won four races on Up the Creek. Black Rule saved second to Up the Creek by a neck

from Indigod. Jim Collett gave Black Rule the run of the race and felt the five-year-old would have had a better chance of containing his conqueror on a heavy track. Bilberry came from well down the field for fourth. Sovereign's Will, the mount of the leading jockey. Jim Cassidv. outfinished the 2 to 1 favourite. Soaring High, for fifth. Magellan, the win favourite. was ridden in about the third line, got closer on the home turn, then dropped out quicklv to finish twelfth. Brought from Nightcaps in western Southland for the race. Devil Crest made that costlv exercise a reasonably rewarding one by winning the Moreton Handicap, second leg of the double. Devil Crest was bred and is owned by Mr lan Clark, w T ho also raced Highland's Pride, the sire of this consist-

ent four-vear-old. Mr Clark got into the "big league" with the good filly. Lvnda Mary. Devil Crest does not have the class of Linda Mary*, but he has toiled purposefully in the last few weeks and his win yesterday was his third in his last five starts.

Devil Crest has been ridden in all three of his recent victories by the Wingatui apprentice, Peter McKay, who was able to claim 2.5 kg. With that assistance Devil Crest, at generous odds for a horse in form, won in style by two lengths and a hall from Shandley Boy. Arrjon came from fai back in the field to cul Penny Trelay out of third. Sukerbelle. the win favour ite, was the big disappointment of the race. She fin ished twelfth. Her best backed rival. Lord Venture was a one-paced sixth.