Sir Castleton to miss Auckland meeting

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 32

Sir Castleton to miss Auckland meeting

By

G. K. Yule

Sir Castleton will have no more than one further start before the New Zealand Cup carnival at Addington Raceway next month. This was announced by his Tinwald owner-trainer, Mawson MacPherson, after the six-year-old had won the D. B. Banks Peninsula Cup in race-record time at Motukarara on Saturday

"Everything was organised for us to go to Auckland, but I've pulled him out. If he goes anywhere it will be to Forbury Park next Saturday and after that it will be the Cup meeting." said MacPherson.

Sir Castleton followed Game Captain up towards the leaders and he took control with 2000 m left. From then on he had the field well covered, although he was pressured on two occasions in the back straight by Israel, which dropped out in the run home.

"He could have gone a lot faster, but I didn't want him to get too far clear. He tends to loaf then and it's not easy to get him going again." said Patrick O'Reilly, jun. "He was always travelling easily and at no’ stage was I really worried."

Sir Castleton trotted his last 1600 m in about 2min ss. with his final 800 m in Imin Is. He took 3min 44.7 s for the 2800 m. well inside the previous race record of 3min 47.9 s established by Alias Armbro four years earlier.

Most Likely Fella's trainer-driver, Jim Ferguson, considered his horse a little unlucky when he finished second, a length and a quarter from Sir Castleton. “He locked wheels with Hannibal Hest half-way up the straight and I had to drag him back to get clear." said Ferguson.

Hannibal Hest. handy with cover on the outer,- battled away for third, a short length in front of Commander Crockett.

Dryden Lobell. never in the clear in the straight, was not disgraced in fifth place, ahead of General Link. Ansett made a mockery of the track record for 3200 m when she came from the tail of the field starting the run home to win the Gallery Interiors. Ltd. Handicap. She took 4min 16.1 s for the distance, well inside Tipperary's old course record of 4min 18.95.

Ansett won untested by a length and a half from Wee Junior, which broke early and then rushed to be handy from the 1900 m. He fought on gamely for his placing.

Ansett. raced by Mr Jack Patterson, is trained by John Vincent, who has no immediate plans for the daughter of Transport Chip and Abbey Star. “We'll just take our opportunities when they come," he said. “She’s been a shade disappointing at times, but felt tremendous today." he added.

Van Mac Faber looked a likely winner 200 m out, but tired a little, holding on for third, just ahead of Timely Frost.

Morgan James gave a sound display of front-run-ning to win the Mary Childs Handicap. He burst out to a big lead early, then slowed the pace and came on strongly to win by a length and a quarter from the evenmoney favourite. Hobart Star.

Hobart Star received a grand run in the trail, with Understudy moving up on his outer in the middle stages.

The last-named broke near the 300 m, leaving a gap which appeared large enough to allow a bus through. However. Max Miller, the driver of the favourite, decided to wait until inside the last 100 m before asking his horse to improve, at which stage Morgan James had established a winning break. Miller's tactics brought little joy to those who had "anchored" their T.A.B. trebles with him. Miller was denied a chance to explain his tactics to the stipendiary stewards, an opportunity he would no doubt have appreciated just as much as those who supported the horse so heavily.

The Springston stud-master-trainer. Neville Benny, had his first win with a member of his own team since February, 1980. when Premier Cuvee, having his first start, shaded Galaxy Scott and Federal Skipper in a tight finish' to the Lord Module Handicap. No More, a half-sister by Crockett to a champion trotter in No Response, was another first-starter to succeed. She won well by half a length from Avalon Major in the Sportsmen and Sponsors Handicap, suggesting that she is in line for rapid promotion.