Bonnie’s Chance beats Armalight again

Press, 13 November 1982, Page 22

Bonnie’s Chance beats Armalight again

By G. K. YULE Bonnie’s Chance was all out to maintain her unbeaten record at the. New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Cup meeting in the Benson and Hedges Free-for-all at Addington Raceway yesterday. After being three wide and in the open for most of the last 1200 m, she responded magnificently for her Kerrytown trainer-driver, Richard Brosnan, to win by half a length from Armalight, which returned another gritty performance. Then there was a short length to

Hands Down. These three were the only ones vitally involved in the finish, being almost five lengths in front of a struggling remainder, headed by Remote. Zabadak set the pace, with Hands Down moving into second on the outside near the 1100 m, with Bonnie's Chance not all that far away. Bob Negus moved Armalight out from three back on the fence near the 600 m, and she moved up behind Bonnie’s Chance, which was outside Hands Down and the tiring Zabadak at the

straight entrance. Bonnie’s Chance was soon in front, with Armalight starting to close on her. Bonnie’s Chance drifted out towards the middle of the track, forcing Bob Negus to stop driving Armalight for an instant. Bonnie’s Chance was under a stern drive and she responded in great style, lasting it out to win by half a length in the splendid time of 3min 28.5 s for the 2000 m, the last 800 m in 58.85. The mile rate for the event was Imin 59.65, a splendid run considering the horses had to slog

twice into a strong, coo) northerly wind. Armalight gave nothing away in the run home and was far from disgraced, considering she was forced to pull wide in an attempt to get to Bonnie’s Chance. Hands Down made a renewed bid near the end to finish a short length from Armalight, with the remainder simply outclassed. Bonnie's Chance has now had 59 starts for 24 wins, ten seconds and four thirds, worth $260,975 in stakes.

Brosnan is not certain about the future programme for Bonnie's Chance. “I’d like to freshen her up a bit now and might miss the last night of the meeting." he said. “I'd like to aim her for a race like the Standardbred Breeders' Stakes," he added.

The Breeders' Stakes, a $21,000 race for fillies and mares, will be run at Addington on January 1. After that the Auckland Cup and the Inter-Dominion Championship series at Alexandra Park will be her main missions.