Ansett humbles rivals

Press, 13 November 1982, Page 22

Ansett humbles rivals

JEFF SCOTT

Ansett, which flashed

home late for fourth on Tuesday, played with her rivals over the extreme distance of 3200 m in the Cashmere Handicap at Addington Raceway yesterday. John Vincent, who trains the smart four-year-old daughter of Transport Chip and Abbey Star at Belfast, was forced three wide when back in the field at the 1200 m and elected to progress round the pack into the showgrounds bend the last time. Ansett shot to the lead 800 m from home and was never in danger from that point. Vincent said that he had made his run much sooner than he would have liked and had intended to save the mare for the final 800 m. As it was, he had no cause for concern. “She just jogged in,” Vincent remarked of Ansett, which returned 4min 14.6 s for the distance, the last 800 m in 59.85, and the second last , quarter in 295. A well-performed filly last term, Ansett produced a brilliant finish to win over 3200 m at Motukarara last month and looks capable of reaching the best classes. Vincent is not keen for Ansett to contest the major four-year-old race of the season, the New Zealand Messenger Stakes at Alexandra Park, Auckland, next month. Vincent intends to keep Ansett’s racing closer to home, with the Premier Stakes for four-year-olds on Tuesday evening, and the Churchill Stakes (C6-C7, .mobile, 2600 m) on the final night next Saturday, on her immediate programme. She could contest the $21,000 New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes for fillies and mares over one mile on January 1. Wee Junior, a courageous winner over 2000 m on the first day after being three wide for practically the entire journey, was a game second after being hurried along to take the lead with

2000 m to run. The Wee Win stallion had no sooner got to the front than he was taken on by Micawave, and was out in the open again from the 1500 m. He trailed Ansett over the closing 800 m but could not stay with her in the run to the line. “He’s a big staying horse which hasn’t got a real sprint yet, but just keeps going,” Robert Cameron said. “He had no chance with that mare — she just ran away from us. He’ll be a cup Horse one day, though,” he said. Smooth Meadow, a four-year-old conceived in Australia after her dam Smooth One (by Smooth. Hanover) had her career cut short by injury, disclosed much potential when she overcame difficulties to win the Show Day Mobile Stakes. Smooth One, after showing ability as a juvenile in Southland, was sent to the Sydney stable of Eddie Sims by her Invercargill owners, Harold Cundall and Alan Devery, but was injured before she raced. Smooth Meadow was exported to New Zealand as a young filly. A good fifth after starting from 20m behind on the first day, Smooth Meadow settled four back on the outer yesterday, but lost ground after Kakama broke while in front 700 m out, causing checks to the trailing horses. She swept up wide out on the home turn and finished smartly to win with ease by two lengths, returning 3min 23.1 s for the 2600 m. Smooth Meadow was the second winner for the day for her Ryal Bush (near Invercargill) trainer, Alan Devery, who also prepared Network for a stylish win in the Hornby Stakes for four-year-olds. Devery, a former stock buyer, took out a professional trainer’s licence last season and met success with Zabadak and Stampede. He has trained 13 winners this season and is second to Roy and Barry Purdon on this season’s national trainers premiership.