Stablemates impress at Motukarara

Press, 24 August 1983, Page 32

Stablemates impress at Motukarara

By

G. K. YULE

Timely Play and Harvest Gold showed that they were making splendid progress in preparation for the D.B. Four-year-old Series at the New Brighton meetings next month when they filled the first two placings in the main race at the Motukarara trials yesterday. The stablemates improved sharply in the run home, with Timely Play doing slightly the better over the final few metres to win by a neck from Harvest Gold, with half a length back to the pacemaker, Miss Dee Bee, and a neck to Kahlua Princess, which beat Roydon Trump for fourth. Timely Play and Harvest Gold have obviously done plenty of work and they appeared to be travelling easily at the line. Both were among the top three-year-olds last term.

■ The leaders took 3min 16.2 s for the 2400 m, the last 800 m in lmin 1.9 s and the final 400 m in 29.15, quite respectable times as the track, while at the best of the day, was still on the slow side.

One of the more eyecatching runs was that of the two-year-old, Nardin’s Hall, a member of Peter Yeatman’s team. A strong youngster by Nardin’s Byrd from Local Rose, the dam of the promising Marrian

Rose, he had only one rival and tangled after 300 m.

Once allowed to stretch out with about 300 m left, Nardin’s Hall gathered in the filly, Garcia, with ease and came on to beat her by 14 lengths after 1600 m in 2min 13.45, the last 800 m in lmin 3.95, and the final 400 m in 30.55.

Hanover Donna, a stablemate of Timely Play, won the event for Cl and faster pacers in 3min 18.75, beating Dell’s Wave by a length, with Local Hanover and Scotty Del close by. The last 800 m took lmin 1.65, with the final 400 m in 31.55.

John’s Trail, driven by Peter Jones, won the event for other than maiden trotters in 3min 21.85, with the final 400 m in 31.45. It was an improved run by John’s Trail, which beat Star Prince by a neck, with half a length to Charlie Glass and Jackie Logan.

Siverdale Lad was the most impressive of the horses to contest three heats for CO pacers. Silverdale Lad won by 3min 17.45, with his last 400 m in 30.25. He looks an early winner. Roydon’s Chieftain (3min 28.45) and Elsa (3min 19.65) won the other two heats. Roydon’s Chieftain took 30s for his last 400 m, while Elsa returned 29.7 s for the same section.

Gibralter showed ability

above average when he beat the pacemaker, Megan’s Pride, by a length in the qualifying event for trotters. He returned 3min 23.85, a time few pacers were capable of matching in their test races.

Gibralter, trained by Peter Yeatman, is a five-year-old by Test Cast from the Out To Win mare, Huka Falls.

Megan’s Pride, trained by Bevan Heron, forced all of a strong pace and did remarkably well to hold on for second. She is only a three-year-old and is by Game Pride from Propel, dam also of a recent qualifier in Sumae. She is closely related to Heron’s former champion, Nigel Craig. His Lordship, which finished 10 lengths back third, also qualified. A member of Phil Williams’s team, he is a four-year-old by Lordship from Our Grace, an unraced mare by Out To Win from the Purple Patch family. Lady Brandon was the only pacing qualifier. Those to race over 2400 m all failed, most by a wide margin, but she gained her ticket over 2600 m in 3min 35.8 s when the track was at its slowest. A member of Stuart Le Lievre’s team, she is a four-year-old half-sister by Smooth Fella to Lord Armbro, Armbro Peter and Lord Brandon.