In Touch turns tables on Delark at Nelson

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 26

In Touch turns tables on Delark at Nelson

From

G. K. YULE,

, in Nelson

In Touch and Delark, the principals in the finish of the Nelson Cup on Saturday, again proved superior in the Dominion Breweries Handicap on the second day of the Nelson Trotting Club’s meeting yesterday.

This time it was In Touch which came out on top by half a length in the track record time of 3min 7.4 s for the 2400 m. well inside the previous best of 3min Ils set by Nardin’s Lustre. Kerry O’Reilly, for whom it was his fourth successive win at the meeting, improved sharply with In Touch when Delark rushed round to the front at the 1000 m. In Touch took the lead 300 m later. He was headed by Delark about 300 m out, but when asked for an effort he responded in grand style and won by half a length.

Delark lasted for second, a head in front of the unlucky Deborah Dundee, which was pushed back on the home turn and came on strongly once properly clear.

Zansark made ground for fourth ahead of Lord Kevello, another to lose his chance when pushed back

on the home turn. In Touch has now had five wins and a second from his eight race starts for his Ashburton trainer, Graham Marshall, who has no immediate plans for the four-year-old. “We’ll go quietly with him for a time now,” he said.

His win has qualified him for plenty of racing opportunities in Canterbury, but it-could be that he will be reserved for country cups in March. In Touch was a firm favourite after the scratching of Winning Note, which was sore after racing on Saturday. Centennial song, never far away, lasted for sixth ahead of an early breaker in Ruthless.

Proud News broke near the 2000 m and dropped right out.

Dashing Circle, all but knocked down in a smash at the end of 400 m, put in a remarkable run to win the Tenderkist Handicap.

Jane Rousby broke and caused interference to all but Paleface Lord, Kotare Tyrone, and Brazen Lord. Dashing Circle lost at least 60m and looked to be right out of contention.

However. Robert Dunn, dropped the pace right back after taking the lead with Kotare Tyrone at the end of 600 m.

Dashing Circle graduallymade up his leaway and worked in behind the leading trio. Colin de Filippi dashed him up to Kotare Tyrone with less than 200 m to run. lan Cameron was unable to work Paleface Lord out from the rails behind Kotare Tyrone and inside Brazen Lord.

Dashing Circle responded in splendid style and got in the deciding stride to win by a head. Kotare Tyrone held second, with Brazen Lord, the outsider of the field, shading Paleface Lord for third.