Lady El’s success Forbury feature

Press, 31 January 1984, Page 27

Lady El’s success Forbury feature

Special correspondent Dunedin Lady El provided a highlight of the three-night Forbury Park festival meeting on Saturday when she won the Seafood Specialities Pace. Lady El started five lengths behind the field after drawing the second line. She was 20 lengths from the lead in the early stages and still 12 lengths off the pace at the 1600 m. She followed up Captain Phillips three wide from the 1100 m, went to the front at the 400 m and won by five lengths in 3min 32.2 s (2:06.5 mile rate) for the 2700 m (mobile). Asked why she had dropped back early, Robin Butt, her West Melton trainer and part-owner, said it was the first time she had seen a mobile gate and that he did not want to rush her. He races the four-year-old daughter of El Patron and Lady Moose with Peter Andrews, of West Melton. Lady Moose (LordshipMoose) is also the dam of Diamond Moose and Lord Moose. ■

Joy Boy clinched a start in next Friday’s Auckland Trotting Cup when he overcame a 50m handicap to win the Tasman Wines and Spirits Handicap. “He needed a race and needed to go a good one to justify a trip to Auckland,” said Bill Dickson, the West Melton trainer and partowner of Joy Boy. “The handicapping system is ridiculous anyway. He will be off 10m in the New Zealand Cup. Against horses that have won $300,000, he has won about $50,000,” said Dickson. Joy Boy will be aiming for a share of $lBO,OOO on Friday night, with a first prize of $101,250 (he earned $2600 for first on Saturday). Trevor Thomas will drive Joy Boy at Alexandra Park. Jack Smolensk! took the reins on Saturday with Thomas under suspension and Colin de Filippi at Nelson. Thomas was the successful driver behind Joy Boy in the Wellington Cup. De Filippi has also won behind Joy Boy this season.

Dickson will take the five-year-old entire to Auckland by road on Wednesday. He said that it was unlikely that Joy Boy would be sold to Macau as reported. “There has been quite a bit of inquiry for him as a sire,” said Dickson. Joy Boy has served one mare. He covered Fabiola, a half-sister to Nostradamus, and a good winner in Individualist. Nostradamus, the winner of the Messenger last month, is by Boyden Hanover, the sire of Joy Boy. Fabiola is owned by Dickson. On Saturday Joy Boy soon made up his handicap, with Formal Fella setting an easy pace. He improved to second on the outer at the 1000 m and outfinished Formal Fella by a neck. Double Cove, which came between horses in the closing stage, was a similar margin back third, with Winfield Kai, which raced in the open, a close fourth. Joy Boy's time was a moderate 3min 34.9 s (2:08.1 rate).