Julie’s Boy boosts stable record at Westport

Press, 27 February 1984, Page 28

Julie’s Boy boosts stable record at Westport

From

ALEX McMILLAN

Westport While most interest in Saturday’s Morely Handicap at Patterson Park centred on the attempt of the Jim Lalor-trained Frontline to win the event for the third successive year, it was another Lalor representative, Julie’s Boy, which upstaged his stablemate, and several other better backed runners, to win the Westport Jockey Club’s first day feature. Settled in last position and apparently flat to keep up 1600 m from home, Julie’s Boy made a sweeping bid to emerge as a distinct threat on the home turn and clearly outfinished his rivals to win comfortably by two lengths.

Punters, who showed little regard for the third placing of Julie’s Boy at

Wingatui a week earlier, or a most impressive preliminary before Saturday’s event, allowed the Noble Bijou gelding to start at odds of better than 10-to-one.

Julie’s Boy, a winner at this meeting last year, has proved to be a consistent performer for his Christchurch owners, Messrs Norm Davison and Bruce Whitford, the latter being a brother-in-law of Jim Lalor.

As well as effectively extinguishing Frontline’s attempt on his Morely Handicap hat-trick, Julie’s Boy also lowered his stablemate’s previous track record for 2000 m (2min 4s) by posting a very smart 2min 3.85.

Steel King finished resolutely for second from a handy position, momentarily losing his place near the home turn and was considered a shade unlucky by his

co-trainer, Ray Harris. The second favourite, Gaelic Bid, embarked on a big run from the 800 m mark and fought on doggedly to finish third ahead of Le Valet, which looked a ite upset chance 200 m out, and the favourite, Machiavelli, which was scurried to a clear lead 500 m out by rider, Jim Collett, only to be swamped in the run home. Next home was Frontline, w’hich, although able to make a brief dab 700 m from home, made only plodding progress over the concluding stages and never appeared likely to finish any closer.

The surprisingly well-sup-ported Lady Beebee was badly checked by a pathetically tired Goucho 500 m out and dislodged her rider, Sharon Reid, who escaped without injury.