Quick switch

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 31

Quick switch

By

W. R. CARTSON

Upper Cut made a successful switch back from middle distance racing to sprinting with a decisive victory in the Ross Smith Handicap at Orari yesterday. The scratching of Queen’s Pal early yesterday robbed the Geraldine Racing Club’s feature of some interest It certainly seemed that her defection brightened Upper Cut’s chance but on reflection she might have been hard pressed to cope with his brilliant finishing dash anyway. In the hands of the stable apprentice, Judy Hawes, yesterday Upper Cut which is prepared at Riccarton by Jim Tomkinson for Mr J. K. and Mr and Mrs J. M. Louisson and Mr T. I. Smail, showed none of his wayward tendencies at the start He got away on terms with the others but could not foot it with them early and had only Selkirk behind him when the rush for positions was over.

While Rebel Star went ahead to set the pace and Cedar Key improved sharply to run at the leader’s girth around to the home turn, Upper Cut still had only Selkirk and Soaring High behind him 600 metres out

To avoid having to cover much extra ground Hawes decided to track Shardak, as he made progress on the home turn, and wait for a run. The move paid off for once clearly in the run home Upper Cut lengthened to full stride and completely swamped the others tor finishing speed and brought up his sixth career win.

Alarming, four places off the pace till the home turn, made steady progress in the run home to take second, two and a quarter lengths behind Upper Cut and three parts of a length in advance of Rebel Star, which lasted for third by a nose from Shardak. Hesten, which had been wide but close to the leading line on the home turn, led in the others but was in a gap of three lengths. The Ross Smith Handicap was the second leg of the T.A.B. double. The first leg, the Seadown Garage Handicap, resulted in the firm favourite, Julie’s Boy, failing to pay a dividend and Country Manners coming up with one of his best efforts for a runaway victory. Although Country Manners has now won eight races for his Timaru owners, Fiona and Rod Collins, this has not been one of his best seasons. The last success for the Country Dance seven-year-old, which is prepared at Washdyke by Paul Dooney, was against the metric milers at Oamaru back in August. In yesterday’s race Bruce Smith settled Country Manners at the rear in the fivehorse field but took him forward quickly approaching the home turn and he was close to the pacemaker, Five Over Five, beginning the run home. Geraldine (T.A.B. codes: GERL, FC) Weather overcast; track firm TEMOANA HIGHWEIGHT $2059, 2000 m 5-4 FLYING MILLEY 1 62.0 C. Edmond. . . 1

3-3 JUST GUY 3 59.5 J. Dowling 2 Others in finishing order 4-5 Vingt Un. 2-2 Ocean Toi. 1-1 Catch Molly. 1% len, hd. 8 lea Time: 2:8.6 Win: $5.95. Places: $2.40. $2.30. Quinella: $11.70. Owners: Messrs K. H. Jacksoa B. A. Lloyd and A. P. Smillie. ORARI MAIDEN $1800; 2000 m

2-2 DOUBLE QUICK 5 55.0 C. Johnson ... 1 10- DOUBLE BACK 4 55.0 G. Davison 2 9-9 FLYING ENSIGN 7 56.0 P. McKay ... 3 Others in finishing order 1-1 Y Telor, 3-3 Enelbea. 6-6 Rum Tale, 5-5 Jacqui’s Delight, 7-7 Celtic Lodge, 4-4 Berkeley Clown. 8-8 Noble Renegade. 11- Condition. Nk. 1V« lea nk. Time: 23.2. Win: $5.10. Places: $1.65, $7.90, $7.55. Quinella: $2675. Owners: Messrs B. J. and B. S. Kirk and Mrs K. L. Kirk. GREY WAY HANDICAP $2000; two-vear-olds; 1200 m 1-1 MISS TRYPHENA BAY 1 55.0 A. Robinson 1

2- WHITE UP 2 52.5 C. Johnson 2 Others in finishing order 4-5 Cattle Lass, 6-6 Greek Fleur, 5- Nickaletta. 3-3 ButternuL 5 len, 3 len, 6Li len. Time: 1:13.3. Win: $1.45. Places: $l, $1.90. Quinella: $2.65. Owners: G. R. and Mrs G. R. Fergusoa FIRST BELFIELD MAIDEN $1800; 1400 m 1-1 TUESDAY 12 55.0 G. Davison 1 9- LADY AVIS 8 55.0 C. Johnson 2 6-6 LEVELS STAR 9 55.0 G. Blair 3 Others in finishing order 2-2 Krysia, 5-5 Divine Flo, 3-3 Flying Fraxy, 4-4 Mortgage, 8-9 Glenavy Mist, 7-7 Ex Jay Six, 10-8 Blonde Streak, 11-11 Arbor Vite. I¥< len, nose, 1% lea Time: 1:25.5. Wia $2.25. Places: $l, $8.50, $6.55. Quinella: $40.55. Owners: Messrs P. J. and S. C. Cordner. THE RAUKAPUKA $2000; 1200 m 1- ROYAL SCEPTRE 10 55.0 J. Collett.... 1 6-5 REGAL PINE 9 52.0 H. Thomas 2 3- SIR KELLY 16 55.0 G. Blair 3 Others in finishing order 9-9 Cairngom, 2-4 Toongabbie, 10- Side Row, 4-2 Morley Flight, 5-6 Lucifer Lad, 8-7 Hair Trigger, 11-11 Half A Carat, 7-8 Native Light. 1% len, nose, 3ti len. Time: 1:12. Win: $4.70. Places: ,$1.60, $2.90, $2.10. Quinella: $27.80. Owners: Mrs E. P. Corboy and P. G. South. SEADOWN GARAGE HANDICAP $2250; 2000 m 2- COUNTRY MANNERS 4 53.5 B. Smith. . . 1 4- FIVE OVER FIVE 8 52.5 C. Johnson. . . 2 Others in finishing order 1-1 Julie’s Boy, 3-2 Ruthless Charles, 5-5 Black Gull. 3Mi len, H hd, 3Vi len. Time: 2:7.8. Win: $5.75. Places: $2.50, $2.95. Quinella: $15.65. Owners: Mrs F. M. and R. A. Collins. SECOND BELFIELD MAIDEN $1800; 1400 m 1- MARCH PARADE 9 55.0 R. Hewinson. . 1 6- DOVER CASTLE 3 55.0 C. Edmonds . . 2 2- NEARCO PARK 10 55.0 M. Thornley. . 3 Others in finishing order: 3-3 Bronte Lass, 4-4 High Spirits, 88 Teachers Aide, 9-9 Our Comet, 5-5 Heather Adair, 7-7 Labalose. Nose, 2 len, 1% len. Time: 1:25.9. Win: $2.95. Places: $l.lO, $4.65, $1.55. Quinella: $16.75. Owners: A. and Mrs Mullen. ROSS SMITH HANDICAP $3050; 1400 m 1-2 UPPER CUT 6 50.5 J. Hawes 1 3- ALARMING 3 54.5 J. Collett 2 5- REBEL STAR 8 49.5 P. Atkinson 3 Others in finishing order 6-4 Shardak, 9-8 Hesten, 7-7 Selkirk, 2-3 Lord La Di Da, 8-9 Cedar Key, 4-6 Soaring High. 2Vi len, % len, nose. Time: 1:25.3. Win: $3. Places: $1.35, $1.15, $3.10. Quinella: $6.20. Owners: J. K. Dr J. M. and Mrs Louisson and T. I. Smail. WAIHI HANDICAP $2050; 1400 m 1- TIM LEA 8 55.0 G. Blair 1 3-3 OUR HOPE 10 54.5 G. Davison 2 2- WINFIELD GAE 9 55.0 C. Edmond 3 Others in finishing order 5-4 Red Consul, 9-10 Just An Angel, 4-5 Grey Dove, 11-11 Sharleta, '7-6 Taxpak, 8-8 Sereb, 6-7 Sharlanza, 12-12 Proud Leigh, 10-9 Silver Bayou, Vz hd, 3 len, hd. Time: 1:24.9. Wia $3.70. Places: $1.45, $2.65, $1.55. Quinella: $21.95. Owner C. R. Woodham.