Rosewood Dream does best in Cheviot Cup

Press, 19 March 1984, Page 26

Rosewood Dream does best in Cheviot Cup

By

G. K. YULE

Rosewood Dream plodded her way through the mud to catch Winfield Kai close to the line and win the Cheviot Cup at the Cheviot Trotting Clubte meeting at Rangiora Raceway on Saturday.

Rosewood Dream was first out, but finished near the tail of the field as the lead changed with great rapidity until the backmarker, Glen Lustre, took over with 2000 m to run. Glen Lustre broke with about 450 m left, leaving the odds-on favourite, Double Cove, in front. Winfield Kai came through on the inner and looked the winner until Rosewood Dream, restrained as late as possible for the last run by Greg Payne, came on the scene wide out to win by half a neck.

Double Cove battled away for third a length and a half back, well clear of Zansark and Micawave, both of which had every chance. Trained at Broadfield by Michael de Filippi, Rosewood Dream is raced by Mr Colin McLean, of Invercar-

gill. The Rangiora trainer, Bob Nyhan, celebrated his birthday by producing Ruthless to win the Adelphi Hotel Handicap, a performance which earned him the right to an attempt on the John Brandon Series of three races with stakes of $130,000 at Addington Raceway next month. The Scottish Hanover three-year-old was about four places back for most of the way and he was quick to seize the gaps as they came near the straight entrance. He handled the conditions quite confidently and won by half a neck from a bold finisher in Gold Row. Gallavanter, close to the pace all the way, held on well for third, ahead of Freightman, which was handy turning for home, only to flounder in the conditions.

Ruthless, whose four wins have all been on grass tracks, had not raced since February 18. He is out of Barbara Del, winner of the Leonard Stakes at this meeting in 1971. Basilica, like her dam, Deo Gratias, showed great ability in adverse conditions, to win the N.Z. Leonard Memorial Stakes. Kerry O’Reilly had her four back early and she was awkwardly placed for a time in the middle stages. He sprinted her up three wide from the 600 m and she was with Smarty Pants and Abbey Wood from the 400 m. Basilica worked clear early in the run home and held on to win from the rather unlucky Kahu Del, which was last on settling and encountered traffic problems in the run home.

Abby Wood, handy all the way, fought gamely for third, with Coronda, all at sea in the going, next, ahead of the favourite, Smarty Pants, which had her chance.

The place-getters will meet again next Saturday in the R. M. Cameron Stakes at Ashburton.

Trained at Timaru by Kevin Brophy, who races her in partnership with his wife, Jean, Basilica is another of the growing list of winners sired by Lordship and he is out of Deo Gratias, the winner of five races, by Bye Bye Bill from Deodatus, winner of the Trotting Stakes and a member of the family which has produced such fine winners as Certissimus, Roy Grattan, Don Hall, Mountain Haze, Canyon, Queen’s Cord and Global Hall.

Brophy only breeds from Deo Gratias every second year. At present she has a colt foal at foot by Lordship. Try Again provided one of the highlights of the day when he won the Aqua Handicap. The member of Derek Jones’s team settled back beyond the middle of the field and he looked to be right out of the race when he broke for no apparent reason with more than 400 m left. He recovered his lost ground fairly quickly and gathered in the leaders some 75m out. Close to the line Paul Andrew worked clear and dashed at him, failing by half a neck. It was Try Again’s first start for the season. He seems at his best on soft tracks, but will not have many opportunities in such conditions.