Part-owner learns of victory in Canada

Press, 24 April 1984, Page 32

Part-owner learns of victory in Canada

By J. J. BOYLE Mr Neil Goodwin, of Levin, had an overseas teleKj call to make from tchurch yesterday. And he was the bearer of good news.

He was at Riccarton to see Rapanella down the favourite Hint in the Warstep Stakes, the last race of the Wrighton Southern Filly Series.

However, his sister and racing partner, Miss Carol Goodwin, is in Canada, and news of the victory by her first colour bearer must have been the nicest possible way of re-establishing links with home.

Rapanella was second favourite for the Warstep Stakes, and her narrow win over Hint on the course where she won her first race in February was an-

other of the many successes this season for the trainerjockey combination of Paddy Busuttin and Gary Phillips. Phillips was not confident of winning when Hint went clear early in the run home. Even 100 metres out Hint appeared to be finding enough to preserve her unbeaten record in races of the series, but Rapanella responded courageously for Phillips and got up for a half-neck victory. Rapanella a brown filly by Rapier II from Provinella, will probably race once more at the meeting, in the race for three-year-olds next Saturday. Harbor Flo, Hint’s strongest rival in earlier races in the series with performances that argued of some ability as a front runner,

had the odds against her from the start yesterday. She was last when the field settled, but was taken forward on a long run to join Clarehaven in the lead going to the 1000 m. Harbor Flo worked clear briefly as Clarehaven dropped away near the home turn, but she surrendered her lead soon after to Hint, which had been brought away from a rails position in the third line to make her challenge three wide.

Rapanella, which had settled to her race near the middle of the field, was launched on her run not far behind Hint. The Foxton filly easily cleared the others in the ruck, and courage in a well-timed challenge paid off close to the end.