Upper Cut succeeded where even famous Cadiz failed

Press, 26 April 1984, Page 30

Upper Cut succeeded where even famous Cadiz failed

By

J. J. BOYLE

“At last. I’ve lost count of the number of seconds and thirds I’ve had in that race,” the Riccarton trainer, Jim Tomkinson, said after his stable runner, Upper Cut, brilliantly won the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton yesterday.

Upper Cut was succeeding where even the famous performer, Cadiz, had failed to win the Canterbury Jockey Club’s historic race for the long-established Tomkinson stable. With his win in the hands of the stable rider Judy Hawes yesterday, Upper Cut joined the short list of top fancies for the Lion Brown Handicap on the final day of the C.J.C. meeting on Saturday.

A second notable runner for the Tomkinson stable in the valuable 1600 m race will be the leading South Island three-year-old filly, Hint.

Upper Cut cut out the 1400 m of yesterday’s race in 1:22.07, a track record.

He might have looked a 100-to-one chance when he

drifted to the last but one early, but Judy Hawes charted a trouble-free course for the four-year-old through the pack coming to the straight. And soon after they straightened they were poised almost on the heels of the leader. Cadmium. Hills Peak, which finished second, had charged forward wider out to challenge Cadmium, but there was plenty of space for Upper Cut to deliver his challenge between those two southerners, and the Riccarton gelding was clearly master of the situation in the last 50m.

This was Upper Cut’s seventh win, and it offered an occasion for rejoicing in the official stand at Riccarton.

Upper Cut is raced by Dr

Jeff Louisson, chairman of the C.J.C., in partnership with his wife, his brother John, and Mr Tom Smail. McAngus supplied one of the minor features of the race by coming from the back for third. She cut Cadmium out of that placing in the last few strides. In the Glen, the tail-ender for a good way, made good headway for fifth, ahead of Dreamville and the firm favourite, Atrapar. The only North Island runner in the field, Atrapar, was parked out four wide going across the top and the blinkered Otaki four-year-old reacted to the sound of cracking whips by shifting his ground. Gary Phillips said Atrapar made some headway late, but he was never in the race with a chance.

Strong finishers

The Foxton trainer, Paddy Busuttin, and his stable rider, Gary Phillips, left their stamp on the last two races of yesterdays programme. They won the Stallion Services Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double with Samplet, and the Shirley Handicap, third leg of the T.A.B. treble, with Lady Gemma.

It was easy for Samplet, but Lady Gemma achieved victory only in the last stride in the last race on the card. The one that gave her most bother as she battled to a nose decision was Chatterley Lass, a second runner for the Busuttin stable, and the mount of the apprentice, Greg Eliot. Lady Gemma and

Chatterley Lass ran almost as one all the way down the back straight, but they were then making up the last line but one in the field of 10.

Chatterley Lass was called on to take closer .order earlier, and her run on the outside carried her close to the leader, Sky Rover, just as Phillips was finding racing room for Lady Gemma through the pack.

Lady Gemma’s victory yesterday, her second for the meeting, brought the Busuttin stable’s tally to six wins in two days’ racing.

Kaierau Prince, another Busuttin-trained runner yesterday, missed victory by a head in The Sockburn, first leg of the T.A.B. treble.