$66,000 race winner under offer to North America

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 36

$66,000 race winner under offer to North America

By

G. K. YULE

Blue Water, winner of the $66,000 D.B. Export Lager Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday, is unlikely to be seen in action in this country after contesting the New Zealand Oaks on Wednesday.

The talented filly has been sold by her youthful trio of Christchurch owners to North American interests, subject to her passing a veterinary examination after the Oaks.

Her owners were given the right to have the filly race in their interests until after the Oaks and on Saturday at the New Zealand Meterpolitan Trotting Club’s meeting she picked up $40,465, thanks to a remark-

ably skilful display of reinsmanship by Jack Smolenski. Smolensk! set Blue Water alight from the awkward No. 5 position at the barrier and she was in front after 200 m. The pace slackened right off soon after, giving the filly a “breather” before applying the pressure again over the last 800 m in 59s and the final 400 m in 28.95. Blue Water was tracked throughout by the favourite, the Kumeu challenger, Look Me Over, with Sweet Alli moving up on the outside and pocketing her on the home turn.

Smolenski sat up on Blue Water starting the run home, ensuring that Look Me Over did not secure an opening. She worked clear with about 100 m left, but by

that time Blue Water had the race won.

Look Me Over finished boldly, but failed by half a length, with a similar margin to Sweet Alli, which settled near the rear and did well to return a dividend. Lirelle made up a little ground for fourth, just ahead of Kotare Idyll, with Elkedra and Lucy Lumber next after failing to look likely to return a dividend.

Blue Water is trained at Prebbleton by Keith Whall for Messrs Tim Eunson, a bank employee, Bruce Richards and Paul Walkinshaw, both window cleaners. The partnership paid $3200 for Blue Water when she was offered for sale by her Invercargill breeder, Mr Grant Sim.

Blue Water is by the Albatross horse, Alba Counsel, which has been affected by fertility problems for the last two seasons. It is hoped that he will be able to do restricted stud duty in the spring. She is out of Blue Lagoon, an unraced daughter of Berry Hanover and Coral Donna, a 2min performer, but a comparative failure at the stud. She descends from First Water, founder of a highly successful family, which has produced a host of classic winners, such as Noodlum, his half-sister, Olga Korbut, and Tactile, winner of five derbys. “I felt fairly confident of her winning after driving her at trials last Wednesday. Keith did a great job

getting her into peak form,” said Smolenski. “I was never really worried about being headed while Look Me Over was blocked in behind me,” he added.

Most of the contestants will meet again in the Oaks on Wednesday, when Jovial Jan and Precious Sally will be among their main rivals. These two contested the Lantana Lodge Ladies’ Mile, won from end to end by Miss Bromac, which returned 2min 1.55, two seconds better than the time for Blue Water.

Jovial Jan finished boldly from a good way back to beat Regal Nugent for second, with Precious Sally a respectable sixth after failing to secure a clear run in the straight.