Racing and trotting Good win for Gaimoss in Parliamentary

Press, 12 July 1984, Page 36

Racing and trotting

Good win for Gaimoss in Parliamentary

From J. J. BOYLE Wellington The Awapuni jockey, Maurice Campbell, brilliantly filled the role of cloud dropper with the top weight, Gaimoss, to win the Parliamentary Handicap at the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting at Trentham yesterday. They triumphed at the expense of the strong favourite, Greek Meer, a challenge through a wide gap on the inside paying off by half

a length. Campbell has had a long and successful association with Gaimoss's Awapuni owner-trainer, Laurie Christensen.

Mr Christensen’s first winner was Wellineas, a daughter of the Canterburybased stallion, Greek God. And when she scored her first victory in 1973 Campbell was the rider. Wellineas went on to win a Whyte Handicap at Trentham, being one of the

best winter sprinter-milers of her time.

Gaimoss’s win in the Parliamentary yesterday gave Christensen his twenty-first win as an owner-trainer. She is by Moss Trooper from a daughter of the champion stallion, Mellay, and there was plenty of evidence of great depths of stamina in her performance yesterday. Maurice Campbell settled Gaimoss alongside the rails

in the fourth line, in splendid position for him to keep the “dangers” in his sights. Cuss, the Parliamentary runner-up last year, was responsible for the pacemaking, Greek Meer had the inside trailing berth and the second fancy, Exocet, was one out in the third line. Peter Fearon angled Greek Meer out to go after Cuss on the home turn, but met with stout opposition from the Levin gelding. Head held low in char-

acteristic style, Cuss dug in bravely to meet the challenge, and the toll that struggle took on Greek Meer must have had some bearing on the outcome as Gaimoss charged forward on Greek Meer’s left. Cuss was third in a gap of two lengths, but was in no danger of losing that position. Many Things was fourth, a length away, and Le Shah outfinished the disappointing Exocet for fifth.