Easy win for Tirana in Oamaru sprint

Press, 21 August 1984, Page 30

Easy win for Tirana in Oamaru sprint

Special correspondent Dunedin Tirana’s romping win in the Big Softie Handicap was a feature of the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting yesterday. It was Tirana’s third win in four starts and evidence of the success of knee surgery since his previous race 10 months ago. His Balcairn trainer and part-owner, John Parsons, is now looking at a start at Ashburton next month for the Balios—Dusty Vai four-year-old entire, which he races with Susan Scholes, of Christchurch. It was at Ashburton that Tirana finished second to Gaffa in the Grigg Stakes last season. Tirana settled third on the outer and switched to the inside of the pacemaker, Fair Nicolai, in the run home. He accelerated to win by four lengths. The operation to remove a bone chip from Tirana’s knee was performed by Mrs Scholes’s veterinarian husband, Peter, about the same time he operated on Miracle Mouse, winner of yesterday’s Fairfield Asphalt Handicap. Miracle Mouse had a bony growth removed from his off-front fetlock. Miracle Mouse resumed racing in April and he was having his sixth start back yesterday. It is something of a miracle that the horse has

raced. He stripped the front leg to the bone as a weanling when caught in a fence and the owner was advised to have him destroyed. He had been given by Pleasant Point owner-trainer-breeder, Melville Coles to Eric Peters, of Geraldine as a foal. Coles agreed to take him back, nurse him and race him in partnership. Miracle Mouse, a six-year-old by Queen’s Wharf from Coles’s capable race mare, Eastern Royal, has now won four races. “I will start him in the Ashburton Cup now,” said Coles, who trains the horse for much of the time on his sheep farm. He has dabbled in horses for 22 years. Jonboy Hunt and Tiger Hunt are others to have successfully carried his colours. Annie Beaufort justified her hot favouritism when she won the First Waitaki Maiden at her first start. She trailed the pacemaker, then dashed clear by three and a half lengths. Annie Beaufort is raced by Alexander (Sandy) and Barbara Wigley, of Christchurch. They bought her three months ago from the Tarras breeder, Colin Clark, and transferred her to the Balcairn stable of John Parsons. She had been in work at Oamaru. Annie Beaufort is the second foal of Lizlo, a speed mare by Lomond from Dissent, the dam of the Moonee

Valley Cup winner, Poker Knight. The Wigleys have raced numerous ihorses, including Meneleus, a good winner when prepared by Lionel Pratt Windvale King and Funny Lass both came from far off the pace to win the other maiden events. Windvale King, a six-year-old half brother by King’s Palace to Windvale Boy is raced by his Fairview trainer, Graeme Jackson, on lease from the breeder, Cecil Stewart. Windvale King had two races over country late last season, performing dismally. Funny Lass, the outsider but one in a 15-horse field, is trained at Washdyke by Barry Jones for Rod and Fay Collins, who met success last season with Country Manners. Royal Adder, trained at Orari by Ray Pankhurst, completed a successful day for South Canterbury stables when he wore down Spark Plug in the last stride of the Oamaru Turf Club Handicap. Our Speed, the favourite, could not quicken in the run home. Flag Lieutenant confirmed his potential as a jumper when he won the Spring Hurdles. The winner of seven races on the flat, he fell on the flat when having his first start over hurdles at Wingatui on Friday.

Flag Lieutenant settled three back on the inner and was outside the leader, My Friend Blue, at the 800 m. Flag Lieutenant held on by half a length from the strong-finishing Fraxy Lad, which had been handy. Go Johnny did well for third after being hampered by the riderless Manila. Paddle and his stablemate, Manila, were brought down at the first fence, where Just One Time lost his rider. Killarney had his first win yesterday in the J. M. Shaw Memorial Steeplechase. Killarney, which began racing three years ago, is raced in partnership by the trotting horseman, Murray Hamilton, who took time off from working 18 horses at his Becks stable to be present yesterday. He races Killarney with Clarice Webb, of Becks, on lease from Russell Leask. Hamilton has raced one other thoroughbred, Sasin, which won three steeplechases. Killarney continued a good innings for Neil Ridley, the Centre Bush Jockey, who won the Grand National Steeplechase on Bymai and a jumps double on Lord Venture and Wapiti at Wingatui on Friday. Killarney settled back in the field then improved to fourth with a round to travel. Candidago, which tracked the pacemaker, Ejay Bee, went to the front at the 600 m but was soon headed off by Killarney, which was ridden out to win by six lengths.