Palamon shows top qualities

Press, 22 October 1984, Page 20

Palamon shows top qualities

Special correspondent Invercargill If early brilliance and courage in a tight finish are vital components of class in a thoroughbred, then Palamon, the conqueror of Jonny Alone in the Gore Guineas on Saturday, is more liberally endowed than most. The stoutly-bred daughter of the leading sire, Taipan 11, and the well-performed Kurdistan mare, Jane Marie, revealed brilliance and courage of a high order at both ends of Saturday’s $lO,OOO feature. She accelerated amazingly to lead out, was then steadied about half a length in arrears of Jonny ATOne in the middle stages and

kicked again to clearly outstay that talented visitor in testing conditions. “You’ve got to hand it to the filly (Palamon). We had her beaten on the turn,” Jim Pankhurst, the rider of the runner-up, Jonny Alone, said afterwards. “That would be one of the best performances, especially for gameness, I have seen for quite some time,” the senior stipendiary steward, Mr Jock McCulloch, of Dunedin, enthused. Cantabrians, of course, will see Canterbury Belle as the South Island’s leading contender in the $lOO,OOO Wrightson New Zealand 1000 Guineas on the first day of the cup meeting at Riccarton. If her honour remains unchallenged, then

Palamon certainly rates a top reinfdrcenfent for a South Island triumph in the classic. Palamon admirably displayed all the class looked for in a top filly on Saturday. She qualified spectacularly three weeks ago at trials and “streeted” her rivals in her race-day debut at the Winton meeting 16 days ago. She belongs to the renowned Peony Royal source which has produced some outstanding fillies and racemares of the likes of her half-sister Mary Wake, and others in Court Belle and, Ellery Jane, not to overlook Barrister and Defendant. The family, of course, was made famous in the 1960 s by its foremost am-

bassador, Palisade, which won 25 races in the colours of the late Mr “Ab” Ottrey from Dave (“Skipper”) Wilson’s stable. Palamon has progressed splendidly under the astute guidance of Bill Hillis, of Simper Lodge, more acknowledged for his record with jumpers and stayers. The Riccarton visitor, Natural Star, the medium of inspired support, was a shock favourite. For he and his admirers, the race was finished at the 600, at which point he was unable to keep up when the pressure was applied. He beat only four stragglers home. Chris Johnson said he was “going up and down in the one placs when he asked Inm to go at the 600 m.