Metal Mickey runs sound G.N. Derby trial

Press, 11 March 1985, Page 31

Metal Mickey runs sound G.N. Derby trial

Special correspondent Auckland Metal Mickey joined the already sizeable list of fancied Great Northern Pacing Derby contenders with his highly impressive win at Alexandra Park on Saturday evening. He beat only a field of C 3 horses but such was the merit of his performance that he was a clear winner of the “Horse of the Night” award. Metal Mickey fairly spreadeagled the opposition in the Seiko Mobile Pace, scoring by six lengths from Most Happy Milly, with another three-year-old filly, Lady Alba, five lengths back third. The trio were the only three-year-olds in the field. Hanover Gold, the best of the older horses, was five and a half lengths back. It was the same story in the other ordinary class event contested by three-year-olds. Loveridge, Traitor’s Gate and Skipper Vantar filled the placings in that order in the Jawa Lodge Mobile Pace (C 4 Bardon Bridge, the only other three-year-old in the race, undoubtedly would have been prominent, too, if he had not struck trouble during the running. His failure to do better than tenth can be ignored.

The other three-year-olds, including most of the favoured Max Harvey Great Northern Pacing Derby candidates, were in the Derby Graduation Mobile Stakes. After making most of the pace, Samson held off a determined challenge by Nardinski, another southerner, with the Pukekohe gelding Frederick a creditable third. All in all, it looks like being the best Derby for years. Derby fields in the past have often included horses with assessments looser than C 3. Already, no fewer than 13 are on C 4 or better. Metal Mickey recorded 2min 48.7 s when he won the 2200 m Seiko Mobile Pace, a mile rate of 2min 3.45. Over the same distance, Samson took 2min 52.2 s and in the one mile Jawa Lodge mobile pace, Loveridge clocked 2min 2.25. Neither Loveridge nor Samson won anywhere near as easily as Metal Mickey but their runs were good Derby trials all the same. Paul Young, Samson’s driver, was delighted with the way the gelding shaped in his first race on a righthanded track. “He should be all the better for it,” he said. “Yes, he’ll run again on Wednesday.”

Young, aged 28, works for Samson’s trainer and partowner, Ted Lowe, of Hinds, near Ashburton. He has been with the stable for 12 years. Lowe has not been in good health for some time and did not come north with Samson and Winning Note, his other horse at the meeting. The pair are in the care of Errol Sampson, who shares the ownership of Winning Note with Lowe. Nardinski and Frederick were no less impressive than Samson. Nardinski led early and then trailed when Samson went to the front at the end of about 500 m. He was catching Samson over the final bit. Frederick was about seventh most of the way. He was still giving Samson a good start at the home turn. Master Mood, generally regarded as one of the main South Island Max Harvey Derby hopes, was disappointing. He made a likely looking move from midfield after passing the 700 m, but the bid was short lived and he finished only sixth. Placid Victor was another who finished well back. He is bound to be improved by the race, his first for four months.