Clearance awaited for Our Buddy

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 30

Clearance awaited for Our Buddy

NZPA Brisbane The New Zealand trainer, Patrick Campbell, will not know until midday today if Our Buddy has been cleared to start in Saturday’s sAustlBo,ooo ($NZ246,600) Rothmans 100,000 (1350 m at Doomben. Brisbane race stewards are still scrutinising the results of a swab taken from Our Buddy after his failure in last Saturday’s Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm. The Chief steward, Mr Paul Byrne, said Mr Bob Mason, the Queensland Turf Club’s head veterinary sur-

geon, called for one more test of the swab before granting a clearance for Our Buddy. “So far the tests are 90 per cent clear, but a final test has been called for as a precautionary measure,” Mr Byrne said. “That result should be known by noon today.” Stewards called for Our Buddy to be vetted and swabbed after he finished second last in the Healy Stakes after missing the start. This was in sharp contrast to his previous Eagle Farm performance when he

gave a dazzling exhibition of front-running to lead throughout. Campbell continues to be puzzled by Our Buddy’s form lapse, as a veterinary test has since detected no abnormalities. However, with the controversy over last week-end's flop, bookmakers have already lengthened the New Zealanders Rothmans price to 25-1. Mr Byrne said that the inquiry he opened into Our Buddy’s failure last Saturday will be officially closed today if the final swab test is negative.