Gun for Fun made a romp of Wellington Hurdles

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 34

Gun for Fun made a romp of Wellington Hurdles

By

J. J. BOYLE

Gun for Fun, once regarded as an unlikely racing proposition because of his temperament, is now established as the hurdling discovery of the year and undisputed favourite for the Grand National Hurdle's next month.

The formidable staying powers that carried him into minor placings in Auckland and Wellington Cups were in evidence again on Saturday when he won the Wellington Hurdles by 14 lengths over a heavy track at Trentham. Seven starts over jumps have yielded four wins, a third, and a fourth from the Hawera stable of his partowner, Mr Bill Myers.

With better luck in the running, that third in the Great Northern Hurdles might have well been a winning run.

Gun for Fun was bred by Peter Louis, of Wellington, and was placed in the Wingatui stable of Hector T. Anderton to be prepared for a racing career. But the half-brother to the Winter Cup winner John’s Pal showed no precocious qualities, and some headstrong characteristics, as members of the Myers family also discovered when the Balios

gelding passed to their ownership later. However, there is nothing ungenerous about Gun for Fun’s approach to his racing. He made an untidy leap at the first flight of Saturday’s 3400 m race, but his 20-year-old rider, Kim Treweek, found all systems were working smoothly going into the last round. Treweek was content to let Gun for Fun lob along in fourth position for a long way, but moved him closer

■ soon after Mystic King quickly surrendered his lead ; about 800 m out. Almost simultaneously Tony Gillies took the third favourite, Rosenveld, forward on a sharp move to reach the front. Treweek then moved Gun for Fun through on the inside and something of a bumping battle appeared likely to develop as the pair raced on terms out of the chute towards the course proper. Rosenveld could not rally in the face of this challenge,

and when dropping away into a gap he lost his legs on landing over the last flight and came down. Gun for Fun, already nicely clear when that happened, was then left with the wide winning margin of 14 lengths. Tony Gillies had more than a fall to show for his day’s activities at Trentham. About 40 minutes before he took his tumble he was kicking the Taranaki-owned and trained Kanamint home for a decisive win over his

six rivals in the Eric Riddiford Steeplechase. Kanamint is rising 12, but he was unraced when Mrs Mary Glasgow bought him for $5OO as a five-year-old, and he looks very durable material. He is by Lucifer II out of Rosemint, whose sire was Golden Galleon, a Wellington Cup winner sired by Admiral’s Luck. Best of Kanamint’s rivals was Greek Boy, which went into the race on an interrupted preparation, but finished with much determination well clear of the others.