Southern Raider fit for Methven

Press, 19 September 1985, Page 42

Southern Raider fit for Methven

By

JEFF SCOTT

Southern Raider looked in good order for the Marawhiti Pace at the Methven Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday when he won at yesterday’s Addington trials. The Armbro Del gelding settled fourth in his CO heat, but had no trouble accounting for Big Chief (third mostly) and the pacemaker, Motu Margaret, in the straight, coming clear in the hands of raceday driver, lan Keith, to win by two lengths. Southern Raider paced the 2600 m in 3min 32s into a cool easterly wind, being timed over his last 2400 m in 3min 11.9 s and his closing 400 m in 30.15. The Christchurch-trained four-year-old qualified impressively last season, racing twice for a first-up fifth, then began the current season when caught late by lan’s Gift in a four-year-old event at Addington last month, however he was in trouble with 1300 m to run last Friday, finishing eleventh. He should go close to gaining his initial win in spite of a wide second line draw on Saturday. The talented loose-class trotters, Borrowed Time and Romerez, indicated that they are forward to contest the Methven Hotel Handicap Trot on Saturday, when there was little between them in the Cl and faster trot yesterday. Borrowed Time (20m),

which settled fourth, held out a bold finish from Romerez (30m), seventh in single file to the 500 m, by a head, recording 3min 34.15, the leaders quickening over their last 400 m in 30.65. Romerez, which showed much promise in winning three of his nine starts last season for his Christchurch trainer, Peter Ryder, was timed over his last 2400 m in 3min 12.2 s yesterday, looking sharp over his last 400 m in 29.95.

Smarty Pants (20m), which has no race this week-end, finished best after racing handy on the outer, to beat Lucky Batch (It), in the open mostly, in the Cl and faster pace in 3min 29.45, the leaders running their closing 800 m in 59.45. Hindyn, which trailed to the turn, was a handy third, three-quarters of a length back, ahead of Gold Row and the pacemaker, Apache Banner, which was travelling well at the finish. Madigan, which overcame an early break to win in 3min 31.15, and Smirk Jones, which ran clear from the third line to win by two and a half lengths in 3min 38s, were other Methven maiden prospects to win yesterday. Wychingham Al, a son of Honkin Handy and False Idyll, from a half-sister by Fallacy to the dam of the 1975 New Zealand Cup winner, Lunar Chance, led over the last 700 m of the three-year-old pacers’ heat, winning comfortably by two lengths from Free’s Best,

which led early then settled in the third line. She finished on well for second, half a length in front of another strong finisher in Colonel Poplar. Results:— CO Pacers, 2600 m. — Smirk Jones (It), T. Henderson 1; King Boy (It), 2; Sheza Bromac (It), 3. Nine ran. Kabul fourth. 2¥s len, Vz len, nk. Time: 3.38. CO Trotters, 2600 m. — Unique Wendy (It), 1; Billy Joel (It), 2; Gameover (It), 3. Five ran. Karlsruhe fourth. 1% len, 5 len, 3 len. Time: 3.43.

CO Pacers, 2600 m. — Southern Raider (It), I. Keith, 1; Big Chief (It), 2; Motu Margaret (It), 3. Nine ran. Hamish Lobell fourth. 2 len, len, I¥> len. Time: 3.32. Cl and faster Trotters, 2600 m. — Borrowed Time (20), R. Butt, 1; Romerez (30), P. Ryder, 2; Givanna (It), M. Fuller, 3. Nine ran. Johnny Courtell fourth. Hd, 3Vz len, nk. Time: 3:34.1. CO Pacers, 2600 m. — Madigan (It), R. Belcher, 1; Transistor (It), 2; Legal Lea (It), 3. Nine ran. Leon Bigshot fourth. Vz len, % len, nk. Time: 3:31.1.

Cl and faster Pacers, 2600 m. — Smarty Pants (20), M. de Filippi, 1; Lucky Batch (It), 2; Hindyn (It), 3. Nine ran. Gold Row fourth. Vz len, % len, nk. Time: 3:29.4. Three-year-old Pacers, 2000 m. — Wychingham Al (It), 1; Free’s Best (It), 2; Colonel Poplar (It), 3. Nine ran. - Society Lord fourth. 2 len, % len, P/z len.. Time: 2:41.5.