Ten Winks gains well-earned win

Press, 19 April 1986, Page 26

Ten Winks gains well-earned win

From J. J. BOYLE Nelson Ten Winks capitalised on a charmed run for a well-earned win in the Caltex Gold Cup, first leg of the Nelson Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double yesterday. She was Rapsea’s bestbacked rival and the closest to that five-year-old in the weights. But while Ten Winks was in a snug spot on a ground-saving ride for Warwick Satherley Rapsea was never able to get within close reach of the inside rail, and the demands made on him in that regard out paid to his chances. This was Ten Winks’ eleventh win for a syndicate of North Islanders who race the Forty Winks II mare from the Foxton stable of Paddy Busuttin. Busuttin, who has been a trail blazer by establishing a second stable at Riccarton in recent weeks, was not at Richmond Park or yesterday’s win, but his foreman, Jim Melton, had some cause for confidence in her chances because she had thrived since her racing at the Marlborough meeting.

South Island-trained horses were closest in attendance to Ten Winks in yesterday’s race.

The Riccarton-trained Blyme came from well

down the field for a good second, half a length from the winner. “A bit of rain would have helped the cause,” Blyme's rider, Ron McCann, commented later. Te Kaahu, which like Blyme, was a newcomer on the circuit, made a promising first appearance at this level. He lasted well for third after trying to lead from about half way. Royal Adder, David Walsh’s mount, battled into fourth, half a length back.

“if she had been able to accelerate she would have been through a gap and in with a chance in the straight,” Walsh said later. Walsh said Royal Adder’s lack of sharp acceleration had also weighed against her at her previous start, at the Marlborough meeting.

Gaelic Bid faded to fifth after being responsible for the pacemaking until Te Kaahu took over about 1200 m out. The Riccarton-trained Tiger Bow was sixth two positions ahead of the favourite Rapsea. Panphilae completed the T.A.B. double for Foxton stables when she led throughout in the NRM Feeds Handicap. Raced by a syndicate of ten, from the stable of Lance

Robinson, Panphilae disappointed her connec- ,l tions at the Marlborough > meeting, but the six-year-old daughter of Taipan II was able to gallop with more freedom on a wellgrassed track yesterday and the race always xs looked safe for her. *

"The ground was too hard for her at Blenheim and her legs blew up on xj her," Lance Robinson said after yesterday’s race. But with the improvement in the mare’s form y Robinson feels he will be >' able to produce her again on the second day of the Nelson meeting on Monday.

Sound Note, another sprinter affected by the firmness of the track at the Marlborough meeting, ran closer to her best 'V form for a battling second behind Panphilae yesterday. Ron McCann found ' the run of the race in a trailing spot for the Ric-carton-trained grey. She was unable to put i much pressure on Panphi- - lae in the straight, but *> saved second narrowly from Ten Winks stable- , mate, Tango To, which changed course from the : inside in the straight Nova Lady, was a remote fourth after dropping away to the tail of the :; small field early, then making only slow headway past struggling rivals.