Eva Grace may not race again

Press, 23 April 1986, Page 44

Eva Grace may not race again

Special correspondent Cambridge

The fine racemare, Eva Grace (Vice Regal—So Fox) is unlikely to race again, according to Noel Sheeran, who has trained her at Cambridge for the last month.

"On her last two runs 1600 m is now too short for her. If she had contested the New Zealand Sires Championship Stakes over 2000 m at Avondale she

would carry 58kg under the set-weight conditions and she is not a big mare,” he said. “Then the Noble Heights Stakes at Te Rapa next month is back to 1600 m.”

Sheeran also pointed out that a start at Avondale would have meant Eva Grace starting in three successive weeks. “The weights have now caught up with her so there is not much left,” he said.

Originally Sheeran broke Eva Grace in then she went to her Matamata owner, Mr Don Bell, who trained her for most of her career until a setback in health meant he had to take things quietly for a period. She has also been in the Matamata stable of Dave and Paul O’Sullivan.

Her biggest win was the group 1 Lion Avondale Cup, over 2200 m last December.

Other big wins include the Noble Heights Stakes, Waikato Travel Centre Stakes and Lion Red Dulcie Stakes, all over 1600 m at Te Rapa, the Battle Eve Plate, over 1400 m at Rotorua, the New Zealand Sires’ Championship Stakes, over 2000 m at Avondale, and the Epsom Handicap, over 1200 m at Ellerslie.

Altogether she has won 11 races and about $215,000.