Kiwi pacers in fine form

Press, 26 July 1986, Page 32

Kiwi pacers in fine form

By

JEFF SCOTT

My Bahrein became New Zealand’s equal-fast-est standardbred along with Smooth Millie and Precious Fella, all by the Most Happy Fella entire Smooth Fella, when he won in 1:53.8 at the Meadowlands track in North America earlier this month.

The former Canterbury pacer continued his outstanding run of form by taking out a $19,000 conditioned pace, the leaders running quarters in 28.25, 29.95, 27.95, and 27.85. On the same night, King Farouk, a former stablemate of My Bahrein in Richard Brosnan’s Kerrytown stable, became New Zealand’s 31st 1:55 performer when he won in 1:54.6.

King Farouk joins New Bromac (1:54.4) as pacers in the 1:55 list by the Prebbleton-based son of Adios Butler, El Patron. Another former New Zealander showing good form in North America lately has been the Timely Knight gelding, Hobart Star, which scored back-to-back wins in 1:56.4 and 1:57.4 respectively on the half-mile Yonkers Raceway.

The former Methven pacer won $6OOO and $20,000 conditioned claiming races. In the first of those wins, Hobart Star was only .2 of a second outside the season’s record for an aged gelding held by another former Kiwi, Craig Hanover. Close relatives of the

imported stallions, Surmo Hanover and Present Laughter, have won classic races in recent weeks, while a half-sister to the new Nevele R Stud importation, Talk About Class, is one of the favourites for the $950,000 Sweetheart Series (fillies version of the Woodrow Wilson) at the Meadowlands tomorrow (N.Z. time). Simco. Hanover, a two-year-old brother to Surmo Hanover (Albatross-Susie Flame) won an elimination heat of the Sheppard Pace at Yonkers in a track record 1:57.8 and took out the $433,000 final in 1:59.8.

Halcyon, a three-quar-ter sister to Present Laughter (1:54), took out the $233,000 La Paloma Fillies Pace for two-year-olds at the same track in 2:00:4.

Time Will Tell, a halfsister by Governor J. to Talk About Class (1:54), was a winner two starts back in 1:56.4 at the Meadowlands, then after being taken on in front in a heat of the Sweetheart series last week-end, was beaten a nose in 1:56.8.