Veteran Cinimod Junior smashes track record at Hutt Park

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 29

Veteran Cinimod Junior smashes track record at Hutt Park

Special correspondent Wellington Cinimod Junior smashed the track record with a brilliant win in the Lion Brown Free-For-All Mobile Pace at . the Wellington Hamess Racing Club’s meeting at Hutt Park on Saturday evening. .. The nine-year-old pacer sat parked out for much of the 2400 metre race but was still able to sprint clear in the straight to win easily in 3:1.6. This was well inside the previous track best of 3:3.2 set by Mister Wood Chips in 1982. That time had stood as the national record until just over a fortnight ago when the three-year-old Rostriever Hanover clocked 3:1.2 at Ashburton on Boxing Day.

The pace was on throughout the race on Saturday evening with the first quarter cut out in 30s. The leaders came their last mile in 1:58.8 with the last quarter in 28.85. With such a fast pace up front, the horses back in the field had little chance to improve. The victory will ensure Cinimod Junior solid support for the $30,000 Lion Brown Wellington Cup (3200 m on Wednesday but his chances have slumped somewhat with drawing the extreme outside barrier position and will have to start from No 4 on the second row.

The barrier draw proved all-important on the first night and it promises to do so again on Wednesday although the longer race should be a help to the second row horses.

Saturday’s victory continues a remarkable turnround of form by Cinimod Junior, which, now at the age of nine, has won five of his last eight starts and has graduated to class 9.

The renewed show of form has come since joining the Cambridge stable of Ken Webber last October after previously being raced and trained by Kevin Greer, of Inglewood, and having a short period with Colin Butler at Matangi.

Webber is at a loss to explain his improved form. “I haven’t done anything special with him. I can’t understand why he wasn’t doing better before.”

Webber had immediate success when the horse won a mile at Alexandra Park on October 21 in 1:59. He went from strength to strength, winning his next three races in succession.

His run was halted in the Thames Cup on December 12 when he broke at the start but he came back to record fourth and third placings before travelling south to Wellington.

Webber said he had been attracted to the horse because he had always shown a lot of

speed. “I thought I would be able to pick up a race down this way with him.” Webber initially leased the horse and took in three partners who have since exercised a $3OOO right of purchase. The trainer had always considered the horse as a sprinter but since coming under his care, he has won at 2700 metres and he considers the 2900 metre journey of the Wellington Cup will not be beyond him. Safely through the Wellington meeting, Cinimod Junior will then return home for the $25,000 Waitaki Cup on January 20. The Junior Royal gelding has been nominated for the Inter-Dominions but Webber considers the horse to be a day-to-day proposition and will see how he progresses in the meantime.

The success of Cinimod Junior has helped Webber considerably in launching his training career. Webber has been an amateur trainer for some time but took out a professional licence last November and has now won 11 races this term.

He scored a double at Hutt Park with the maiden Race Time Glenn recording a good effort to win the McCarrison Fair Graduation Heat 2 after being three wide throughout the journey. Sharing in the success of Cinimod Junior has been junior driver Peter Ferguson, who has been

the horse’s regular driver. • Ferguson only gained his licence in March of last year and has now won 10 races, nine of them this season.

Saucy Star made all the pace on Saturday with Ferguson content to let Cinimod Junior sit out in the open. Places remained virtually the same throughout the race with Cinimod Junior skipping clear of his rivals soon after turning for home. He never looked like being pegged back and went on to win by a length and a half. Henry Hoover, which had received a good run in the trail, finished on solidly for second and his driver, John Hay, considers he will be improved by the run. However, he too has fared poorly with a second row draw in the Cup. Aran Blaze, after racing three back on the fence, finished on for third, half a length back, with the favourite, Rolls Hanover, a useful fourth after racing three back on the outer. The rest were headed by Andronicus and Gaelic Skipper. The well-supported Loveridge came home at the tail of the field but never really had a chance to show his best after being locked up on the fence near the tail of the field. Horizon was another which didn't have much racing room in the run home.