Johnson rides four winners

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 31

Johnson rides four winners

By

J. J. BOYLE

While Grant Davison is on temporary loan to South-East Asia his most successful rival in the ranks of Riccarton jockeys is having a ball. Chris Johnson kicked home four winners at the Hororata Racing Club’s meeting yesterday. He won the Hororata Gold Cup on the Washdyketrained Polacca but the second leg of the T.A.B. double just eluded him with his hopeful, the three-year-old filly, Ruff. Ruff was only edged out by the more seasoned Rufus Dawes in the Lion Brown Handicap. Polacca’s win yesterday was his sixth from 26 starts for Ray Coupland, who bred the Butty geld-

ing from the little Country Dance mare, Videlco, and races the gelding in partnership with Mrs Lyn Melville, of Washdyke.

Mrs Melville is in her first season with an open trainer’s licence and prepares a team of seven, with Polacca as the star performer. “He is relaxing nicely in his races, which helps him to get a middle distance, and Chris Johnson suits him so well,” Mrs Melville said after Polacca beat the favourite, Advocate, into second in yesterday’s 2000 m race.

Mrs Melville has entered Polacca for the Oamaru Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, but might keep him for Easter racing at Riccarton.

Polacca is one of few runners going around for the imported Butty. His dam, Videlco, was the first winner sired by Country Dance, and raced with some success from the Washdyke stable of the late Wattie Hogan. Advocate appeared to be finding enough to threaten Polacca yesterday, but did not take a gap as readily as his rider, Tane Matthews, hoped for and only edged out the top weight, Charlie’s Pal, which had the run of the race. Rufus Dawes was completing a double for female trainers when he beat the sprinters in the Lion Brown Handicap yesterday.

Rufus Dawes is trained at Mayfield by Jan Hay,

and the female influence on the result was extended with Jan Cameron being the successful rider. It was something of an apology for a sprint race because of the absence of a true pace. Tim’s Magic almost walked out of the starting gate, but was handy though three wide in next to no time. Then Frederik the Great, which dropped away to last in a gap, went close to looping the field on the outside only to die on his run early in the run home.

Tim’s Magic, also feeling the effects of the demands made on him after a slow start, could not find anything extra when challenges came from Rufus Dawes and Ruff.

Ruff challenged down the inside, going through with her run gamely, but Rufus Dawes found just enough to keep her out. Chris Johnson took Ruff into the Lion Brown Handicap hoping for his fourth win for the meeting.

He still achieved that goal, as King’s Pal’s partner in the last race on the card, the Petersen Bracelet Handicap. Johnson got the last run at Star Hope to bring off a popular win for his Westport owner-trainer, Mrs M. K. O’Toole. Johnson’s first two winners yesterday were Pericolini and Impound, which recorded back-to-back wins in maiden events on the first half of the programme.