Grant Davison dominates at Waterlea

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 35

Grant Davison dominates at Waterlea

By

DAVID McCARTHY

Grant Davison and Chris Johnson, so often keen competitors on South Island racecourses, dominated the finish of the Thomson and Devanney Cup Trial at the Marlborough Racing Club’s meeting at Waterlea yesterday.

Davison rode a canny race on the warm favourite, Mr Shogun, and while he beat Johnson’s mount, Passive Prince, by just a neck the win was much easier than the margin suggested. Passive Prince enjoyed the run of the race and when Johnson made his move on the veteran from behind the pacemaker, Cellarmaster, 600 m out it looked briefly as though he had stolen a march on his close rival. But Davison bided his time not far away and brought Mr Shogun up alongside the topweight 300 m out. They were never further than a neck apart after that, but Passive Prince was only

there under sufferance. “It looked like a very confident ride, but if I’d put a length on the other horse my fellow was going to duck right across so I kept him where he was. He was in no danger of defeat,” Davison said of his third winning ride of the day. Mr Shogun, richly bred but not with performances to match so far, is held in some regard by lan Adams, who trains him in partnership with John Wheeler. The horse has developed well since joining the stable about 20 months ago. "His problem is in his head, but we have schooled him up and that has helped him,” Adams

said. Mr Shogun has postponed a hurdling career with yesterday’s success and will be attempting to distance himself further from that role in the Marlborough Cup on Monday. “I feel he has the ability to win a good Cup race when he gets his act together,” Adams said. Passive Prince will attempt to turn the tables on Monday when Zelazny, which ran against the sprinters yesterday, will be an addition to the field. The veteran, Dreamville, was a well-beaten third but comfortably ahead of Vail of Tralee, which battled into fourth placing.