An anniversary celebrated

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 35

An anniversary celebrated

By

DAVID McCARTHY

An anniversary which trainer Brydon Mills considered long overdue was celebrated by Black Heath’s win in the Sun Country Lodge Sprint at the Marlborough Racing Club’s meeting yesterday. Back in 1965 Mills produced his first winner as a professional trainer on the Waterlea track when Gingerbread was successful and in the intervening years he has often tried, without success, to repeat that triumph. Indeed at one stage Mills regarded the track as something of a jinx such was his fortune on it. “I suppose we have had

20 horses here since Gingerbread, but this one is probably the best,” Mills said of Black Heath. Black Heath opened favourite in the sevenhorse field but blew out to odds of nearly four to one, probably because of the wet track. Ron McCann settled him off the pace, which was the Mills battle plan, and brought the Grand Poppa gelding wide at the turn. Black Heath showed gallantry from then on, sticking to his task grimly even though not enjoying the conditions which produced a 1400 m time of more than 1:30. “He could win them

from the front coming through the classes but not many can keep winning them from there in open company, so we wanted him off the pace,” Mills said. “It was a tough run today, though, and we might back off with him for a couple of weeks now.” Black Heath’s major spring aim is the Stewards’ at Riccarton in November. Princess Cheval battled on for second and Miss Woodleigh came from off the pace for her third placing ahead of the slightly-disappointing favourite Cody, which had his chance.