Final Offer shows class at Hutt Park

Press, 8 October 1987, Page 37

Final Offer shows class at Hutt Park

PA Wellington Final Offer showed his class with an explosive performance in winning the Tasman Liquor Free-For-All at the Wellington Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Hutt Park on Tuesday evening. Sent forward with 500 m to run, by Tony Hertihy, Final Offer quickly reached the lead and raced away to win untested by seven lengths. His time for the mobile 2400 m was a brilliant 3min 2s with a mile rate of 2min 2.15.

His time was just outside Cinimod Junior’s track best of 3min 1.6 s set last January.

Final Offer was recording his second win from two starts on the track after taking a heat of the Lion Red Mile series in February. Unfortunately, he suffered a leg injury soon after and was unable to contest the final in

Auckland. Tuesday's race was only his second back from a spell and his trainer, and part-owner, Roger Sharpe, of Sefton, said the horse still had a lot of improvement in him. Sharpe plans to race him next over 2000 m at Addington later this month and is hopeful the horse can qualify for a start in the Wellington Cup next January. He now needs just one more win to do so. Tuesday’s win was the second for Sharpe since he gained his professional trainer’s licence at the start of the season. His first win was with Saraband Lad at Hutt Park last month. Final Offer, a five-year-old gelding by Boyden Hanover, has had 10 races for six wins, and earnings of $20,330. His race career has been restricted by leg problems and Sharpe ini-

tially began training the gelding so that he could be worked on the beach. He races the horse in partnership with a hotel manager, Mr Craig Nicholson, who is from Timaru. The Lordship colt, Reba Lord, proved a class above his rivals in the final of the Walrarapa Graduation Series, second leg of the TAB. double. Reba Lord dictated all the terms in front and when his driver, Colin Butler, let him loose with 400 m to run, it was obvious his rivals were struggling. The second favourite, Antana, which had enjoyed a good trail, tried to stay in contact, but Reba Lord went right away in the straight to win by four and a half lengths. ' < A $24,000 purchase from the Waikato sales,' Reba Lord was recording his second win from three i starts. ;