Blinkers aid Nuclear Rocket

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 36

Blinkers aid Nuclear Rocket

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The addition of blinkers to a horse’s armoury is usually intended to help he or she concentrate harder during the running but they served a different purpose for Nuclear Rocket when she upset the favourites in the DB Draught Handicap at Hokitika on Saturday. The free-going four-year-old has often shown abundant speed but in her more recent racing has not been Jumping on terms with the field. Her part trainer, Ray Harris, decided on the use of blinkers to overcome this with instant success. The mare was nearly three lengths clear of Kaoru

Heights at the finish of a fast-run 1200 m after being much further ahead of most of the others during the running. Ironically, the only horse to look like making a race of it in the middle stages, Kiwi Alley, also failed to begin on terms with the field and will be tried in blinkers if she lines up today. Another to have the equipment added today is Destemido, which disappointed the Bill Kennedy stables when a fair fourth on Saturday.

Nuclear Rocket completed an unusual double in that both the open class races on the card were won by horses with only two wins to their credit,

the other being Dester. Nuclear Rocket cost Harris $lBOO as a two-year-old at the South Island Sale on behalf of Mr John Arbuckle. He went back and bought a half-sister, Coniston Water, which has appeared ct trials but is now out spelling. The Harris stable had earlier scored an overdue win with Misnomer and the trainer, who one year campaigned 32 horses at a Hokitika meeting, could not recall when he had last produced two winners on one programme.

Dester earned a Greymouth Cup start with his bold effort which owed much to a calculated

gamble by the rider, Chris Johnson, in waiting for a rails run in the straight. Cappiemore and Graikos both ran greenly under pressure, giving Dester the chance he was only too ready to take. Cappiemore was taken on in the middle stages by Ike’s Revenge, which finally made it to the front only to capitulate almost immediately, forcing Cappiemore over extra ground and leaving Graikos a clear leader more than 800 m out. Maloch, which came from a long way back to score impressively for the Omoto stable of Roger Williams in the Samasaan Lodge Handicap, was one

of the better performers of the day, while Wren Margot was never pressured to win the Guardian Maiden for the Tauherenlkau trainer, Don Fuge, and should not be bothered by the rise in class today. Two of the unluckier runners were Pericolini and Avlonter. Pericolini was not entirely happy Qn the turning track at times and would probably have won if he had kept a straight course. He was beaten by the Improved Paiahmor, which also rewarded Chris Johnson for taking the patient option before forging through on the inner for the Palatable gelding's second win in four starts.