Random Chance penalised after impressive Counties Cup win

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 46

Random Chance penalised after impressive Counties Cup win

special correspondent Auckland Random Chance has received full penalties for the Avondale Cup and the Auckland Cup but remains a strong favourite for both big races, such was the quality of his win at the Counties Racing Club’s meeting at Pukekohe on Saturday. Random Chance led them all through the 2050 m of the DB Counties Cup, except for a brief moment in the dash to the first turn. It seemed for a bit, when they had around 300 m to go, that Shannon Lad might press him close but Random Chance had a good deal in reserve, still, and he finished nicely clear in 2:03.22, somewhere around a two-mln-

ute clip for 2000 m. After viewing such a performance the handicapper, Mr Dean Nowell, would have had little hesitation in declaring the I.skg penalties for Avondale and Ellerslie. The amounts are as much as he was allowed to impose under the conditions of the Lion Avondale Cup and DB Auckland Cup and they lift Random Chance to 55kg in the first of the two races — Avondale on December 9 — and to 54kg in the Ellerslie race. For the same races Gallipoli, a winner at Wanganui on Saturday, has had his handicap increased Ikg, to 51.5 kg for Avondale and to 50.5 kg for the Ellerslie race. Random Chance won

with 55.5 kg, with a fraction less to carry and, his style of racing considered, he must rate, for Avondale anyway, one of the foremost chances. He has as much pace as any of his opponents are likely to muster and it is hard to seem him being troubled by the 2200 m. Now five years old he has, after all, a New Zealand Derby placing, behind Bonecrusher, to his credit. All told he has collected 13 wins from his 36 starts and, with the $47,000 for Saturday, his stake earnings are now $254,065. Random Chance is from Wingatui, and owned by an Alexandra (Central Otago) couple, Gary and Lorraine McDonnell, and has been brought north by 20-year-old Shane Ander-

ton, a son of the trainer, Brian Anderton. The younger Anderton was a successful rider on the flat before increased weight put an end to his opportunities. He is a highweight rider these days and on Saturday he got something further towards his expenses by obtaining a last-minute ride in the Lyte Welter. The other principal in Pukekohe’s big race, rider Paul Richards, is from Mosgiel. He will return to Auckland a few days before the Avondale Cup when Brian Anderton is also expected to join the party. Random Chance became the third South Island stayer bent on the Auckland Cup to take Pukekohe’s big middle-

distance race since World War 11. It is something to ponder on that both the other two, Beaumaris, in 1950 and Sailing Home, in 1972, went on to win as well in the big one at Ellerslie. Beaumaris took the Pukekohe race, over the mile-and-a-half metric equivalent under 61kg and, escaping a penalty, won the Auckland Cup with 58.5 kg. Sailing Home carried 54kg winning the then South Auckland Cup; over 11 furlongs (about 2200 metres) and was successful in the cup at Ellerslie with 55kg. With Random Chance out of the way Saturday’s race would have given the Te Aroha trainer, Eddie Lee, a notable quinella. He produced both the

runner-up, Shannon Lad, and third placegetter, Derriana. The disappointments were Starline, which came in eighth and Plume D’Or Veille, next of the 15 runners. Starline, in her usual way well behind to start with, was unable, or unwilling, this time to turn on a storming finish of which she is capable. Plume D’Or Veille ran close to the pace then failed to run on, perhaps in need of the run, his .first for about six weeks. Trocane (twelfth) and Hexagenal (fifteenth) were two others which ran miles below their best form, neither ever looking as though she would be in the finish.