Plat du Jour progeny victorious at Ashburton

Press, 28 December 1987, Page 20

Plat du Jour progeny victorious at Ashburton

By

JEFF SCOTT

News that the successful Meadow Skipper stallion, Plat du Jour, could recommence stud duties next year in spite of having a testicle removed last week, was welcomed by breeders after Rostriever Hanover and Bellam won the T.A.B. double legs at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday.

Both stars on the horizon are two of the best performed by the 11-year-old Plat du Jour, while for good measure, the Eastwood Lodge stallion’s leading daughter, Gina Rosa, chased home Rostriever Hanover and Bionic Chance in the D.B. Ashburton Cup, while the former top young trotter, Wedgewood, another son of Plat du Jour, produced an improved showing to chase home Bellam in the Liquorland Trot.

“There was a cancer growth on the testicle that was removed but it was the only one affected and he should be able to continue his stud career next year,” said Eastwood Lodge’s studmaster, Mr Sam Ballantyne. “We should have the results of the tests within a week.” Plat du Jour was withdrawn from service earlier this month after having 150 mares booked

to him. One of these was Rostriever Lady, the dam of Rostriever Hanover, which has had a positive test returned in spite of Plat du Jour’s fertility problems surfacing. Rostriever Hanover’s owners, Mr lan Munro, and his mother, Lexie, also have a yearling sister to their star four-year-old, which has recently been broken in, while Rostriever Lady also has a two-year-old Nero’s 8.8. filly, which is already 16 hands high.

Rostriever Hanover maintained his rapid rise to open class with another characteristic display of stamina on Saturday — his ninth win from 17 career starts. After seven lead changes in the opening 1800 m, O’Reilly sent the favourite clear with 1400 m left and after that rival drivers treated the solidly-built gelding with respect. Allowed to stroll over his second last 400 m in close to 335, while Michael de Filippi sent the second favourite up to attack from the 500 m, Rostriever Hanover responded to O’Reilly’s vigorous urgings in the run home to peel off a slashing closing 400 m of 26.7 s assisted by a strong tail-end wind.

“I thought Bionic Chance was going to run right past us at one stage, but he just kept grinding away,” said O’Reilly. O’Reilly had thoughts of starting Rostriever Hanover in the $35,000 Wellington Cup next month, but now intends to keep the horse "on hold” for the $150,000 NZ Messenger on February 13, with the Foster’s InterDominions in Sydney in March likely to follow.

The Ashburton trainer is enjoying a fine season and recently sold the promising three-year-old filly, Kelly’s Idol, to Southland Stables, Ltd, of Edendale for good money.

Bionic Chance and Gina Rosa, the latter trailing three back on the inner over the last 400 m, fought on well in the run home and were eating into the winner’s lead albeit slightly at the finish. They will be two of the leading fancies for the $50,000 NZ Breeders’ Mile at Addington on January 4. Carnforth too strong

Carnforth, in spite of being parked three wide in the open over the last lap, clearly outstayed his rivals in the $12,000 National Mutual Finance Champion Stakes. "I originally intended to go back early from his wide draw and move up

in the middle stages but Jack Smolensk! (driving Jasper McFaber, in the open) was pretty keen to press on so I just stayed there. He was doing it fairly easily,” said reinsman, Michael de Filippi. Carnforth is the result of a natural service by Smooth Fella, a rare occurrence in these days of artificial insemination with commercial sires. “I nicknamed him Freddy after that,” said Carnforth’s veteran breeder-owner, Mrs Nellie Winter, the name being that of the Roydon Lodge studmaster, Fred Fletcher. “He owed me a favour at the time,” said Mrs Winter. Carnforth paced the mobile 2400 m in 3:4.1, a mile rate of 2:3.9, with the leaders coming their last 800 m in 60.25. Avalon Skipper ran on strongly for second, with Worthy Andy, three back on the inner to the straight, running on well late, as did Meadow King, which settled four back on the inner. The favourite, Cardinal Star, lacked dash after leading early, then trailing. He was a lack-lustre fifth, disappointing his connections.

Cardinal Star’s stablemate, Metro Boy, was scratched after suffering from a cold last week.