Stamina test planned for Slick Million

Press, 4 January 1988, Page 20

Stamina test planned for Slick Million

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The Dunedin Gold Cup in mid-February has been sorted out as a major summer target for the Riccarton-trained Slick Million after his dashing win in the Supporters Sprint at the North Canterbury Racing Club’s meeting at Rangiora on Saturday. The feature staying event will require him to go twice as far at nearly half the pace of Saturday’s romp but his trainer, Helen Preston, has confidence that his stamina rating is equal to the task. The grey, which was bred by his owners, Maurice and Mavis Winter, has been known best for his middle-distance efforts during a light career. His only other 1200 m victory, before Saturday, being his maiden win in July, 1985. Sidelined by injury for a lengthy period twelve months ago after running a good second to Dig In in the Kurow Cup, Slick Million bounced back with two fine seconds at the New Zealand Cup meeting, behind Camallino Star in the Churchill Stakes and Random Chance in the Queenspark Canterbury Gold Cup. Saturday was his first run since then and while it might have been considered on the short side for him he was aided by a fast pace set by Kiwi Alley which may have lent itself to a faster time than the official 1:10.2 ultimately recorded. This was slower than one of the maiden events earlier in the day. Slick Million helped chase Kiwi Alley and Nuclear Rocket but Grant Davison had him in a

position to challenge at the turn and he quickly ran away to win by nearly five lengths. Kiwi Alley held grimly to second ahead of Flowing Silver which mounted an eyecatching run for third place in his first run for some weeks. Slick Million is likely to have a number of lead-up races before Dunedin and the Kumara Gold Nuggets on Saturday could be one, especially if track conditions are reasonable. Mrs Preston, born and raised in Kowhiterangi, near Hokitika, has a high strike rate on her homedistrict raids and clearly has nursed Slick Million to a new peak for summer racing. He is the first foal from Slick Chick a Country Dance mare which was a useful performer for Bill Shirley’s stable. His sire, Blue Vermillion, was stakes placed in France at 2000 m and has already left a Dunedin Cup winner in Million Joys. The Winters have had some misfortunes in the last two years with Slick Chick’s progeny but a Sir Bart youngster, Slick Bart, is showing promise for Mrs Preston. The shock of the race was Jonny Alone’s failure to show any fire, finishing last. The chestnut settled in front of two but according to the rider, Gary Williams, a late substitute for an injured Debbie Petherick, he failed to fire at any stage. The Parsons stable may persevere with him on the upcoming Coast circuit to where Flowing Silver is also bound. Slick Million and Robinski were stars in separate orbits on Saturday but they could well clash at

Kumara. Robinski earned a tilt at the Nuggets with a stylish win in the Continental Caterers Handicap the first leg of the double, an effort which reflected his rapid development in recent weeks. Always talented, the handsome son of the good mare, Robanna, did not, at times, seem to take to racing wholeheartedly so Tom and Greta Lalor, reluctantly given the horse’s equable temperament, decided to geld him in the spring. Kept in light work rather than spelled he has come back a much better race horse and should make his presence well and truly felt from now on. Tom Lalor has seen Nuggets results from most angles. His brother, Jim, trained Butch to win the race for him in 1976 while the brothers dead-heated the 1984 renewal with Frontline and the Tom Lalor-trained Accelerate. Robinski’s dam is back in foal to Noble Bijou after missing last season. The Lalors have a Tawfiq yearling from her while a full brother to Robinski, King’s Deputy, is a three-year-old in Tommy Smith’s Randwick team. Robinski didn’t have things easy on Saturday sitting outside the pacemaker, Pavlova’s Beau, but once Gary Williams asked him to go at the 600 m, earlier than he would have liked but done to blunt the developing challenge from Impound further back in the field, Robinski responded in genuine fashion to beat the other horse by a length. Some Bird ran home well for third and there were some good runs fur-

ther back. The badly drawn Main Course made ground solidly, Hurunui recovered from a check at the 600 m to finish sixth and Marc was an unlucky eighth, never working clear in the straight. Robinski’s earnings have now topped $30,000 for his four wins and naturally the Lalors live in hope Robanna will soon leave a filly to carry on what has been a most successful line over the years. End-to-end win Pincer, backed down to odds on after an impressive trial at Riccarton recently, could only manage fourth in the Riccarton Turf Club Two-Year-Old won by Sly Dollar. Sly Dollar, a daughter of One Pound Sterling and the former speedy mare, Sly Wink, led from end-to-end and won easily from Mr Quality and Gay Ribbon.

Sly Dollar is owned by her breeder, Mr Phil Bayley of Matamata, who sent the filly to the Mayfield stable of Jan Hay about a month ago.

The ironies of, the breeding game were not lost on Mrs Hay on Saturday as she recalled she had recently sent home a full sister to Sly Dollar which showed little ability when tried on raceday. Sly Wink was herself an outstanding juvenile winning six races at that age for Errol Skelton including the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham and the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton, a track where she returned to win the Pegasus (now the Printpac Handicap) as a three-year-old. Saturday’s win was Mrs Hay’s twelfth for the season and her first with a two-year-old.