Noble Pal shows fitness

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 31

Noble Pal shows fitness

Special correspondent Dunedin Noble Pal displayed a high standard of fitness when he won his heat at the Wingatui barrier trials on Saturday. Wanna, Silver Mask and Lady Gail were others to make a good impression. Noble Pal led from the start in the open 1200 m heat and always had his rivals covered. He ran the distance in 1:13.6, the last 800 m in 49.3, sound times on a slightly easing track. Noble Pal is being aimed at the Dunedin Cup on February 27. He will have a lead-up race at the Southland meeting on Friday week. He was running on late for fifth in the Invercargill Cup at his most recent start after two wins on the Wingatui course last month. Taciturn was outside Noble Pal from the 800 m on Saturday and ran him to three quarters of a length. Rider, Russell McAra, and trainer, Cliff ReeseJones, were satisfied with her run. She did not wear blinkers and is not at all keen without them. ReeseJones has scrapped plans to start her in the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham next Saturday. He said he was unable to make suitable transport arrangements. He has turned his attention to a mares and fillies race at Riccarton the same day with the Dunedin Guineas winner. She was a maiden winner at Riccarton in November. Silver Mask boosted his prospects for Tuesday’s Gore Guineas when he came strongly in the closing stages to dead-heat for first with Lady Gail in an open 1000 m heat. Silver Mask was giving the pacemaker, Gail, a start of four lengths at the 350 m. He appears to have improved since finishing fourth fresh up at Wingatui on December 21. That effort followed a stifle operation and his trainer, John Heasley, feels the horse may have lacked confidence. Lady Gail, which has had an easy time since the New Year, disputed the pace. She was capably handled by Terry Stephens, who was having his first ride at trials. Stephens signed up last month with the Arthur and Leslie Didham stable. He has been with them about 12 months. Duisburg came again after sharing the pace to win the other 1000 m open heat. He had half a head on Westwood Girl, which staged a big run to lead him short of the line. Wanna, a promising three-year-old filly in the Heasley stable, ran away with a 1000 m maiden heat. She was outside the pacemaker to the 350 m, then strode clear by six lengths. The daughter of Noble Bijou and Lowanna has been taken along patiently and she is expected to have her first race at the Otago meeting next month.