Surprise win for Flameaway

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 38

Surprise win for Flameaway

By

JEFF SCOTT

The Weedons reinsman, Jack Smolenski, combined with the Jack Carmichaeltrained Flameaway, to win their second race of the season at long odds in the Rotorua Travelodge Handicap Trot at Addington Raceway last evening. Smolenski, who was credited with his fourteenth driving success for the season, earlier drove Flameaway to win at

Oamaru in October for the Carmichael stable. Smolenski also won the Ordeal Cup in September behind Jenner which is trained by Carmichael who has retained the drive on his other openclass trotter, Yankee Loch, throughout the season.

To the punters’ dismay Yankee Loch, which was installed as a firm $2.30 win favourite, lost all

chance when he broke hopelessly 1100 metres out. Yankee Loch went to the front 1300 m out but was attacked by Bulla Mattari and broke soon after. By comparison, Flameaway, a seven-year-old daughter of Game Pride and Flameur, was the outsider of the 10horse field and paid $42.65 to win. For a time early in the

race it was touch and go whether Flameaway would remain a contender when she galloped for a few strides after only 300 m, but came back down trotting without losing ’ more than three lengths. Settling down again three back on the inner, Smolenski gained an opening one off the fence 150 metres out with

Flameaway and burst through on the line to win by a “pencil line” according to the judge, Mr Geoff Bruhns. Lustre Fella was gallant in defeat after being in the firing line throughout and hooking out from the trail early in the run home. Bulla Mattari was run down over the closing stages, finishing third a length away.