Starship on target as Triple Crown countdown begins

Press, 25 February 1988, Page 35

Starship on target as Triple Crown countdown begins

By

JEFF SCOTT

Starship commenced his countdown for the John Brandon Triple Crown series next month with a win at the Addington trials yesterday.

The big Lordship colt, which looked in magnificent order, won the Cl and faster pace over 2600 m in 3:24.2, and was timed over his last 2400 m

in 3:4.6 with his last 800 m in 61.85.

Starship was slow to begin, adding another 20m to his 30m handicap. He then had to pace his opening 800 m of his last 2400 m in 60.3 s and the

first mile in 2:2.7, as the former West Coast pacer, Murmac (now with Murray Butt at Templeton), set a smart clip in front.

Apart from again showing his tendency to duck in during the run home, Starship came through the trial with flying colours. His Woodend trainer, Bill McDonald, gave the three-year-old a six-week spell after Starship beat just two home in the $150,000 Fay, Richwhite Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington in November. Starship is to have a

pipe-opener before the Derby series in the $lO,OOO Chung Wah II Restaurant Mobile Pace over 2000 m for his age group at Addington in a fortnight. Star Supreme, now with Ned Black, fought on from the trail for second yesterday, three-quarters of a length in arrears of Starship, with Sir Donald, which settled fourth, battling on in a gap of five lengths. The former Southland pacer, Tempestuous, now with Greg Hope at Weedons, made ground for fourth, just ahead of the faster-finishing Mystic Wonder.

Grobbelaar, a form runner for the R. M. Cameron Mobile Stakes for juveniles at Ashburton on Saturday, was untroubled to lead over the last 1700 m of the two-year-old mobile pace yesterday. The El Patron colt paced the 2000 m in a useful

2:36.2, quickening over his closing 800 m in 60.6 s and his last 400 m in 30.45. Last Song, an entrant for the Tekau Mobile Pace at Ashburton, held

on to beat Nansorb in the Cl and faster mobile pace

yesterday in 3:28, quickening from the 400 m in a swift 28.75. Results: Two-Year-Old Pace, mobile, 2000 m.— Grobbelaar

It C. de Filippi 1, Delightful Moon It 2, Visionary It 3. Six ran. Media Miss fourth. 2 len, nk, nk. Time: 2:36.2. (800 m in 60.6, 400 in 30.4). CO Pace, mobile, 2600 m— Bestaway It P. Blackmore 1, Trying It 2, Nickolina It 3. Seven ran. Pankhurst fourth. Len, len, 4 len. Time: 3:25.8. (800 m in 62.8, 400 m in 31.1). Cl and faster Pace, mobile, 2600 m.— Last Song It J. Noble 1, Nansorb It 2, Royal Flier It 3. Fella’s Hour 4. Only starters. y 2 nk, 4 len, 4 len. Time: 3:29. (800 m in 62.2, 400 m in 28.7). Two-Year-Old Pace, 2000 m— Kotare Helmsman It G. Court 1, Kotare Cruise It 2, Lady Dreamer It 3. Clowance 4.

Only starters. I<4 len, y 2 hd, 5 len. Time: 2:52.1. (800 m in 63.1, 400 m in 29). CO Pace, 2600 m— Dandy Bromac It B. Crothers 1, Be Wary It 2, Bobbie Cuthbertson It 3. 11 ran. Tetipua Boy

fourth. 4 len, y 2 nk, nk. Time: 3:31.7. (800 m in 63.2, 400 m in

30.7). CO Trot, 2600 m.— Dalrae Hanover It N. Munro 1, Gallant Beauty It and Princess Phillipa It 2nd equal. Five ran. Thadius fourth. y 2 len, dead-heat, 15 len. Time:

3:40.5. (800 m in 62.9, 400 m in 30.2). CO Pace, 2600 m.— Colonel Poplar It R. Stechman 1, Salazar It 2, Tera Koe It 3. 13 ran. Difurn Fella fourth. Hd, nose, iy 2 len. Time: 3:28. (800 m in 62.8, 400 m in 30.6). Cl and faster Trot, 2600 m.— Newhaven It I. Cameron 1, Dancing Armbro 30 2, Wave Goodbye It 3. Five ran. Barcelona fourth. y 2 len, iy 4 len, 10 len. Time: 3:34.6. (800 m in 61.6, 400 m in 29.9). Cl and faster Pace, 2600 m— Starship 30 I. Cameron 1, Star Supreme It 2, Sir Donald It 3. 10 ran. Tempestuous fourth. % len, 5 len, 2 len. Time: 3:24.2. (800 m in 63.4, 400 m in 31.3).