Rowleyalla sensational

Press, 11 July 1988, Page 34

Rowleyalla sensational

By JEFF SCOTT The Australian three-year-old, Rowleyalla, paced the fastest mile outside North America when he recorded a sensational 1:52.6 in a timetrial at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday evening. The New South Walesbased National Byrd gelding sizzled over quarters in 28.9, 27.5, 27.5 and 28.7 around the lightning fast 1000 m strip for his owner-trainer, Kevin Rivett.

Rowleyalla thus paced halves of 56.4 and 56.2 to stop the timer comfortably inside the previous best record in Australia or New Zealand, Popular Aim’s 1:53.2, also achieved in a time-trail, at Moonee Valley in May, 1983. After winning the $50,000 Queensland Derby two weeks ago, then finishing second to Another Bart in last week’s sAustl 00,000 Australian Derby following a controversial drive, Rowleyalla earned Rivett only $lO,OOO for his efforts on Saturday. He was paid $2500 in appearance money and $7500 for breaking Preux Chevalier’s Albion Park track record of 1:54.3, set in a race there in September, 1985. Last year Rowleyalla caused a sensation by pacing a world record for a juvenile on a halfmile. or smaller track of 1:55 at Harold Park, also against time. Rivett announced after Saturday’s brilliant mile Rowleyalla would tackle the older open-class pacers in races at Albion Park over the next three weeks.

Rowleyalla is an upstanding gelding by a former Prix D’ete placegetter, National Byrd (by Bye Bye Byrd), which took a record of 2:00.4 and earned only $U554,831 after being seriously injured as a juvenile. He is from a High Pendant mare, Sallyalla, the winner of nine races on the track, which took a 1:00.1 time-trial record. She is a sister or halfsister to Elton John (17 wins) and Merryman (16 wins).

Sallyalla, which earlier left the 1:59.6 Harold Park performer, Tamalla (11 wins), was voted the Australian and New South Wales “Broodmare of the Year” last term.

Rowleyalla’s granddam, Lady Sal, is by a Light Brigade horse, Allegiance, from a Stormyway mare, Lady Oamaru. Lady Oamaru left five foals which won 10 or more races each in Australia, though none were spectacular. This is the May Travis branch of the Fanny family that originated in Canterbury and North Otago. This family has not had a lot of luck breeding in New Zealand, though, with Couthie, a mare which won five races in the 1950 s before ending up in Perth, being its best winner here.

The Fanny family had left only six in 2:00 up until last year, with another branch gaining fame by leaving the 1978 Inter-Dominion champion, Markovina.

A colt brother to Rowleyalla (now the winner of over sAust3oo,ooo) was passed in for $26,000, with a reserve of $40,000, at the Inter-Dominion Yearling Sale in Sydney four months ago.