Testament cruises to Guineas Trial win

Press, 28 September 1988, Page 48

Testament cruises to Guineas Trial win

Special correspondent Auckland As good as Testament looked when winning at Te Aroha yesterday it seems he could be even better by the time he gets to the Guineas at Ellerslie on October 15. First thoughts of Testament’s trainer, Alan Jones, as his gelding came back from winning yesterday’s Gilbeys Guineas Trial, at the Te Aroha Jockey Club’s meeting, were to run the gelding next in the big three-year-old race at Ellerslie with-

out another race in the interim. But after inspecting Testament as he was taken away from unsaddling, and a quick word with Testament’s rider, Peter Johnson, Jones was not so sure. Johnson’s advice was that Testament could probably do with another race before the Winstone Guineas. It seems, then, that he cuold be a runner in the Winstone Guineas Trial, another 1400 metres, on the first day of the Auck-

land spring meeting on October 8. Johnson handled Testament with excellent judgment yesterday, taking him to the front after about 200 metres and then holding him together nicely until Olga’s Pal came up with her game challenge, about 200 metres from the finish. Johnson gave his mount a flick with the whip and was then able to ride him hands and heels the rest of the way to win by almost two lengths.