Colt returns to winning form

Press, 9 November 1988, Page 48

Colt returns to winning form

By

ALEX McMILLAN

Unique Blue Chip, off the winning list for 11 months, gained a deserved win in the final heat of the Liquorland and Sires’ Stakes series at Addington yesterday. Given a perfect run on the outer by Mike de Filippi Unique Blue Chip mastered Goldie’s Fella with 50m to run and scored by half-a-neck, with Highview Boy, which broke badly after 150 m, doing well to finish third, three and a quarter lengths back. The favourite, Nero’s Jay, secured a trailing run behind Goldie’s Fella but was never clear, according to his trainer-driver, Craig Buchan, and finished under a hard hold at the rear of the ninehorse field. Goldie’s Fella and driver Kirk Larsen were allowed to set a dawdling pace through the first 800 m of the mobile mile event, and, sprinting their last half in 58.78, only just failed to carry the day. Highview Boy struck a foot-rest (not for the first time) and his effort to finish as close after making contact with the field 1100 m out deserved a bet-

ter fate. Unique Blue Chip’s success could hardly be begrudged him, however, the youngster having finished second on four occasions and third seven times since winning the New Zealand Slipper Stakes at Oamaru last December. The son of Bo Scots Blue Chip has recently recovered from teething problems, according to his Ashburton part-owner and trainer, Peter Boag. Mike de Filippi, who has yet to drive in a Sires’

Stakes Final, will again take the reins behind the colt in Friday’s $150,000 feature. The Patumahoe (South Auckland) four-year-old. Just Michael, kept his unbeaten record intact when easily winning the Gordons Gin Handicap Pace at Addington yesterday. Well placed on the outer throughout the 2000 m, the Brian Notmantrained gelding held out a stern challenge from Dakota to win in a class record time of

2:31.98. Just Michael was driven by Mark Purdon, and the win provided some compensation for Tax Credit’s less than memorable performance in the New Zealand Cup earlier in the day. Just Michael, which was having his fifth start yesterday, was bred in MidCanterbury and is by Midshipman from the Regal Yankee mare, Just Sally, the winner of seven races and retired after damaging a suspensory ligament.