Davison in form at Hokitika

Press, 22 November 1988, Page 41

Davison in form at Hokitika

By

DAVID McCARTHY

Grant Davison rode his second T.A.B. double in less than a month when he got Exchequer and Veda home in the feature events at the Westland Racing Club’s meeting yesterday, but only after the judicial committee had promoted Veda ahead of Tirana which beat her to the post by a neck.

The pair had been locked together over the final stages and a protest lodged by Davison was upheld after lengthy deliberation by the committee.

The films of the incident did not show beyond doubt that the interference complained of, with Tirana alleged to have moved in on Veda, happened before the post. The committee decided on their own observations that this had been the case and relegated Tirana.

The connections of Tirana intend to lodge an appeal against the decision. Raymond Bruce was later fined $175 on a careless riding charge over the incident while Davison did not emerge from the day unscathed, copping a $l5O fine for

causing a check to Reykjavik on Wendy Jane in the final event. Veda was the second winner on the day trained by Neil Coulbeck. Davison will team with the mare again in the Miss Scenicland 10,000 tomorrow. Veda is owned by the northern studmaster, Norm Hawthorne, and raced first for Coulbeck at Wingatui in September running second to Silver Mask.

“She was sent down here as a selling proposition but she’s been pretty consistent and hasn’t been further back than third,” Coulbeck said.

Veda handled the heavy conditions well but Tirana fought valiantly after overcoming a wide draw and the pacemaker Matamua battled on for third.

Veda gave Davison his fourth win on the day, the most confident of his exhibitions coming on Exchequer in the Wilsons Whisky Handicap. Exchequer was trapped wide early, as Davison concentrated on getting him settled, and then moved him up from the 800 m, going easily to the front soon after the turn for home. Marc rallied late to run him closer than perhaps Davison anticipated but the grey was still going well at the finish post. Exchequer is owned by the Te Rapa trainer, Ray Cleaver, in partnership with Mr and Mrs Bryan McLuckie. He was sent south to Garth Jackson in the spring and looks like being a more than useful proposition in provincial events. Jackson will probably reserve the son of

One Pound Sterling for the Greymouth Cup next Monday. Davison’s double followed a similar achievement at the Banks Peninsula meeting at the end of October on Eye Full and Amorous. He now has 33 winners for the season.

His four wins yesterday, however, were no greater thrill for him than Cheryl Walter’s first in the O’Malley Handicap when she brought Yafta down the outside to beat the favourite, Reykjavik, and Wendy Jane, a close relation of Mr Amuri.

Walter, aged 22, is apprenticed to Garth Jackson and hails from Westport. Her first win came with her eighteenth ride and brought a welcome change of luck also for Yafta’s owner-trainer, Mark Bailey.