Auckland campaign planned

Press, 22 November 1988, Page 41

Auckland campaign planned

By JEFF SCOTT The promising Ashburton three-year-old, Bardolino, earned himself a trip to Auckland next month with his authoritative front-running win at Addington last Saturday. “The club want him there so he’ll probably go up along with Rostriever Hanover and Tyron Scottie,” said trainer-reins-man, Pat O’Reilly jun. Bardolino’s success was minor consolation for O’Reilly, whose luck was right out in the feature events with the two stable stars. "I’ll have to go to Auckland now, it’s the only place I can win a big one,” he quipped.

Bardolino, a strapping son of Plat Du Jour, took his record to two wins and a third in three outings on Saturday, but O’Reilly is not getting carried away with his ability just yet. “He’s just a horse, but he’s tough and just keeps going,” said O’Reilly, who intends lining the gelding up again this Saturday in the Orari Challenge Stakes. With the steady exodus of three-year-old pacers being snapped up for the overseas market in the last few weeks, Bardolino could develop into a derby horse with further > racing and experience. He showed his toughness, second-up, on Show

Day when he equalled Hilarious Guest’s former three-year-old 2600 m (stand) record. After setting a strong pace, he finished third in 3:20.9 to record-breaker, Dilettante, in an age-group race. Bardolino wears spreaders (guiders around the front shoulders) as he tends to touch himself with his front legs going around corners without them. He is raced by the Ashburton-based Grand Cheval Syndicate, which earlier raced Vonnie’s Charm to win twice from Colin de Filippi's stable and which later gained a few placings for O’Reilly.

“Colin actually broke in both Bardolino and Mystic Bromac but I got them when he went up north. I’ve done well with both of them,” said O’Reilly. Bardolino, purchased privately by the syndicate, is the sixth foal to race and sixth winner from the Lordship mare, La Romola, a winner of one race herself. Others from La Romola include the consistent New South Wales pacer, Smart Leader (18 wins and oyer $Austl00,000), Winning Note (eight wins), Ravena (three wins), Early Riser (three wins) and Avanti (two wins). Le Romola’s grand-

dam, Glint, won 11 races including the 1955 N.Z. Welcome Stakes and the N. Z. Oaks, while she also finished second to False Step (beaten a head) in the 1955 N.Z. Derby. Glint’s half-brother, Willie Win, won eight races including the 1972 N.Z. Derby, while other smart winners from this Spangle branch of the Princess Dolly family include: Chatterton (1:58.4), Hardcraft (five wins), Merry Amber (1:58), . Glister (five wins), Bruce (seven wins), Patchy (1962 Golden Slipper Stakes) and Liquid Lightning (1:57 and over $50,000).