Riverina’s win soured

Press, 27 February 1989, Page 32

Riverina’s win soured

NZPA Sydney The Sir Tristram filly, Riverina Charm, partowned by Peter and Phillip Vela, of Hamilton, showed great staying potential when winning the sAust2so,ooo Canterbury Guineas in Sydney on Saturday. But the gloss was taken off Ron Quinton’s winning ride when the jockey was suspended by the stewards until March 11 for causing interference to Record Dash 400 m from the winning post. Riverina Charm, starting 13-4 favourite, took advantage of a fast pace set at the front by the New Zealander, Krona, and flashed home in the last 100 m to beat Better Loosen Up by three-quar-ters of a length. Chaleyer was three lengths third and Krona was another three-quar-ters. of a length away in fourth place — pleasing Cambridge trainer, Roger McGlade, with his Australian debut and first race in two months. Riverina Charm, owned by a syndicate that includes the Vela brothers and English pools magnate/ Robert Sangster, clocked 1:55.5 to break the race record of 1:56.1 set' by McGinty. Trainer, Brian Maysaid he

start Riverina Charm in the Rosehill Guineas (2000 m on March 11 or the Storm Queen Stakes (2000 m a week later on the same track as a leadup to the sAust3so,ooo AJC Oaks (2400 m at Randwick on March 29. Krona, New Zealand’s top three-year-old in the spring with victories in the 2000 Guineas and Bayer Classic, led going into the first turn and was racing strongly at the front with 600 m to go but then tired in the straight and battled on gamely. McGlade said Krona ended up in front because of his wide barrier draw and because the pace slackened at the first bend.

"Considering it’s been eight weeks since he had a race, he stuck to his work well but lacked that bit of race hardness,” McGlade said.

He hopes to start Krona in the Rosehill Guineas, with the sAustl.2s million AJC Derby (2400 m at Randwick on March 25 being the ultimate aim of his Australian campaign.

New Zealand’s other entry in the Canterbury Guineas, Yukon Gold, confirmed his connection’s worries that he would not handle the Canterbury track’s ’ sharp turns and finished

eleventh of the 14 starters.

Jockey, Nigel Tiley, said Yukon Gold slipped and slithered all the way around, but trainer Keith Reddaway hopes the chestnut gelding will benefit from the race.

"It’s disappointing on the face of it,” he said. “But when Nigel confirmed what our fears had been all along, it was not quite so bad.” Although Yukon Gold “blew out” after the race, Reddaway said this was to be expected as he was a bit short of work and was “right in himself.” In Melbourne, apprentice John Didham — son of former Melbourne Cup winning jockey Midge Didham — scored the biggest win of his career when he rode Clay Hero to victory in the SAustl 75,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100 m at Caulfield.

After being trapped wide from barrier 13, he was able to score by a short head from Lonely Dreamer. Veteran Melbourne jockey, Harry White, said he would stick with New Zealand sprinter Festal despite finishing tenth on Saturday. *‘He’s good enough but blew after the race and neede«J the run,” he said.