Big handicap at trials no problem for Gina Rosa

Press, 19 July 1989, Page 42

Big handicap at trials no problem for Gina Rosa

By

JEFF SCOTT

The top race mare, Gina Rosa, indicated she is progressing well for next month’s $15,000 Kurow Cup with a winning run from 60 metres behind at the Addington trials yesterday.

The winner of $173,825 this season and more than $360,000 lifetime, Gina Rosa was only out of training for a week after racing at Auckland in April. Driven by Rodger Austin yesterday, the Jack Smolenski-trained mare tracked Revolution (30m) over the last 700 m of the C 3 and faster pace and was untroubled to sprint clear over the closing stages, winning by two lengths. Gina Rosa paced the full 2600 m in cool conditions in 3:25, being timed over her last 2400 m in 3:7, her final 800 m in 58.8 and closing 400 m in a sharp 27.8 seconds. Revolution, driven by Jill Smolenski, showed further improvement with recent trials by holding second, a length in front of the former Sydney pacer, Mister Langus (30m), a newcomer to Ricky Alfeld’s team, which led for a greater part of the journey. Loveridge, which settled last of the eight runners, was doing his best work at the finish next, shading the Fred Fletcher and Mark Smo-lenski-trained stablemates, Swift Fella and Donegal Castle, both of which had little room to improve over the concluding stages. Donegal Castle is a newcomer to their team, having previously won three races from Patrick

O’Reilly junior’s Ashburton stable. Samuel Morgan and Roydon Pride were members of the FletcherSmolenski team in winning form yesterday. Samuel Morgan, the promising son of Smooth Fella closely related to Morgan James, was making a fresh start, since being gelded, in the Two-Year-Old Pace and he finished on terms with Bosma at the end of 2000 m in 2:43.4, after setting the pace. Bosma was travelling the better of the pair at the line, but Samuel Morgan looked as if he would improve with the outing. Roydon Pride scored easily in the Cl and faster trot, outfinishing the pacemaking Gala’s Pride by three-quarters of a length in 3:32.6 for the 2600 m. Qualifiers Mandymite, a three-year-old daughter of Smooth Fella and the Cup-Class mare, Idolmite ,(2:00.7), was the fastest qualifier, returning 3:13.3 for 2400 m. Bred, owned, trained and driven by Colin de Filippi, Mandymite trailed to the straight and outfinished the John Versteegtrained Hohneck (3g Noodlum—The Axe), by a head. The latter which improved from the 600 m to lead early in the run

home, returned 3:13.4. Sovereign Point (2c Sovereign—Maida Point) finished strongly from the tail of the field to win his heat in 3:13.6, for trainer David Butt,, shading the Jeff Whittaker-trained Lumbar Girl (7m Lumber Dream—Birchlea Girl) by half a length, the latter recording 3:13.7. Franco Alex, a three-year-old son of Noodlum and the first foal from the useful Out To Win mare, Alicante, finished best from the trail for trainer Robert Anderson to qualify in 3:18.2, the last 400 m taking 29.3. Results: Two-Year-Old Pace, ’2ooom. —Bosma J. W. Smolensk! and Samuel Morgan F. Fletcher 1-. Only starters. Dead-heat. Time 2:43.4. (800 m in 62.8, 400 m in 30.1). Trainers: L. James (Bosma), F. Fletcher/M. Smolenski (Samuel Morgan). CO Pace,. 2600m.—Olive Grove M. Edmonds 1, Symbolize 2, Platter 3. 12 ran. Franco Glide 4. %L, 2L, L.

Time: 3:32.5. (800 m in 62.5, 400 m in 28.8). Trainer: M. Edmonds. CO Pace, 2600m.—Rocky Dryden R. Geddes 1, Finalize 2, Lord Mancini 3. 11 ran. Outlawed 4. Nk, 7L, */ 2 L. Time: 3:30.9. (800 m in 60, 400 m in 29.3). Trainer. R. Geddes. CO Pace, 2600m.—Codia K. Fairburn 1, Runaway Groom 2, Rocheteau 3. 10 ran. Aznavour 4. ‘/ 2 L, !/ 2 L, 2L. Time: 3:30.9. (800 m in 61.9, 400 m in 29.3). Trainer: K. Fairburn. Cl and C2 Pace, 2600 m—- . M. de Filippi 1, Grand Boy 2, Hickory Wood 3. Six ran. Ice Dancer 4. Nose, 2i/ 2 L, nose. Time: 3:33.6. (800 m in 62.7, 400 m in 28.8). Trainer: B. Hutton. CO and faster Trot, 2600m.—Roydon Pride 20 F . Fletcher 1, Gala’s Pride fr 2, Rebecca Star fr 3. Seven ran. Aran Oriole 4. %L, 7L, BL. Time: 3:32.6. (800 m in 62.6, 400 m in 39.9). Trainers: F. Fletcher and M. Smolenski. C 3 and faster Pace 2600m—Gina Rosa 60 R. Austin 1, Revolution 30 2, Mister Langus 30 3. Eight ran. Loveridge 4. 2L, L, %L. Time: 3:25. (800 m in 59.9, 400 m in 28.3). Trainer J. W. Smolenski.