Court’s qualifiers create impression

Press, 22 August 1989, Page 33

Court’s qualifiers create impression

By

JEFF SCOTT

The West Melton trainer, Graham Court, produced two impressive pacing qualifiers at the Motukarara trials yesterday, in Fella Ship and Smooth Edge.

Fella Ship, a halfbrother to last season’s champion three-year-old filly, Happy Hazel (1:57.6), came clear from a handy spot to win his qualifying heat by two lengths in 3:14.7 for the 2400 m. A rich black colt by Lordship from the Most Happy Fella mare Jovial Jeanie (nine wins including the 1978 Franklin Cup), Fella Ship is raced by Court in partnership with stable client Terry McDonald. The leaders ran their last 400 m in a respectable

29 seconds yesterday. Fella Ship had earlier shown a flashy quarter at the Addington trials 11 days earlier, running the last 400 m of a 2000 m three-year-old trial in 27.7. “He’s still pretty inexperienced. He’s only been to a couple of trials,” said Court, who has no immediate engagements for Fella Ship. This Malabella-Bella-jilly line has been notable for the top fillies and racemares it has produced. However, Vanadium (1:57.0, 19 wins including the Easter Cup) in the 19705, and Imperial Grant (1:58.1, 11 Australian wins) and Personality

Pete, a half-brother to Happy Hazel and Fella Ship which has recorded nine wins and 13 placings for earnings of sAust6o,ooo in Victoria, have done much to embellish the male line of this family in more recent

times. Fella Ship looks capable of being another smart male performer from this family over the next few seasons. Sheer Grunt (3g Smooth Fella-Kishmarie) fought on for second to Fella Ship for trainer Colin de Filippi, qualifying in 3:15.1. Smooth Edge, Court’s second qualifier, recovered after an early lapse to win his trial convincingly in a slower 3:17.7, running clear by lengths, the leaders taking 30.6 for their last 400 m. A colt by the successful Most Happy Fella stallion, Smooth Fella (102 in 2:00), Smooth Edge is the first foal of the Lumber Dream mare, Lesley Brigade, a half-sister to Light Lord (1:59.3, seven wins), Kathy Brigade (seven wins) and Armbro Craig (10 Victorian trotting wins). From the same family as the 1961 New Zealand Cup winner, Invicta, Smooth Edge is bred on the same Smooth FellaLumber Dream cross that produced the outstanding pacers, Roydon Glen (1:57, $464,000, 22 wins including the 1985 Auckland Cup) and Tuapeka

Knight (1:58 at two years, 12 wins from 14 starts). Court was unlucky not to qualify a third three-year-old colt, Governor’s Image (Del Cavallo-Big Softie), which was travelling easily in the next

heat but was unable to work clear over the closing stages. Other pacers to qualify over 2400 m were Special Bo (4g Bo Scots Blue Chip-Sweet Reason) in 3:18.4, and Turn The Page (3F F. Troop-Paigette) in 3:19.4. He’s Incredible (3g Noodlum-Twiggy Jo) won the 2600 m heat in 3:33 to gain his ticket. Sergeant Jones (4g Game Pride-Delpelo), a brother to earlier good winners Doncella (trotting) and General Jones (pacing), went four seconds under the

trotters’ qualifying time to win his heat decisively in 3:20.5 (2400 m Trained at Templeton by Derek Jones, Sergeant Jones is also a halfbrother to this year’s Inter-Dominion Trotting Championship contender, Suave Guy, a good Victorian winner by Smooth Fella. Jackie Boy (4m Count Bay-Jackie Logan) was second in 3:21.4 for the Tom and Barry Clark stable, with Urgency (4g Game Way-Express Goods) third in 3:22.2 for Brookside trainer Barry Hamilton. Ima Mercedes, a member of Steve Little’s Templeton team, took

time honours among' the winners of the barrier trials over 2600 m, finishing best for Michael de Filippi in 3:28.8 in a maiden heat. Detemar, which resumes from Jeff Whittaker’s stable in the Lin-

wood City Pharmacy Trot at Addington Raceway on Saturday, was untroubled to sprint clear of Captain Paul and Some Fire in the Cl and faster trot, returning 3:33.8. The Game Pride gelding was timed over his last 400 m in 30.5. Michele Bromac, which is to resume at the New Brighton meeting next month, took out a threehorse C 5 and faster trial in a slow 3:35.8. The pace was only on over the last 800 m which Michele Bromac, after trailing three back to the straight, cut out in a slick. 57.7.

The top Besta Fella mare sprinted in over her last 400 m in 27 seconds for trainer Colin de Filippi and went to the line strongly to beat Wait A Moment, which trailed, convincingly by a neck. Wait A Moment, a fresh runner for the CB-OC Commercial Union Insurance Handicap at Addington on Saturday, was not quite as sharp as trainer Jeff Whittaker had hoped. “I thought Michele Bromac got to the front a bit easy. I know they sprinted home fast, but the over-all time was slow. I was pleased with Detemar though,” he said.

Other winners were Bay Thyme, a half-brother to Bay Loch in Dick Prendergast’s Chertsey stable, which led throughout the CO trot in 3:36.6, and Symbolize, which led throughout the CO pace in 3:39.1.