Matt’s Choice to keep grinding

Press, 22 August 1989, Page 33

Matt’s Choice to keep grinding

Otago correspondent Matt’s Choice, which won the hurdles by the barest of margins at Oamaru yesterday, will back up at Wingatui on Friday. “He might as well keep going while the tracks are firm. He is not that good in the wet,” said his Winton trainer, Leo Boyle, who races the gelding with Winton harness racing horseman Owen Cameron. Matt’s Choice made the pace and survived a stern challenge from Gay Voyager, which moved from fourth to second at the second-last fence. First win Phoebe Gerard broke through for her first winning ride when she partnered Sereb in his first jumping win in the J. M. Shaw Memorial Steeplechase. Gerard, aged 19, began race riding three months ago and was having her thirteenth ride and her eleventh in a jumping race. She has been working for the Yaldhurst trainer, Michael Pitman for three years. She earlier rode at point to points and hunts. Gerard had been beaten a nose when riding Gay Voyager in the hurdles yesterday. She was substituting for Danny Crozier. He did not make the meeting due to transport problems.

Gerard had Sereb eight lengths clear at the threequarter mark yesterday, then eased back to the field in the middle stages. The favourite, Prestissimo, joined Sereb in front at the 800 m, but the latter resisted her attention to win by half a length.

It was Sereb’s first win since he was sold out of the Arthur and Leslie Didham stable at Wingatui to patrons of the Waimate trainer, Bert Cousins. Sereb won four races on the flat. Old firm back The “old firm” were back in business when Nanu, trained by John Parsons and ridden by Shane McCann, led for the last 1200 m in The Members. Parsons and McCann teamed to win 24 races last season. 45 to one Babur, which had not raced for almost two years, was a maiden winner yesterday at odds of 45 to one. A five-year-old by Causeur from Deceptive, Babur has been schooling over hurdles and recently qualified. Babur was unplaced in two starts as a three-year-old and trainer Brian Anderton felt he needed 12 months to develop. His Ranfurly ownerbreeders, Verdon Herlihy and Robin Weir, decided

to give him 18 months in the paddock. They bought the dam of Babur, Deceptive (two wins) for $6OO at a Wingatui sale. She foaled a colt by Native Turn a fortnight later, but he died when a few days old. Right decision The decision to send Fronaree south to obtain firmer tracks paid off when she finished boldly to win the Regal Vain Handicap. Fronaree was sent to Balcairn trainer Danny Frye by her Te Puke owner, Peter Hills, after battling on wet tracks in the Auckland area. The six-year-old Danseur Etoile mare has now had a win and a second from three starts for Frye after being off the winning list for some time. The Oamaru course has held mixed fortunes for Frye. He had a fall there in his third ride as a jockey. Later in his riding career he came back after fracturing his neck to immediately ride a winner on the course. Frye, who has a permit to train, recently recommissioned Nicolai Queen, which won twice early last season before she fractured a pedal bone. Fronaree came from beyond midfield in the hands of Chris Johnson, who earlier had won the hurdles on Matt’s Choice and a maiden on Wish.