Stablemates show fitness for series

Press, 31 August 1989, Page 41

Stablemates show fitness for series

By

JEFF SCOTT

Last season’s Great Northern Derby winner, Inky Lord, and promising stablemate Field Commander, indicated they are progressing well for next month’s $50,000 D.B. Superstar Championship with smart runs at the Addington trials yesterday.

Inky Lord was untroubled to peel off the back of Willow Chip with 100 m to run in the C3-OC pace and cruise to the line a long neck in front of that intermediate grade pacer.

The Lordship entire paced the 2600 m from a stand in 3:22.9. After starting from 50m behind, he was timed over the journey, post-to-post, (mobile) in 3:19.6, sprinting in from the 800 m in 57.3 seconds and his final 400 m in 28.3.

“He’s filled out quite a bit since last season and has completed three months work. He seems pretty well,” said trainer Brian Saunders of Inky Lord, the winner of 11 races from 20 lifetime starts for earnings of $230,625. Field Commander, which has raced only six times for five wins, all last season, was far from disgraced in being beaten a nose by the open class mare, Michele Bromac, in the Cl and faster mobile pace.

The strapping son of Vance Hanover was in the open for much of the trial, with Michele Bromac enjoying the run of the race on the outer. The full 2600 m was run in a leisurely 3:29.2, however the leaders stormed in over their last 800 m in 57.3 and 400 m in 27.8, with Michele Bromac shading her four-year-old rival on the line.

"Possibly Field Commander might be slightly more forward than Inky Lord at this stage,” said Saunders.

Stable reinsman Ricky May is placed in the unenviable position of being embarrassed with driving opportunities in the Superstar series.

Saunders confirmed yesterday that May and fellow Mid-Canterbury reinsman, Kerry O’Reilly, will drive the stablemates in the Superstar heat (on Saturday week) and championship (on Friday September 15). Which horseman drives which will be decided next week.

“I’m leaving it up to Brian,” said May. “It will be hard for Inky Lord off 20m behind in what looks like being a really good field. It will be hard giving Field Commander, for one, a start and a beating,” he said. "Inky Lord made one of the best beginnings he has ever made today (off 50m), but was still a long way from the leaders early.”

The talented John Langdon-trained stablemates, Neroship and Letterkenny Lad, were the only North Island nominees received by the New Zealand Metropolitan Club for the Superstar series yesterday, however nominations do not close until today. Bardolino, Pachelbel, Unique Blue Chip, Hohneck, Franco Glide, Shuttle, Module’s Gift and Montini Royal were other nominees for the Superstar Championship yesterday.

Michele Bromac, which defeated Field Commander yesterday, is being

readied for the $25,000 Avon City Ford Cup on the first night of the New Brighton September meeting on Saturday week. Confirmed fitness Franco Tiger, an impressive qualifier last month from Kevin Ryder’s West Melton stable, confirmed his fitness for the Cheshire Motors Mobile Pace at Forbury Park on Saturday with another win at the trials yesterday.

The son of Bo Scots Blue Chip and Tempest Tiger was untroubled to lead throughout the CO mobile heat in 3:23.4, the leaders running their last 800 m in 59 and 400 m in 29.

Trudy Hobbs, a daughter of the Meadow Skipper stallion, Brave Rebel, and from the same family as the good winners, Captain Peter (nine wins), Samantha (15 wins) and Highland Don (10 wins), beat two others in the Two-Year-Old Heat. After trailing to the straight, she finished best in a creditable 2:44 for the 2000 m to hold out Russley Cheval, the first representative of the Lumber Dream stallion, Preux Chevalier (1:54.3), to appear at trials. Russley Cheval, a halfsister to Russley Lord, lost five or six lengths early and was timed over her last 800 m in 59.5 without being unduly hurried. Results: Two-Year-Old Pace, 2000 m.— Trudy Hobbs (Brave Rebel-Tokay f) M. Woodfield 1, Russley Cheval (Preux Chevalier-Golmak f)2,

Clovelly Star (Flying DownFrancine) 3. Only starters, 114 len, 1(4 len. Time: 2:44 (800 m in 61.2, 400 m in 32). Trainer: M. Woodfield.

CO Pace, mobile, 2600 m—- . Tiger L. Daly 1, Pardubice 2, Express Module 3, Module Dragon 4. Only starters. >/ 2 len . '4 len, % ten - Time: 3:23.4 (800 m in 59, 400 m in 29). Trainer: P. K. Ryder. Cl and faster Pace, mobile, 2600 m— Michele Bromac C. de Filippi 1, Field Commander 2, Loveridge 3. Seven ran. Night Hawk 4. Nose, 2(/ 2 len, 1% len. Time: 3:29.2 (800 m in 57.3, 400 m in 27.8). Trainer: C. de Filippi.

CO Pace, 2600 m.— Amendment T. Butt 1, Rocheteau 2, Certain Style 3. Eight ran. Koau Mate 4. Hd, hd, nk. Time: 3:35 (800 m in 61.3, 400 m in 29.6). Trainer: T. Butt.

CO Trot, 2600 m.— Blake’s Pride R. Cameron 1, Kiwi Spirit 2, Junior Rogers 3. Nine ran. Game Sally 4. 2(/ 2 len, len, 7 len. Time: 3:33.7 (800 m in 61.2, 400 m in 30.9). Trainer: R. Cameron.

CO Pace, 2600 m.— Franco Dot A. Butt 1, Tact Bo Scot 2, Mid Off 3. Eight ran. Martina 4. Nk, hd, len. Time: 3:28.1 (800 m in 59.9, 400 m in 29.9). Trainer: R. Anderson.

Cl and 2 Pace, 2600 m—- . Groom J. Austin 1, So Sure 2, Hickory Wood 3. 11 ran. Grand Boy 4. Nose, hd, nk. Time: 3:30.6 (800 m in 62.1, 400 m in 30). Trainer: J. W. Smolenski.

Cl-OC Trot, 2600 m—- . Wave fr R. Austin 1, Rebel Time 40 2, Gala’s Pride fr 3. Six ran. False Call 4. Nk, 7 len, 2 len. Time: 3:32.8 (800 m in 60.8, 400 m in 30.3). Trainer: M. Austin.

C3-OC Pace, 2600 m— Inky Lord 50 R. May 1, Willow Chip 20 2, Terregles fr 3. Eight ran. Dakota 4. Long nk, 1 (4 len, 1 >/ 2 len. Time: 3:22.9. (no 800 m recorded, last 400 m in 29.5). Trainer: B. Saunders.