Freedom proves game fighter

Press, 31 August 1989, Page 41

Freedom proves game fighter

PA Wellington The smart Noodlum gelding, Freedom Fighter, showed he was back to his best when he won the Lion Brown Hotel Mobile Pace (2000 m at Hutt Park on Tuesday evening. The five-year-old had been off the scene since contesting the Lion Red Series at Alexandra Park in February when he suffered a foot infection. His Prebbleton ownertrainer, Graham Pearson, said the horse had been sore when he contested the Lion Red Final and part of his near fore hoof fell away later. It took a long time to heal and has only recently come right. Freedom Fighter was recording his fourth victory and three of them have been at Hutt Park. His first two were in a three and four-year-old graduation series at the same meeting last year. Pearson, who mixes training with a part-time job as a computer programmer at Canterbury University, bred Freedom Fighter from the Boyden Hanover mare, Herat. The latter won one race, but injury cut short her career.

Headed in the early rush for positions Freedom Fighter was taken to the front after 400 m and was in command from that point. He was chased home by the favourite, Miss Mischief, which was unlucky. She raced in the trail and driver Jim Curtin was denied a run until the last 50m. Race Time Glenn, after receiving a good run one out and one back, ran on well for third, a length and a quarter back. Jeka weakened to fourth after being parked most of the way.

The Oxford visitor, Scimitar, showed his liking for the Hutt Park track when he scored an easy win in the Cambridge Hotel Mobile Pace, the second leg of the T.A.B. double.

The Sholty Imp gelding has recorded each of his three wins on the track for trainer-driver Robert Asquith and his Wellington syndicate of owners. Scimitar was parked early, but then received a good run one out and one back. He unleashed a strong finish to win impressively by three lengths.