Inky Lord proves crowd-pleaser

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 32

Inky Lord proves crowd-pleaser

By

JEFF SCOTT

Last season’s Great Northern Derby winner, Inky Lord, had the crowd on their toes with a brilliant last 2400 m of 2:59.6 to win the Second D.B. Superstar Four-Year-Old Trial at Addington on Saturday, and thus seal his favouritism for next Friday’s $50,000 Superstar Championship. The Lordship colt (20m) met interference early when stablemate Field Commander (10m) galloped off the mark and was veered wider by reinsman Kerry O’Reilly to avoid the breaking front-market, Defoe. Inky Lord had added another 30m to his handicap on settling down and ran his first 800 m of his last 2400 m in 58.6 to catch the field. With the pace torrid in front, Inky Lord’s reinsman, Ricky May, did not ask the Methven speedster for a serious effort until the straight when he comfortably sailed past the leader, Neroship, with 75m to run, scoring by half a length. The Superstar favourite ran his last mile in 2:1, his final 800 m in 58.4 and his closing quarter in 28.4. After the event he looked like he had not had a

race. “That is the great thing about him, his ability to relax, not only about the place, but also in his races,” said owner Gavin Saunders. “He doesn’t really work that great at home, but whenever you pull him out he always grabs the bit.”

Trainer Brian Saunders feels there will be even further improvement in Inky Lord for next Friday’s feature, which will be disconcerting for his rivals.

“The race shouldn’t knock him. Both Inky Lord and Field Commander have done a lot of strong work and they weren’t blowing afterwards.” Despite winning the Queen’s Birthday Stakes on a rain-affected track at Ashburton in June, Saunders felt the wet track on Saturday was against Field Commander.

Even though he lost ground early, Field Commander beat only one home, but Saunders was not too disappointed. “Inky Lord does not seem to mind the wet, but Field Commander gets too high in his action when it is like this,” he said.

Bardolino ran on strongly for second, but was later relegated to seventh for causing interference to Pachelbel with 1300 m to run. His trainer-driver, Pat O’Reilly, jun., pushed out from the fence, causing Pachelbel to break, before returning to his initial position four back on the inner.

O’Reilly was subsequently suspended from driving on the second night of the New Brighton meeting, next Friday, and also Timaru next Saturday. He had not decided on a replacement driver for Bardollino yesterday. Neroship, which moved up in the open over the last 700 m, was cut back to third, 1% lengths away, promoted to second, with Montini Royal, an Addington trial winner mid-week, pacing a bold race for his promoted third half a length away after tracking Neroship for much of the running. Defoe put in an eye-catching run to finish next after settling behind Inky Lord and Field Commander early. Apart from Pachelbel, which made ground again, the rest appeared well beaten.

• Franco Glide had little more than a workout to win the First D.B. Superstar Heat in a sedate 3:30.5, a little over 10 seconds slower than Inky Lord’s winning time. After taking control with 1800 m left, Colin de Filippi was allowed to slow the Cl field and only asked the promising Nero’s 8.8. gelding to quicken over the last 100 m. The close relative of Bonnie’s Chance did this with a minimum of effort, cruising to the line 2% lengths clear of second favourite Runaway Groom, which tracked the winner for much of the running. Franco Glide, raced by Addington Breeding, Ltd, and Co., and trained at West Melton by lan Shinn, is now unbeaten in two outings and has yet to be put under any pressure. Ripper’s Plat, which settled back but made a forward move near the 800 m, fought on for third, 3y 2 lengths away, with Sonorous, which lost her chance, with a gallop in the middle stages, putting her 12 lengths from the pack, staging a grand recovery to take fourth money.