Tobago regains lost confidence

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 32

Tobago regains lost confidence

By

JEFF SCOTT

The former star youngster, Tobago, after two years in the doldrums — his only success; in this time coming five months ago in a loose class trot at Invercargill — finally regained his old confidence with an impressive win at Addington Raceway on Saturday. Now seven, Tobago swept all before him at three and reinsman Pat O’Reilly, jun., was drawing comparisons with the Inter-Dominion and Rowe Cup winner, Sir Castleton, after the Game Pride gelding had won the N.Z. Trotting Stakes and Rosso Antico Stakes.

But after winning four times at four and competing in the Addington Inter-Dominions, Tobago went off the boil. After winning first-up impressively at the 1987 National meeting at Addington, the talented squaregaiter went winless through the remainder of his five-year-old campaign and his six-year-old racing proved almost as fruitless, although he did show improvement again near season’s end, beating Game Paul at Invercargill in April. Formerly trained at South Hillend (near Winton) by part-owner Ray Jenkins, Tobago was left with O’Reilly, jun., over the winter and Saturday’s win had all the signs of a rewarding seven-year-old season.

“He had a couple of things go wrong. He just seemed to lack a bit of strength for a while and then had a crook back, but it seemed like he lost his self-confidence more than anything,” said O’Reilly. “I suppose it was a combination of things, but it was good to see him come right again,” he said. “It was a top run tonight.” “This fella is as good as anything when he’s at his best,” said O’Reilly, who

will also have Tyron Scottie engaged in Friday’s $17,500 Imperial Hotel Bottle Store Ordeal Cup on the second night of the meeting.

“Neither of them take a lot of work. They’ve both got a lot of natural ability,” he added. Tobago, a co-back-marker on 30m in the C 5 and faster trot on Saturday evening, settled well off the pace as favourite Sundon forced a strong clip in front for much of the way. Still having a good deal of work to do on the home turn, the brother to Globe Pride and halfbrother to Golden Blue finished strongly for O’Reilly to wear down the gallant favourite in the last stride, taking the decision by a head. He trotted the 3200 m in a creditable 4:13.7 in the easy conditions. Sundon, which started from 10m, began swiftly for co-trainer Fred Fletcher, who sent the free-going four-year-old to the front after 600 m. Fletcher attempted to give Sundon a breather with 1300 m to run, but the favourite did not look comfortable with the slackening of pace and tangled for 25m before settling again, handy on the outer.

Fletcher applied the pressure to the leaders at the 500 m and, after taking control on the home turn, last season’s champion three-year-old began to get weary inside the last 50m, but never stopped trying. A four-year-old to New Zealand time, but in calendar years not four until next May, Sundon was timed over the 3200 m post-to-post in a strengthsapping 4:11.6, trotting his first mile in 2:5.8. The run caught up with the Arndon entire over his final quarter in 31.6 seconds.

Although beaten, he lost no admirers with the per-

formance. AH-the-way Perfect du Jour justified his favouritism with an all-the-way win in the C2-C4 Harcourts Real Estate Trot over 2000 m. The Mid-Canterbury five-year-old had second favourite Robbie Hest within striking distance, handy in the open, over the last 1000 m, but never looked like being headed, winning by two lengths. This was the sixth win in 47 starts for the Doug McCormick part-owned, trained and driven squaregaiter, three of his wins being penalty-free. A former New Zealand Two-Year-Old Trotting Stakes winner in record time for a male trotter, Perfect du Jour took his career earnings to $42,630 with Saturday’s success. Brilliant finish Gasthof, looking more at home in the easy conditions than when fifth on the second night of the National meeting last month, unleased his characteristic brilliant finish from back on the outer over the last 450 m to win the C5-C7 Sydenham Bakery Mobile Pace. The Gavin Mills partowned and trained pacer held out a late claim from the second favourite, Balonne, which worked out from the trail with 100 m to run, but at that stage was giving Gasthof too much of a start. Rebel Skipper, like the first two also a C 5 pacer, produced a great late run for third, a nose away, after still being one of the tailenders turning for home. Sir Andy, which tried for an end-to-end win,- was cut back to fourth. The third favourite, Cruise Ship, was one of the tailenders throughout and ran last. “He felt good tonight, but had a gallop on the' home turn,” said driver Grant Nyhan.