‘Seniors’ prove dominant force

Press, 11 December 1989, Page 37

‘Seniors’ prove dominant force

By

DAVID MCCARTHY

Senior riders Raymond Bruce, Chris Johnson and Ron McCann dominated proceedings at Riccarton on Saturday, but it was the most senior of the three, McCann, who found the taste of success the sweetest. McCann rode three winners on the card and was unable to recall when he had last done that at Riccarton, although it is not a new feat for him. It was his best multiple winning day since he rode five winners on the card at Omoto in January, 1985. McCann’s elation at an overdue increase in his strike rate was tempered by a two-day suspension given after he had won the Printpac Maiden on Windvale Birdie. The Cocky Golfer mare, one of over 100 wins chalked up over the years by the veteran Timaru owner-trainer, Cecil Stewart, aged 86, caused a check to King’s Horse when trying for a gap in the straight and the rider will miss Otago next Saturday and the Wairio meeting. McCann could be forgiven for having a soft spot for the stock of the Inglewood sire, Cocky Golfer. When he was training in partnership with Pam Robson, Mister Fantastic was a smart performer for the Sir Ivor stallion and it was Lord Gesmo, a Cocky Golfer four-year-old trained by Robson, which gave McCann the first of his three wins on Saturday. Lord Gesmo, which looks as though he will thrive over more ground, was tried in blinkers and wound up strongly to hold out Killiecrankie. Lord Gesmo is owned by a syndicate which includes the Christchurch sportscaster, John

Dunne, whose brother, Brian, is a part-owner of Jubilee Waltz, the beaten favourite in Wind vale Birdie’s later maiden heat. McCann’s third success came on the talented Outlet, which had not previously been tried beyond 1200 m. “I rode her at the trials last Sunday and settled her off the pace and she relaxed good. She did the same today,” said McCann. Outlet, trained by' Mavis Harris, who is also a part-owner, has now won three of twelve starts and has not been but of a place in four tries at Riccarton. Now that distances beyond 1200 m are obviously no bother to her, the English Harbour mare should go on with it. Mrs Harris, who trained the outstanding Donnybrook Fair among other good ones, rates Outlet highly. ADVANCE Chris Johnson, easily the leading rider at Riccarton this season, added three more to his tally and at the same time advanced the fortunes of the Garth Jackson stable, with which he is associated. Jackson is leading the Trainers Championship ,at Riccarton thus far in the season. Traffic Dancer and Soundoration advanced the Jackson tally to 10 for the term, a career best for the trainer at this time of the year. Unfortunately, such good fortune did not attend- his fivestrong Tapanui team, which posted two seconds and three thirds on Saturday. Both Traffic Dancer, which has had several problems in the spring, including a virus, and Soundoration came from off the pace.

Traffic Dancer, tried without blinkers, settled more kindly than usual and persuading him to do so has been a problem for the stable. He unleashed a powerful burst in the Flour Mills Handicap, coming from near last at the 300 m to win easily. Johnson’s other win on the day was a boost for the Ikamatuabased stallion, Sepulveda, and the growing training reputation of Ashburton’s Tony Lawrey, who has a high strike rate with his small racing team. Dirty Deal, owned by Peter and Ken O’Malley, was sent over to Lawrey from Ikamatua as a gesture of thanks for Lawrey’s interest in the offspring of Sepulveda in the auction ring. Dirty Deal is a son of Philsea, a Beaufort Sea mare closely related to Yeldham and Ride The Light and which was placed a few times from the stable of Phil Andrews, who raced her in partnership with Austen Young. Peter O’Malley named the youngster while still smarting over the purchase of Philsea from subsequent owners. “It cost me quite a bit of money to sort out the various problems with Conference fees and fines before I could take her over and keep her in the Stud ■ Book,” O’Malley said. Sepulveda, which served over 40 mares this season, had only seven registered foals in New Zealand when he came south, several of which have subsequently shown up at trials. He, himself, was a smart ’juvenile performer in the United States. Dirty Deal is likely to race next in thfe Champagne Stakes at Wingatui.