Track conditions upset favourites

Press, 18 December 1989, Page 37

Track conditions upset favourites

By

JEFF SCOTT

A rain-affected track at the Rangiora Harness Racing Club’s summer meeting on Saturday put paid to the chances of the favourites, Twinkle John and Lord magic, in the DB Draught Rangiora Cup, but proved no hindrance to the fourth elect Balonne, which won stylishly. A suggestion to driver, Ricky May, that Balonne was revelling in the soft conditions was quickly dispelled. “It wouldn’t matter what conditions we were racing in. He would be the best intermediate grade horse I’ve driven,” said May, who has no doubt Balonne has what it takes to reach the best classes. Balonne, a compact chestnut son of the illfated Sydney Miracle Mile and N.Z. Messenger winner, Locarno, is scheduled to take another step closer to open company in the C 7 and faster $17,500 DB Ashburton Cup over 3200 m on Boxing Day. “He is a lovely little horse to do anything with and can go any distance. ! think he is a great stayer,” said Ricky’s father, Terry May, who trains Balonne at Methven. Balonne chalked up his seventh win in only 23 career outings on Saturday for the revamped Balonne Syndicate, which consists of nine shareholders, five in Auckland including the former

Commonwealth Games decathlon gold medallist, Roy Williams, and four in Canterbury. The gelding was initially syndicated by Balonne’s former West Melton trainer, Peter Robertson, who obtained the son of Gentle Jen (five wins), a daughter Limongelli (a grandson of Adios Butler), from the Ashburton breeders, Dexter and Ron Gibbons who had earlier advertised Balonne for sale for two months with no takers. Balonne, when showing great promise, was sidelined for six months after fracturing a pedal bone in the Lion Brown Rising Star’s Final as a three-year-old, but has made up for lost time with four wins from the May stables this season. Given a good run handy on the outer until the straight on Saturday, Balonne rushed past the leaders half-way up the straight and went on to win as he liked by four lengths. Aquatic, which led early then trailed Twinkle John from the 1600 m, rallied well in the straight to take second, a length in front of Wood Chip, a stout finisher. Lord Magic, which raced wider than most for a good part of the journey and made a sweeping run to dash clear on the home turn, tired in the straight to run fourth, but pleased his trainer, Brian Kerr. Lord Magic had previously shown a dislike for wet tracks and to this end

Kerr tried to find the bet possible footing for him on Saturday. Kerr was keen to start Lord Magic, despite the conditions, as part of a necessary leadup race before travelling to Auckland for the last two nights of that club’s Cup meeting, and his performance under the circumstances, was creditable. Twinkle John failed to handle the wet track, according to his trainerdriver, Robert Cameron, losing all chance when breaking in front with 500 m to run. Cameron missed the nominations for the Ashburton meeting on Boxing Day and will now start the top five-year-old at the Canterbury Park New Year meeting. STABLEMATE WINS Ricky May gained his third driving success for the day when he reined Balonne’s stablemate, Some Legacy, to an easy win in the Peter Cocks Pace, but the May stable could be forgiven for having some reserved feelings before the race. Some Legacy, a daughter of the Niatross stallion, Silk Legacy, and also successful second-up at Orari three weeks ago, was minus some skin from a hip after lying down in the float on the way to the course earlier in the day. “We brought Some Legacy and Balonne up on Brian Saunders’ float and had to stop and off-load all the horses. Balonne became upset and started kicking,” said Ricky

May. “It was all credit to Dad that she raced so well. He ended up walking her all day to keep her free, but she might be a bit sore tomorrow,” added the South Island’s leading reinsman, who was notching his thirtyfirst success of the season. This was May’s first drive behind Some Legacy and he was suitably impressed. “I think she’s good and could be a DB Fillies’ hope later in the season. She ran all over the place today but I didn’t need to put the stick on her,” he said. The filly’s trainer, Terry May, gave up the drive on Some Legacy when he took the openclass mare Frangelico, to Invercargill earlier in the week, but returned home early after Frangelico “blew up in a leg” on the trip south. “We will be doing our best to get her right for the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Mile at New Year,” said Terry May of Frangelico. “While the May stable scored a double on Saturday (Ricky’s other winning drive coming behind the Bevan Heron-trained Jewel’s Star), the team has diminished numerically in recent weeks. “Friday and Escoffier are just not right and have been turned out, while others in a real nice team we had at the beginning of the season, have had setbacks,” said Ricky May.