TROTTING NEWPORT MAID IN STAKES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31079, 7 June 1966, Page 4

TROTTING NEWPORT MAID IN STAKES

Atanui Good Second At Ashburton

Newport Maid caused a moderate surprise when she beat Atanui and Courtier in the Queen’s Birthday Stakes at Ashburton yesterday. Newport Maid is trained at Templeton by W. R. Butt for Mrs A. V. Kingsland, of Invercargill. She is one of the first crop sired by the American stallion, Newport Chief, from Our Brigade.

Newport Maid has been lightly raced and her only other win was in maiden company at Methven in March. She was disappointing on the first day at Ashburton, finishing sixth in the race won by Dromore.

Atanui did well to finish second after being slow early. She was behind Courtier on settling.

The firm favourite. Lustre Scott, was well placed early, but covered extra ground trying to get to the front in the middle stages. She stopped badly and finished seventeenth. Meadow Bank, the 2/3 favourite, also stopped badly after having every chance and finished ninth.

Bryan John, Spry, Phillmark, El Caballos, which took no part, and Wee Storm lost ground at the start. Local Star and Finesse began best from Meadow Bank and Snead. Meadow Bank joined Local Star racing to the mile post, with Lustre Scott outside them. Finesse and Bronze Lad were close behind, with Courtier fairly wide out towards the rear of the main bunch. Atanui, too, was well back-

Meadow Bank was clear at the six furlongs, and led past the half from Lustre Scott and Courtier, with Local Star and Bronze Lad close up and Newport Maid not far away. Courtier and Atanui led into the last furlong from the tiring Meadow Bank, with Local

Star, Newport Maid and Bronze Lad prominent. Atanui soon had the measure of Courtier but had no counter to Newport Maid’s final challenge and was beaten by a length and a half. Courtier was a similar distance back to Courtier which was three lengths and a half to Goldmount a short length to Snead a head to Bronze Lad a neck to Option a nose to Local Star and a break to Meadow Bank. At Good Odds Paranova at odds of more than 20 to 1 gained his first win since October when he wore down Why Not and beat her by a length in the Ashburton County Handicap the first leg of the main double. Paranova had been rather disappointing in his most recent racing and it was not surprising that he was at such good odds. J. A. Carmichael had Paranova fairly handy in a field which was well spread out early. Burns Rival forced most of the pace, but was beaten near the furlong post where Flying Over had passed him and Vanese, Paranova, Tryout, Why Not, Thunderboy

and Admire were handy. Paranova and Why Not had a keen struggle, with Paranova doing best to win by a length. Why Not was a head in front of Tryout, which had trouble working clear inside the last furlong. Our Smokey paced a useful race for fourth, just ahead of a strong finisher in Michael. Then came Burns Rival, Flying Over and Admire. Raven Song ran out and checked several runners in the first 50 yards. Dieman Lad, Arahina, Michael, Presto, which was pulled up, and Why Not lost ground at the start. Eyreton, a disappointment at Addington Raceway on May 28, made amends with a decisive win in the second leg of this double, the Acton Handicap. The Paranova — Eyreton double paid £205 18s 6d for £1D. J. Townley had Eyreton well placed over the last 10, furlongs. He was third into the last furlong and came on to win very easily by five lengths from Student, which was handy over the last mile. Torpi was right up third, clear of High Caste, with a gap to Happy Wanderer and Major Pip. Cathpete, Winfield Chief, Lauder Way, Lofty, Stormy Scott, White Smoke, First View and Jay Queen lost ground at the start. The favourite, Vandior, was never a danger and finished twelfth.