Racing and trotting Mr Ay Bee wins thrilling Adams Handicap
By
J. J. BOYLE
In one of the great cliff hangers of the season Mr Ay Bee yesterday snatched a last-stride win over Yipp’s Secret in the $20,000 George Adams Handicap at Riccarton.
The horse secured for a token price after he was badly injured as a youngster, has now won 15 races from 32 starts, and five of those wins have been in successive starts. Raced in partnership by Messrs lan Lomas and David Sim, of Blenheim, Mr Ay Bee has been prepared for all his racing by Tony Prendergast at Wingatui. “We were not meant to win the Wellington Cup this year, but this is not a bad one on the rebound,” Prendergast said yesterday. Mr Ay Bee was sidelined almost on the eve of this year’s Wellington Cup with leg trouble, which stemmed from an injury he received as a youngster. But Prendergast brought
i him back to win the sprint ; race at Beaumont last Satur- ’ day week, on the way to ' yesterday’s thrilling last- ! stride victory. The Riccarton jockey, . Michael Mein, gambled on a rails run to win the Dunedin Gold Cup on Mr Ay Bee in I December. He gave a repeat perform- ■ ance on the chestnut yester- . day, but was wondering if would get the run in time, i “A stride later would have ! been too late,” Mein said [ after the race. A stride later with his challenge, and the Gore I mare Yipp’s Secret would ; have lasted it out. Tony Prendergast said I after yesterday’s win that I Mr Ay Bee would try for a second Great Autumn Handii cap victory next Saturday.
He plans to nominate the five-year-old for the Gloaming Stakes at the Wellington Racing Club’s May meeting. “This fellow’s temperament stands to him. Nothing worries him. My seven-year-old, Kerry, rides him home from tlte track, and never has a moment’s worry with him.” Tony Prendergast said yesterday. Jim Collett found it hard to believe he had been beaten on Yipp’s Secret, and said he would be anxious to examine a photo-finish print. “It must have been the nod of the head that beat us,” he said after the consistent Gore-trained mare made another contribution to a good record. Prodigal and Candyboy, both running for Mr Cecil Wallis and for Jim Pan-
khurst’s stable, completed the rout of the Canterbury horses by filling the next two places. Prodigal was only half a neck behind Yipp’s Secret — a big run after drifting to last early.
Candyboy, the favourite, did a bold preliminary for a race he won last year, but he did not have quite enough to land a second victory.
Midknight was pegged back to fifth after making a bid for the lead close to home. Next best were Star Order, Lili, and Sean’s Gift. Greysun was last of the 18 runners. He was thoroughly spent before the home turn after being rsponsible for a cracking pace to the 800 m.
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Press, 17 April 1979, Page 23
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500Racing and trotting Mr Ay Bee wins thrilling Adams Handicap Press, 17 April 1979, Page 23
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