Gammalite stranded

Press, 2 March 1982, Page 26

Gammalite stranded

NZPA Melbourne Transport difficulties yesterday appeared certain to force the withdrawal of the champion pacer, Gammalite, from the Inter-Dominion series starting in Perth on Friday. The owner-driver, . Leo O’Connor said from his home at Noorat, Victoria, “It’s most unlikely he’ll go now.” He said he would delay withdrawing Gammalite, a top fancy and drawcard, for the Inter-Dominions. In recent weeks Gammalite has won about $156,000 with victories in the Hunter Cup in Melbourne and the Auckland Cup. The bungle over large berths for the air trip, also affects Gammalite’s main rival, Popular Aim, trained at Kilmore by Bob Knight. The pair are favourites for the Pacing Cup, and their absence - from the series would be a big blow to the organisers, who were making desperate efforts yesterday to get them suitable berths. “We really want to go, I’d even go as late-as Thursday,” a bitterly disappointed Bob Knight said yesterday. The trouble ’ came . to a head on Sunday when both pacers went berserk when placed in single berths.in an Ansett-Electra organised by the Inter-Dominion Council. J, Both ..horses; ; ; to travel quietly, need large berths of the type used by . Qantas, but Qantas does not have authority to use them within Australia. , 1 “Everyone’s upset over there because they feel that without these two pacers they may as well close the series,” Bob Knight said. Leo O’Connor said he told a West Australian official last Christmas when the official was in Melbourne

that Gammalite needed a big-size berth to travel well. He said he had been working on the problem himself for two weeks without success. He said he was unwilling to take Gammalite to Perth a day or so before the series. “When horses do these trips at the last minute they usually run like hairy goats,” said O’Connor. "We took Gammalite to Auckland just before the race but I knew the weather and conditions would be all right. And it was just for one .race. “But Perth’s a different matter. It is hotter, and there are several races in the series,” he said.