Derby another triumph in jockey’s eventful career

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 27

Derby another triumph in jockey’s eventful career

By

J. J. BOYLE

Alwyn Tweedie, who has packed more experiences into his race riding career than most of his New Zealand contemporaries, improved a formidable list of major successes in landing Argonaut Style a narrow winner in the Wellington Derby on Saturday.

Tweedie was shot at and was lucky to escape

with his life in Malaysia in 1984.

Last year he returned to New Zealand and again settled in Auckland after riding 250 winners in Malaysia, and although his opportunities are limited by his weight he is much sought after for his cool skills and experience when the big races come around.

Before he went to Malaysia the former

southerner won a Wellington Cup on Battle Heights, a New Zealand Derby on Kaiser and other big races on metropolitan courses.

Tweedie, who started his race riding career at Wingatui, was quick to appraise the problems posed by a rain affected track in the Wellington Derby. He was careful to dodge one of the inside berths and before the race was far on its way he observed that some of those down against the fence were battling to remain on the bit.

Argonaut Style showed a tendency to loaf after he passed Waterman to claim the lead, but Tweedie was not concerned when Regimental March came at him. “To me he felt like a two-mile prospect for next year,” Tweedie said after he landed the favourite the winner by half a neck.

If Argonaut Style runs in one of the major cup races next season the chances are that he will not be bearing the colours he triumphed under on Saturday. Australian and Hong Kong offers have been made for the Leader of the Band colt, but his owners, the Waipuna Stud, Ltd, preferred to defer them until after Saturday’s race. The Waipuna Stud at Te Kauwhata is directed by Bill Cole, who stands the Wellington Derby winner’s sire, Leader of the Band, there.

Bill Cole bred Argonaut Style from Swaneata after borrowing $75 from his mother to meet the price of that Crest of the Wave mare when she was offered at auction as a yearling at a Waikato sale.

Swaneata was placed over jumps and her

second foal was Lady Edwina, a daughter of War Hawk II which was one of the better, chasers of her time. Swaneata lost two foals after Lady Edwina before foaling her Wellington Derby winner. Regimental March, the Brigade of Guards colt which ran Argonaut style dost in the Wellington Derby, will be back at Trentham in the autumn to at St Leger honours. He is from the Ellerslie Stable of Frank Richie, the trainer also of Bonecrusher, this season’s New Zealand Derby winner and an early fancy for the A. J. C. Derby. Bacton Abbey, the South Island’s only representative in the Wellington Derby, earned $3200 with a dogged run for third. He did not look like getting to grips with the winner and runner-up, but outfinished both Joe Savoldi and Waterman, and was unchallenged for his position.