First Grade for Australian series?

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 30

First Grade for Australian series?

Special correspondent Auckland

First Grade’s runaway victory at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting at Alexandra park last Friday evening might bring the talented Mangeretrained gelding an invitation for the Australasian Trotters’ Championship series at Moonee Valley next month. The connections of eight New Zealand horses have already been Invited to nominate and two of them, Jenner and Indette, were in the field so thoroughly trounced by First Grade in the Air Pacific Mobile Trot The other northerners on the list are Dragon’s

Pride, Mairo Sultan, and Admiral Soanai. The series will be contested over two nights with two heats, each worth sAustBooo on the first night and the sAust3o,ooo final on the second night. Heats and final will each have 12 starters and will be standing-start descretlonary handicap events over 2780 metres. A travel subsidy of sAust3ooo will be available to “approved” New Zealand horses.

The dashing Pukekohe five-year-old gelding Mairo Sultan will not be going because he is a “little bit inexperienced,” according to his trainer, Keith Miller.

Admiral Soanai has suffered a recurrence of quarter-crack trouble in the near front hoof and he will be unable to race for some time. Indette’s owner, Mr Colin Johnson, is keen to tackle the series. The mare will be in the care of his son, Ross, if she goes lines up. Dragon’s Pride has a good chance of being a starter, according to his trainer and part-owner, Mr Noel Taylor. Charlie Hunter, the trainer and part-owner of Jenner, says he is “very interested.” But Hunter could well change his mind if Jenner gives many more displays like he did in the Air Pacific Mobile Trot. A warm favourite, he broke badly for no apparent reason and finished a long last.

At the other end of the field, First Grade, in the hands of Tom Knowles, coasted home well clear of Milson Gold and Paul Charming. It was a fine performance by First Grade, which has now earned $34,973 in stakes for his owners, Richard Prangley, Malcolm Taylor and Ted Edwards, who also trains the eight-year-old gelding. From 58 starts, First Grade has had eight wins, seven seconds and 10 thirds.

A pacer originally, he was switched to trotting when, as a four-year-old, he was taken over by Edwards. Edwards took him along quietly and did not race him until the next season. He has compiled a pretty good record since.