Our Mana too good for rivals at trials

Press, 5 February 1986, Page 38

Our Mana too good for rivals at trials

By

JEFF SCOTT

Our Mana wound up his preparation for the $250,000 Max Harvey Auckland Cup on Saturday with a rousing 2600 metre at the Motukarara trials yesterday.

The Schell Hanover — Taimoni gelding, which flies to Auckland today, was too good for four rivals after starting from 50m behind in the C 5 and faster pace yesterday.

After taking control from the 2000 m, Our Mana virtually had a solo run from then on being out by six lengths at the finish, pacing the distance in 3min 23.85. Our Mana ran his last 2400 m in 3min 6s, his last 800 m in 58.4 s and his closing 400 in 28.8 s — a useful effort on the tight 1000 m circuit.

The seven-year-old, which finished a last-start third to Roydon Glen and Borana in the United Life Care Mobile Pace at Addington two weeks ago, looks in grand order for Saturday’s feature. His trainer-driver, Colin de Filippi, was satisfied with the horse’s run yesterday. The star four-year-old mare, Quiet Touch, a last start winner of the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Mile at Addington on January 1 in Imin 57.8 s settled fourth yester-

day and set out after Our Mana from the 300 m. She held second by a neck from the early pacemaker, Hamy’s Pride, which finished on again in the straight. Portfolio (30m), now being trained by Jack Grant, led briefly at the 2200 m, then trailed and was beaten 800 m out. The Noodlum entire, looking on the burly side, was 10 lengths back fourth, just shading last season’s Meadowlands Great Northern Oaks winner, Adios Trick (10m), which was not hurried in her first trial outing this term. French Heritage, which has drawn handy in Friday Night’s D.B. Export Fillies heat at Addington, led throughout in the ClC 3 pace yesterday, winning in a sedate 3min 40.25. The Plat du Jour filly was not extended over her closing 400 m in 30s to hold out the Blenheim candidate, Nanoose, which improved from the back to be in the open from the 350 m, with Farm Boss running on from last of the seven runners for third.

Easily the most impressive of the two-year-old winners was the Noodlum filly, Big Bucks, however she is under offer to the Perth trainer, Roy Annear, and unlikely to race in New Zealand.

Recently bought from the Brian Kerr stable by the West Melton bloodstock agent, Jevin Ryder, Big Bucks won her 2200 m heat in 3min 3.3 s and showed her style over her last 800 m in 59.8 s and her closing 400 m in a slick 28.45.

“I’ve sold the top fillies, Countess Gina (13 wins straight), Gliding Princess and Tebaldi, all Oaks winners, to Australia, and also Via Vista, a filly which beat the colts in a derby there, but I would have to rate this filly superior to all of them,” Ryder said.

“I would like to race her myself, but have a policy of selling them,” he added.

A well-grown juvenile, she is from the Tudor Hanover mare, Okarahia, a half-sister to the former top young trotter, Hocquard (Imin 59.8 s in United States), and to Miss Caduceus, a $lOO,OOO plus winner in North America.

Ryder has recently sold the Cl pacer, Nitro Nat, to Perth interests.

Dorothy Brandon, a $8250 yearling purchase at the national sales last year, showed promise settling third and being timed over her closing 400 m in 28.7 s to finish eight lengths from the winner. Trained at High-

bank by Pat O’Reilly sen., she is a half-sister by Noodlum to the big Australian winner, Jack Brandon.

The other two juvenile heats for pacers were won by Koau Victor (breeding details unavailable), which overcame a slow start to win comfortably in 3min B.Bs from Bee’s Wings; and Remital (Sholty-Wee Vicki gelding), which led, trailed from the 1000 m, and finished best to win in 3min 10.3 s from Probable Bromac.

The most impressive of the maiden winners was Digital Disc, in the inform stable of Kevin Williams, which led throughout to win easily in 3min 30.95, running his closing 400 m in 29.3 s to beat Roydon Princess, which ran on well late after being in the fourth line to the home turn. Other CO heat winners were: Bluefire Countess (3min 35.25), Saluki (3min 33.55), The Marchiness (3min 34.55), Game Streak (3min 31.55), Dalton King (3min 38.15), Handmade (3min 45.75) and Dawn Evander (trot, 3min 455). • Insomnia, which trailed the converted C 3 trotter, Romerez, to the 150 m, finished best to win his qualifying pace in 3min 15.55, the leaders

running their closing 800 m in Imin o.ls and their last 400 m in 29.35.

A three-year-old son of Lumber Dream in lan Shinn’s West Melton team, Insomnia is a three-quar-ter brother to Real Lumber, a North American winner in Imin 58.45.

Romerez (Lopez Hanover — Truant Pip), a half-brother to Windfall, a sub 2min pacer in Australia, also gained his ticket pacing by returning 3min 15.65. Details of the other qualifers were: 2600 m (stand) — Murray’s Advice (3g Light Lord — Meadow Dream) 3min 34.7 s and Affable Poplar (3f Lumber Dream — Forever Poplar) 3min 35.35.

2400 m (stand) — Elacam (4g Lumber Dream — Maudsly) 3min 16.95, Gay Lobell (3f Mark Lobell — Gay Montana) 3min 17.35, Family Favourite (3f Locarno — Tuatahi Princess) 3min 15.25, Philatelist (3g Scottish Hanover — Philippa Frost) 3min 15.9 s and Sandra Francis (3f El Patron — Shineaway) 3min 19s. 2400 m (stand) trotters — Circular Note (3f Game Pride — Miss Megan) 3min 20.8 s and Anytime (3g Yankee Reb — Smashing Time) 3min 24.85.