Comedy Lad rewards race sponsor with stylish Cup win

Press, 10 February 1986, Page 35

Comedy Lad rewards race sponsor with stylish Cup win

From G. K. YULE Auckland

“It’s like a dream come true,” was the comment of Max Harvey after his horse. Comedy Lad, had stormed home from a near-impossible position 200 m out to beat the favourite, Roydon Glen, in the $250,000 Auckland Cup at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting at Alexandra Park on Saturday evening.

It was not until last Thursday that a start for Comedy Lad was confirmed. He had been hurt in a race on the course on December 27 and it was a pressure-cooker training schedule that fitted him for Saturday’s big test. Even last Monday Roy Purdon, who trains the five-year-old in partnership with his son, Barry, thought of withdrawing him from the race sponsored by his owner, but he decided to wait until Thursday before making a final decision. "He just kept on improving and I decided to continue with the race hoping that if he got a run to suit he might get some of the money for Max," said Purdon. Even Tony Herlihy, who drove him, gave himself little chance of winning near the straight entrance, where Roydon Glen was away by five or six lengths from him. Then he had to change

course in the run home to secure an opening between Roydon Glen and Direct Kiwi.

“When I did see a gap I thought to myself he might get up for second at best, but he really ripped into it and was doing two to one over everything else at the line,” said Herlihy. The race provided a spectacular finish. Comedy Lad won by a short neck from Roydon Glen, with a long neck back to Direct Kiwi, a nose to the unlucky Borana, a nose to Our Mana and another narrow margin to Spanker On. The visiting Victorian horse, Quite Famous, caused havoc with slightly less than 400 m left. He sweated up badly in his preliminary and settled in the open, but was struggling well out. According to his trainer-driver, Jim O’Sullivan, he was going as well as Roydon Glen as he raced through the back straight for the last time. "He was not quite handling the bends and I was trying to nurse him round the last turn when he became unbalanced when he struck a slight dip in the track and broke,” he said.

Borana lost our or five lengths in the incident, while Placid Victor, which was tracking him, lost about three lengths as he

swung out to avoid the breaking horse. Then, near the straight entrance, Our Mana shot towards a tap and struck a hind leg of Placid Victor, which almost fell. “I’m not saying he would have won, but he had to get a slice of the money,” said Placid Victor’s driver, a most disappointed Maurice McKendry. "He was just jogging at the time,” he added. Colin de Filippi, the driver of Our Mana, was found guilty of careless driving and was suspended until after February 22. Our Mana was disqualified from the race, losing the $5BOO attached to fifth. This went to Spanker On, which pulled hard in the middle part for Peter Wolfenden. “If he’d been in the open he might have relaxed a bit,” said Wolfenden.

Roydon Glen was not disgraced. He sprinted hard from No. 5 at the barrier to take the lead soon after the start. Fred Fletcher appeared to have the result in safe keeping inside the last 600 m, and hopes for success for the even-money favourite ran high when he went out to a lead of more than two lengths near the 400 m. With the pace on all the way and the last 800 m taking 58s with the final 400 m in 29.95, it was not

surprising that he began to stagger over the final 50m.

Direct Kiwi had a perfect run and his driver, John Langdon, was delighted with his effort. Lord Louie broke early, knocking Spry Joker out of the race and badly checking Malaz, which broke again 500 m from the finish.

The pace was a solid one throughout, with Comedy Lad recoriding 3min 22.45, a mile rate of 2mih 765, for the mobile 2700 m, an effort not all that far outside Armalight’s national record of 3min 20.75.

Comedy Lad, five-year-old gelding by Sir Dalrae from Karisma Kid, was bred at Edendale by Des Baynes, who also bred an earlier winner of the event in Young Quinn. Comedy Lad, which was purchased for $lOO,OOO by Mr Harvey as a two-year-old, has now had 47 starts for 18 wins and 16 divi-dend-placings worth $302,190. Mr Harvey, aged 73, who was born in Tasmania, has been a regular purchaser of horses in or near the sixfigure price bracket and he has enjoyed mixed success. He is nationally known as a sponsor of races, and in recent years he has put in some $lOO,OOO annually towards

prize money at Alexandra Park. As well he has been one of the biggest betters in New Zealand, frequently investing $lOO,OOO or more at major meetings. Last spring his activities came under official scrutiny and his habit of betting on credit and settling up on the nearest business day to a meeting was ended. Mr Harvey was unhappy with that decision and stopped betting at meetings at Alexandra Park. On Saturday his only financial interest in the Auckland Cup was as a member of a five-per-son syndicate, the other four being his employees. They contribute $5 a week each and on Saturday it was Mr Harvey’s turn to bet. He invested $25 for a place on his own horse, which paid $27.80 for a win and $5.75 for a place. Mr Harvey said after that race that Comedy Lad would go to Brisbane for the Inter-Dominion championship series. He was not among the original 15 New Zealand horses nominated, but entries have been extended to today, enabling him to pay up.

Direct Kiwi and Roydon Glen were also announced as almost certain starters at Brisbane after Saturday’s race.