 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1976
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1976 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP
Twelve months ago, the father and son partnership of Syd and Ron Webster had high hopes of winning the 1975 Dominion Handicap with their good mare Armbro Lady. But the Webster's hopes took a tumble along with the driver Bob Cameron, when Armbro Lady was involved in a skirmish 400 metres from home when starting to look a likely challenger. But at Addington this year, the memories of that incident faded very quickly when the six-year-old mare trounced the hot favourite Nigel Craig in the $15,000 event.
Syd Webster was not at Addington, but son Ron geared up Armbro Lady for the big trot an event in which she was not favoured to beat Nigel Craig. Her form leading up to the Dominion had been solid, without being spectacular, and few on-course, who sent her out at 25 to 1, gave her a chance of beating the hot favourite, a brilliant winner of the Worthy Queen Handicap on Cup Day in New Zealand record time.
Those who sent Nigel Craig out such a dominating favourite looked to be right on the mark when the seven-year-old, one of the most improved trotters in the country this season, hit the front at the end of only 800 metres. But it was this front-running, successful on so many other occasions, that proved to be Nigel Craig's downfall. He set a strong pace out in front, one that had all but Armbro Lady struggling a good way from home. But into the straight, it was obvious that Nigel Craig would have very little left if any challenges came, and when Armbro Lady with young driver Kevin Townley pulled out 100 metres out, she had won the race. Nigel Craig tried to hold her off, but went under by a length.
Armbro Lady recorded 4:17.3 for the 3200 metres, a good time considering the track was dead after heavy rain during the previous night. It was a time 4.2 seconds outside Easton Light's race and track record for 3200 metres, but still the second best time since metrics were introduced in 1973.
For Kevin Townley, it was his biggest success as a driver and followed up a win earlier in the day behind Chance Affair, winner of the four-year-old event, the Preview Stakes. Kevin, a son of the Ashburton Trainer-driver Doody Townley, was twice top probationary driver earlier in his career but like many young reinsmen, has found it hard to get top drives once he gained his open horsemen's licence. Kevin's father won the Dominion Handicap driving Lester Clark's top trotter, Mighty Chief. Syd Webster one of the part owners of Armbro Lady, had enjoyed previous success in the Dominion Handicap back in 1946 when Casabianca won.
Third place went to Dupreez who is trotting a lot more solidly this season. If any horse was unlucky in this event, it may have been Dupreez as he had to work off the rails about the 700 metres and was then held up when trying to make progress through the field. He was conceding Nigel Craig and Armbro Lady a good start at the top of the straight but fought on gamely to get within three quarters of a length and a length and a half of the first two.
Petite Evander and Best Bet, two North Island challengers, did best of the others but were six lengths and two and a half lengths further back respectively. Petite Evander made a good beginning this time and put in a big run from the back along with Best Bet. Cee Ar was a further six lengths back sixth ahead of Castleton's Pride, Waipounamu and Frontier. Mighty Lee and Easton Light were the disappointments of the event, Mighty Lee wilting to 11th after working hard to get handy early and Easton Light dropping out from the 700 metres after having to work very hard in the early stages to make up his 45-metre handicap. He tried to improve three and four wide from the 1200 metres but was gone 500 metres further on and beat only three home. It was the first time in six attempts that Easton Light has failed to return to scale in a Dominion Handicap, a race he won in 1972 and 1974 and was narrowly beaten by Hal Good last year.
Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotguide