 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1979
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Alias Armbro wins from Even Speed & About Now |
Alias Armbro, fourth in last year's contest and largely responsible for the record-breaking win of Scotch Tar, recorded a game win in the $30,000 Dominion Handicap. Capably handled by Mike De Filippi, who was recording his first win in the event, and also his first win at Addington this season, Alias Armbro clearly outstayed the best trotters in the country.
Alias Armbo's win was a triumph for Burnham trainer Brian Gliddon, as last Christmas Alias Armbro looked to be finished as a racing proposition because of a hock injury. Because of this, he was set for stud duty this season and up until last week, he had covered 20 mares, including one the morning of the race. His victory is certain to lead to more enquiries for the son of Armbro Del and Charming Widow as a stud prospect. He is raced by Messrs Bryan Crofts and Graham Pilkington, who purchased him for the bargain price of $1800 at the National Yearling Sales. Now an eight-year-old, he has won around $55,000.
Mike De Filippi made use of Alias Armbro's speed and staying ability over the 3200 metre journey, taking him to the front with 2300 metres to run. As happened last year, Scotch Tar moved up wide to tackle Alias Armbro with a round to go, but this time was unable to head him off, and Alias Armbro had his measure a good way out. Scotch Tar had broken briefly at the start and again at the 1700 metres, but recovered quickly both times and made a big run round the field to be in the open at the 1200 metres.
In the end, it was left to last Tuesday's Worthy Queen Handicap winner Even Speed to lodge the most serious challenge. He was favoured with a good run all the way, getting a drag up behind Miss Castleton on the turn, and 30 metres out it looked as though he was going to peg Alias Armbro back. "He came to the end of it the last 20 metres and went to pieces," his driver Wes Butt said after the event. "His legs were going in all directions that last bit and he just battled."
Denis Nyhan, driver of third placed About Now, was certain he could have won had he secured a run earlier. "She did not get a gap at the right time. If she had, then I would have won it," Nyhan said. The game little mare improved to be three back on the rails turning for home after getting back a bit early from her outside barrier draw, but was held up at a vital stage and could only get within half a neck and a length and a half of the first two. She shaded Scotch Tar by half a head for third, with Stormy Morn finishing fast for fifth ahead of Waipounamu who was handy throughout.
Game Folly was the best of the northern challengers in seventh place after breaking at the start and then came Cool Cat and the favourite, No Response. No Response settled back and was last passing the 800 metres. He was checked when starting to improve at the 500 metres when he ran into the back of the tiring Pointer Hanover. He recovered quickly to start a rapid improvement wide round the field on the turn, but could only battle into ninth over the final stages.
Alias Armbro's time for the 3200 metres was a fast4:12.3, the second fastest in the metric history of the race and only .9 of a second slower than Scotch Tar's record run last year.
Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar