 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1988
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| John Langdon, Trevor Allingham & Landora's Pride |
It was a case of the 'old girls' showing them how in the DB Dominion Trotting Handicap when Landora's Pride and Tussle headed the field home.
The nine-year-old Landora's Pride once again continued the outstanding run of success her sire Game Pride has achieved in trotting events in New Zealand when she powered home from the rear to snatch victory. It appeared that with 600m to run that Landora's Pride was once again going to have luck against her in the prestigious event as she was back on the rail at the rear of the 14-horse field. Regular driver John Langdon, who was shooting for his first win in the big trot, eased her back and took off around the outside rounding the home turn.
Meanwhile, Tussle was once again doing a grand job in front, holding off all challengers, but she could not hold out the powerful finish of the much travelled Pukekohe visitor. "She's amazing; she just keeps giving more," said a delighted Langdon. "After her run on Show Day I knew she wasn't a hundred per cent, but she finished fourth and she did well to finish there considering. Trevor's (trainer Trevor Allingham) been working on her since and he could not have had her better. She suffers from tying up, and things like that don't make his job any easier," he said.
For Langdon, the win continued an outstanding run of success with trotters, having won the Inter-Dominion Final with Castleton's Pride, two Rowe Cups (Jenner and Landora's Pride) and having also been associated with the fine trotters Best Bet and Petite Evander. "I've had some good horses along the way, but ever since I was a kid I wanted to win this race," said Langdon.
It proved to be third time lucky for Landora's Pride as this was her third attempt at winning the race, having finished third and fourth in previous runnings. She has now amassed stake earnings of $439,592 for her Pukekohe owners Trevor and Judy Allingham from 104 starts for 30 wins and 29 placings. Allingham moved to Pukekohe eight-years-ago, and around that time purchased the Goodland mare Landora, with her Game Pride foal from Oxford horseman John Burrows for $3,000. The filly foal was Landora's Pride.
Credit: Steve Wilson writing in HR Weekly