 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1984
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1984 FIRESTONE EUROSTEEL TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIP
The "scorched earth" policy adopted by the Lauriston horseman, Kerry O'Reilly, saw Basil Dean return the fastest time ever by a pacer or trotter for 2600m in the Firestone Eurosteel Trotting Championship at Addington Raceway on Saturday.
Basil Dean recorded 3min 15.3s for the mobile 2600m, well inside the previous best by a trotter, 3min 19.5s credited to Sir Castleton, runner-up in Saturday's race. It also bettered the national record of 3min 15.4 by a pacer, shared by Steel Jaw and Bonnie's Chance.
Basil Dean has now won 15 races and $75,210 for his Ashburton trainer, Bob Jamison, who races him in partnership with Tim Newton. "I thought I'd make the others work a bit and if they could catch us then they deserved to win," said Basil Dean's driver. "He pulled half a shoe off a hind foot in his preliminary and that might have been why he looked to be trotting a bit roughly behind.
Basil Dean began splendidly from wide out and he was quickly in front, with Sir Castleton handy enough all the way. O'Reilly did not have to drive Basil Dean out to win by a length and a half after being timed over his last 2400m in 3min 2.4s, the last 800m in 59.3s, and the final 400m in 29.6s.
Credit: G K Yule writing in Ch-Ch Press 23 April 1984