 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1972
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
 |
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club received little value for its $40,600 stake when Tuesday's New Zealand Trotting Cup turned into a disappointing affair.
The race was robbed of a tremendous amount of interest when Arapaho, Bella's Command, Royal Ascot and Wag broke at the start, then when the favourite Rauka Lad was sent into a gallop at the 12 furlongs and went right back to the rear.
There were some disgruntled drivers after the event, which went to the outsider Globe Bay. Bob Nyhan, the driver of Rauka Lad, rated the favourite a certainty beaten after the event though he said it was no good complaining afterwards. "I thought something like this might happen with no recognised pacemaker in the field," Nyhan said. "Everybody wanted to be handy but nobody wanted to lead. He was pulling very hard at the rear and I had no option to go at the five and a half," Nyhan said. Rauka Lad swept quickly round the field to hit the front on the home turn but Globe Bay was right with him and, not surprisingly, Rauka Lad was weakening inside the furlong and faded to fifth at the finish.
Globe Bay was favoured with a good run four places on the outer and moved forward with Rauka Lad on the home turn. He was clear at the furlong and under a hard drive, held off the game challenge from the free-legged Robalan who came at him first, then Scottish Charm, who burst through inside the final 100 yards to take second only three quarters of a length from the winner.
There was a New Zealand Cup background to Globe Bay. He is the third son of the 1954 Cup winner, Johnny Globe, to win the Cup. But Globe Bay has also a New Zealand Cup background on his dam's side. He is out of the Light Brigade mare Baylight, bred at the Roydon Lodge Stud and purchased in 1965 by Mr S J Wheatley, who bred and races Globe Bay, for 465 guineas. Globe Bay has now won 15 races and been 21 times placed for $57,825 in stakes. Globe Bay was first trained by D G Nyhan, but it has been for J A Carmichael, who drove him at Addington, that he has developed his best form. Baylight, the dam of Globe Bay, is out of Pleasure Bay, a half sister to Colwyn Bay, dam of the million dollar pacer Cardigan Bay (1:56.2) winner of the 1963 New Zealand Cup
Scottish Charm led out but was then steadied to trail Robalan with 12 and a half furlongs to run and then moved up on the outer in the open from the mile when Hundred Pipers went to the front at the 10 furlongs. She was handy into the straight and finished very well when clear. Robalan enjoyed a perfect trail when Hundred Pipers took the lead off him at the 10 furlongs and turning for home looked a big danger to Globe Bay. He was under pressure to do better however and was weakening a shade at the finish. Royal Belmer was a length and a half back fourth after racing in the third line on the rails from the 10 furlongs. She fought on gamely in the straight and was not disgraced. Rauka Lad was half a length back fifth, a mighty effort considering his run.
Berkleigh, who lost ground in the incident at the 12 furlongs, battled on for sixth ahead of Hoover who had a good run three back on the outside but could not come on. Royal Ascot, who was slow away and became badly placed on the rail after and battled on. Wag, who broke early, was beaten off nine lengths back ninth ahead of Arapaho, who went away in a hopeless gallop and was a long way from the leaders when they settled. He tried to follow Rauka Lad when he moved but could not muster the pace and was a well beaten horse two furlongs from home. Manaroa, who also attempted to go with Rauka Lad, was next ahead of Bella's Command and the very tired pacemaker Hunder Pipers. Jacquinot Bay was last.
The time for the race, 4:11.6, is the seventh fastest in the history of the race which accounts for he failure of those who were back in the running to make any ground over the last half mile when th pace really went on.
Following the running of the race, an enquiry was held into the incident at the 12 furlongs and as a result, I M Behrns, the driver of Hundred Pipers, was suspended for causing interference to Berkleigh who in turn checked Rauka Lad.
Credit: NZ Totting