By Mike Love
Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan scored a “special” double at Cheviot’s meeting at Addington yesterday.
Maiden winner Bautista was too strong in the GH Building LTD pace over 2000m with driver Ricky May.
May and Bautista began quickly from their outside draw to end up parked for the first section of the race. Cover came with favourite Whatz My Choice, who softened up the leader, setting it up for May and Bautista to pounce. Sustaining a run from the 400m to grind away and win, beating a very tough Whatz My Choice with final sectionals in 58.3 and 28.4.
That was the four-year-old Art Major gelding’s first win at his sixth race day start.
Two races later Hanrahan was at it again, this time with six-year-old A Rocknroll Dance gelding Woodbine Rocks and driver Gerard O’Reilly in the Donaghys Proequine Handicap Pace.
Beginning well from their 10 metre handicap, O’Reilly was able to secure the one by one position for the majority of the 2600m journey. Peeling at the top of straight, O’Reilly and Woodbine Rocks were able to bury them, getting up to win by half a length from The Coalman with closing sectionals of 57.8 and 27.6.
“He’s been so unlucky in those Country Cups races. They’re brutal races. I’m really pleased for the owners they’ve stuck with me, and its really cool,” Hanrahan said.
“It was a drop in grade for him today, and he really deserved that.
“I talked my father into coming today. So it’s a very special day today.”
The pair will likely head to Methven next Sunday.
In the other features Mark and Nathan Purdon trained the quinella in the Group 3 Cobbity Equine Farm Leonard Memorial Mobile Pace when Alecto was too strong with driver Jonny Cox, beating the short priced favourite Secret Wish. The Purdons also trained Blacklaz to win on debut in Race 2, the Christchurch South Community Patrol Mobile Pace with Blair Orange.
Meanwhile the Cheviot Businesses Cheviot Cup was taken out impressively by the Brendon Hill trained and Craig Ferguson driven Renegade. Starting off 30m, the Captaintreacherous four-year-old circled the field three wide to lead with a lap to go and then held Xlendi and Double Time to win by nearly two lengths.
It was his seventh win in just 18 starts.
