Racing: Class tells in tough battle for Success

By MIKE DILLON

An urgent call last Tuesday to training partner Mike Moroney sealed a win for Andrew Scott and Class Success.

Scott had all but given up hope of winning the $35,000 Lanvin Campagne Stakes with Class Success when the filly showed severe signs of muscle tie-up after her Tuesday gallop.

He considered withdrawing Class Success, but Moroney said, "no".

"The same thing happened to Galroof last week and she came out on Saturday and won the Doomben Classic.

"Treat her and run her," was Moroney's advice.

"Vet Jim Marks treated her and when we took a blood off her yesterday she was pretty good," said Scott after Class Success picked up $66,875 in stakemoney and bonus scheme payouts on Saturday.

Scott had still not been confident, but he need not have worried.

Class Success did it tough sitting outside the pacemaker, but switched gear at the 375m and scored by 3 3/4 lengths.

Syndicator Paul Moroney had arranged a party at an Auckland restaurant for the 32 women owners in the Class Of 2001 Syndicate which has won nearly $300,000 this season already with Class Success, Flying Class and Country Class.

Joining the party were the owners in the Class Of 1999 and 2000 syndicate.

Moroney had reason to celebrate his own judgment in buying fillies for the syndicates.

Each of the five fillies he secured for the 1999 syndicate won. The 2000 group comprised four fillies and two of the three who have raced have won and the three of the four to race from the 2001 band have been successful.

Latin Class, from the 1999, from brother Mike Moroney's Melbourne stable, won at Caulfield last weekend and Gold Class, the filly Moroney rates as the best of all of them, resumes in Melbourne next weekend.

"They've renamed her She's Golden Class over there."

Cheetie just held second from the solid-finishing Bank Note.

* * *

Marty Craze's plan to buy a horse to race at the Queensland winter carnival for a bunch of Queenslanders backfired, but he's not concerned.

The horse, Wonder Blue, won nicely at Ellerslie on Saturday and will now go to Melbourne instead.

"He jarred up when I gave him a start just after we bought him and I had to spell him, which meant I couldn't have him ready to take to Brisbane," said Craze.

Trentham in July may be a prelude to a Melbourne trip.

Rider Noel Harris said the win was easier than the half-head margin suggested.

* * *

Mr Emperor showed Ellerslie was his favourite track when he relieved the fears of his trainer Kevin O'Connor by winning easily on Saturday.

O'Connor had strongly fancied Mr Emperor at Te Rapa last week and was shocked when the handy galloper finished 10th of 12 runners.

"I have no idea what went wrong with him, but I knew he was better than that," said O'Connor after Mr Emperor easily beat Danny Day and Likely Story.

Mr Emperor will race again in the $30,000 1600m at Ellerslie on Saturday and will meet again Likely Story, who turned in a huge effort to come from clear last at the 600m on a day when it was difficult to make ground from the back.

* * *

Remarkable how tracks have changed. Te Rapa in the past few weeks has showed huge improvement for the work done on it and it was staggering how the ground on the inside running held up throughout the programme at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Given the rain late last week, you would have expected jockeys to swing wide on the home bend for the second half of the programme, but even in Race 10, the rail was the place to be.

* * *

Dave O'Sullivan was asked by Eric Watson to buy a yearling to become a cups horse and it is difficult to suggest the retired champion trainer has not done the job with yesterday's debut Matamata winner Zafar.

The Zabeel 3-year-old powered home late for Lance O'Sullivan and looks a middle distance star in the making.