Racing: Lupton's lucky day as Bart runs rivals ragged

Isaac Lupton made the most of a rival jockey's misfortune when combining with renowned front-runner Bart to run the opposition into submission and win the $40,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie yesterday.

Lupton did not have a ride in the Mad Butcher-sponsored event when Jolly Sir was scratched but picked up the late engagement on Bart, after rival jockey Derek Satherley was injured in a fall in the opening event.

Lupton answered the late call up by trainers Sheryl and Roger McGlade and rated the bold-striding front runner to perfection, setting solid sectional times and showing superior speed over the closing 200 metres to win impressively.

Bart scored by 1 1/4 lengths over Real Tonic, with a further long neck back to Just The Man (third).

Nothing could be taken away from the run of the winner, because he was in front throughout and was a target for any rival good enough to catch him in the home straight, but none was.

Bart's co-trainer Sheryl McGlade was impressed with Lupton's winning ride. But she felt for the injured Derek Satherley and Kara Waters.

"Isaac did a first-class job on Bart today and he had him in front controlling the tempo of the race," said McGlade. "I feel sorry for Derek but, luckily, Isaac was available.

"I feel really terrible for Kara Waters who used to do all the work on Bart in training and rode him in a lot of his races. She was injured a while ago and missed the ride on him in the Inter-Island Steeplechase at Paeroa and today.

"It can be really tough on the young riders when they do so much work on a horse and miss out through injury when the big stakes races are on offer."

From a Great Northern Steeplechase perspective (September 10), eye-catching performances were recorded by Real Tonic and Just The Man.

Real Tonic arrived in Auckland from Melbourne at 9.30 yesterday morning and his performance to get within 1 1/4 lengths of the winner was an ideal hit-out before the feature jumping events next month.

Just The Man was another who made ground stylishly in the home stretch in a race finish that was dominated by on-the-pace runners.

Team work from the ground staff and the Pakuranga Huntsmen (clerks of the course) averted a potential disaster during the race.

Aquaria Dancer stumbled and collided with the running rail near the inside crossing during the opening lap and was still cast on the track when the field approached on the last lap.

The ground staff and clerks of the course made some minor adjustments to the portable barriers to form a protective area around Aquaria Dancer.

With the co-operation of the jockeys no horse or jockey was injured.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY