BLAST FROM THE PAST
1964 NZ OAKS: Won by Lady Nugent
1964 NZ OAKS
Lady Nugent brought her record to four wins and a fourth placing in five starts when she won the New Zealand Oaks at Addington Raceway in clear-cut style. Her fourth placing was in the NZ Derby Stakes.
Lady Nugent was up handy to the leaders early but was later pushed back to about eighth place. Racing to the straight, she had moved up to seventh, and continuing her run she had charge at the furlong to finish on gamely to have a length to spare from Douce at the post, with Golden Oriole and Compromise dead-heating for third.
Lady Nugent is a beautifully-mannered filly. She appeared to be quite unconcerned when the cooler type of rug was being put on her in the birdcage after the race. Her unconcern was so marked that one was led to believe that having a new rug fitted was a everyday occurrence for her. She received a great hand from the crowd lining the birdcage and is another feather in the caps of the Hunter training partnership.
By Garrison Hanover from Golden Circle, Lady Nugent is a chestnut, and she belongs to the same notable family from which have come such winners as Doraldina (winner of the first contest for the NZ Sapling Stakes), Special Edition, Great News, Gold Chief and Daphne de Oro, classic winners in abundance. Golden Circle is by Light Brigade from Melody Maid, by Grattan Loyal-Duslina, by Drusus-Doraldina, by OYM.
In the absence of C S Hunter, who is still recovering from an accident, Lady Nugent was driven by the Prebbleton trainer-driver A M Purdon.
Douce paced a splendid race for second. Golden Oriole and Compromise also performed very creditably. A hot favourite, Golden Oriole became awkwardly placed and had to change course more than once to get a run in the straight. When an opening did appear down on the rails, she made a game attempt to gather in the leaders, but she did not really finish with the dash expected of her by many. Compromise was one of the slowest beginners, and others to loose ground at the start were Douce, Lee, Lornaway, Killin and Snowline.
The result was a triumph for the Billy Direct horse Garrison Hanover, as Lady Nugent, Douce and Compromise are all by the sire.
Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar
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