Chading Wins Balaklava Cup By a Breath

Wednesday, 28 August 2002 00:00

Chading has made it three consecutive wins and scored the most thrilling of wins when an all the way victor in this afternoon’s listed Price’s Bakery/Malaysia Airlines Balaklava Cup (1600m).

Sent to the front early by popular South Australian jockey Wayne Kerford, Chading looked the winner before the Mark Kavanagh trained Border Time lunged right on the line.

After what seemed an eternity the judge posted the winning number much to the delight of Chading’s trainer Joe Hall and well known businessman, breeder and owner Ian Barton.

A four-year-old by Marauding, Chading won his third consecutive race after back to back wins at Balaklava and Victoria Park.

While his previous two starts had been by three and three and a half lengths respectively, today’s margin was less than half a centimetre.

While the majority felt that Chading had hung on to win in a thrilling photo, winning jockey Wayne Kerford had his fingers crossed as he returned to scale.

"A stride after the line I knew he (Border Time) was in front. So I was just hoping I’d hung on," Kerford said.

"Sometimes it favours the outside (horse) here so I wasn’t overly confident I’d won," he added.

Winning trainer Joe Hall wasn’t on track today, laid up with a leg injury at home after a stint in hospital for an operation.

"He hasn’t had much luck lately with his knee and he’s just out of hospital," Kerford added. "I hope it’s a good tonic."

It was nearly back to back Cups for Morphettville based trainer Mark Kavanagh. Border Time was hoping to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Easy Landing who’d won the Cup in a photo finish last year.

In a blanket finish just 2.7 lengths separated the first thirteen placegetters in the field if sixteen.

The Balaklava Cup ended a dream run being experienced at the meeting by Lindsay Park’s head trainer Tony McEvoy.

McEvoy had saddled up the previous five winners, but his three representatives in the feature event all finished out of a place.

Danish Storm, the most fancied of his trio, blew the start by rearing and then having to show strong early pace to take up a position by the second pick McBeal had no luck after racing back in the field and shunted to the extreme outside of the field on the corner.

PIC - Chading wins at last year's Mindarie-Halidon meeting in South Australia (Jenny Barnes).