AT WASHDYKE TOMORROW

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27040, 15 May 1953, Page 4

AT WASHDYKE TOMORROW

DREENAGH SELECTED TO WIN CUP

DENOMINATE CHOSEN IN SECOND LEG

Dreenagh, now in her last season of racing, is selected to win the Timaru Cup, the principal event and first leg of the double at the South Canterbury Jockey Club's first winter meeting tomorrow. She has freshened up since the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, where she ran fourth in the Great Autumn Handicap and sixth in the Sockburn Handicap. Her versatility under all conditions should be to her advantage tomorrow, as a soft track is a possibility. In that respect she has an advantage over Travesty, pne of her best-per-formed opponents in this field. Travesty shows bis real form when he gets firm footing. Dreenagh’s record leaves little doubt that she is the best stayer in this field, and a solidly-run race will brighten her chance. She won the Metropolitan Handicap, one mile and a half, at Riccarton last November, and her form before last month’s meeting at Riccarton included a fourth in the Autumn Handicap, two miles, and third in the President’s Handicap, one mile and a half, at the Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting. The track was fast for the Autumn Handicap, and soft for the President’s Handicap. Travesty, the New Zealand recordholder for a mile and a quarter, raced only once at Riccarton last month, and finished a close third in the Dominion Handicap behind The Lum and Marjo. In that race, Travesty beat six horses that he will meet again tomorrow— Entrancing, Valley Gold, Ash, Danger Point, Command, and Ngapunawai; and he will meet all but Entrancing and Danger Point on better terms. Danger Point’s Form

Danger Point has probably improved more than any of the others since the Dominion Handicap, and Travesty will not find him easy to beat over the distance. Danger Point has. won over a mile and three furlongs, but Travesty has not yet been successful over the distance. - •Entrancing-will not find.it easy to give Dreenagh and Travesty weight. She “has done best on firm going, and conditions may not suit her tomorrow. Royal Tower has raced well enough to be given something better than an average chance in thlsneld. He has won over a mile and a half, and his Immediate form background is encouraging. At Riverton last month, he dead-heated with Dusty Miller over a mile and a quarter and 150 yards; and five days later, he ran fifth under 8-4 In the Sockburh Handicap. Among those to finish behind him were Dreenagh (sixth). Valley Gold (seventh), and Danger Point (tenth). Tomorrow he will meet these three horses on better terms, and if he runs one of his best races, he should be well in the picture at the finish. Royal Voyage, winner of two of his last four races, lacks a common form background with his best-performed opponents, but his recent efforts give him a strong chance. He will have to be right at his best, though, to concede up to two stone to the others over this distance. Apart from Danger Point, Ash has the best form of those weighted below 8-0. Second Leg of Double Denominate is a firm pre-post favourite for’ the .Rosewill Hack Handicap, the second leg of the double, as a result of his brilliant win over seven furlongs at Amberely last Saturday. Mr H. D. Greenwood’s smart Defaulter three-year-old will have another furlong to master this time, but it is not expected to trouble him. ■ ■ • ■ A slow beginning in, this big field could affect Denominate's chance. However, if he has luck at the start, his ability will make him a formidable opponent for the b< Sid°a, foe top'weight with 0-3, narrowly won from King Willow over a mile and a quarter at Amberley. These two will meet again in this field, and the chances of both must be respected. At the weights, King Willow may be Sidra’s master this tune. ■ Zingabo also showed enough ability at Amberley to be given a strong winning chance In this field. His powerful run from the tail of the field in the short straight on that course, to finish fourth in the hack sprint, won by Denominate, was * bright feature of the race. Better Much will depend on Zlngabo’s ability to take up a good position early tomorrow. If he is well ptaced for the run home, he will take beating. Massador and Diplomatic appear the best prospects lower in the weights. Massador has been running all his races out strongly, and this distance should suit him. He last raced at the Marlborough meeting on April 18, and finished Strongly into second place threequarters of a length behind Jimmy Wilde. But for running wide, on the turn, Massador would have been harder to beat. Three seconds—two at Riccarton—in his last three starts is the record of Diplomatic. That form gives the Washdyketrained Old Bill gelding a reasonably good light-weight’s chance. Cherry Prince’s chance The Pentlow Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase, the first cross-country event of the year in Canterbury, gives variety and additional interest to a good programme, The form horse is Cherry Prince, winner of the Otatara Hack Steeplechase, two miles, at Invercargill on May 2. The five-year-old Chatsworth gelding won that race, his first from F. Trilford’s stable, with ease. Unless he falls down badly for lack of stamina over another half mile, he will take beating. Money Lender and Jolyon, the best of the Riccarton jumpers in the field, have not raced since last winter, but neither should fall, for want of condition. Both have schooled well in preparation for this of the others has worthwhile form-,-but there will be interest in The Old Vic’s first appearance over country. He has shown great ability in his schoolfull Tilt, a stablemate of The Old Vic, may open his winning record as a hurdler in the Levels Hack Hurdles. The flve-year-pld Royal Arch gelding made a promising start at.Riccarton last month, wn«m he ran third to Leofa and Chasemint in the Peerswiek Hurdles. He might have won if he had not made a bad leap at the last flight. He contested the hack sprint at Amberlev last week, and carried top weight into second place behiqd Denomln- I None of the other Riccarton novice hurdlers this year has Shown more ability in training than Exchequer, an apt pupil. If his race performance matches the qualttypf his schooling, he win be superior to the best of his opponents. Military Chief and Sir Abbot should do beat of the other*. .Riding engreements include:—M. R. Jones: Mistv.Hain. Valid; R. O. Cairns: Associate, Colony Boy. Air Rose, Brave Warrior, Ironside: B. P. CoTboy: Dawning Day, Cherry Prince; J. Dempsey: Tipperary; L. W. French: Dark Warrior: W. D. Skelton: Rio Negro; K. Coombe: De Rose; B. 3. Langford: Cosmopolitan, Full Tilt, The Old Vic, Conrad. What Next: G. Julius: Bulletin. Mackenzie Boy; W. F. Ellis: Paulette. Naval Treaty. Selections: 11 asm—Albury Handicap: Royal Ap- ■ parel. Easy Way, My Friend. 11.45 a.m.—St. Andrews Handicap: Rio : Negro, Aranga, Naval Treaty. 1330 p.m.—Levels Hack Hurdles: Full j Tilt, Exchequer, Military Chief. 1.15 p.m,—Tfanaru Cup: Dreenagh, Royal Tower, Travesty. 2 pjn.—Pentlow Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase: Cherry Prince, Money Lender, The Old Vic. 2.45 p.m.—RosewiH Hack Handicap: Denominate, King Willow, Massador. 830 p.m.—Smithfield Hack Handicap: Misty Range, Sarada, Roue. 4.15 pjnz—Rangitata Handicap: Ptolemy, Quarry, Vltalogy.