GREAT AUTUMN TODAY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27631, 12 April 1955, Page 4

GREAT AUTUMN TODAY

Ray Ribbon May Beat

Americus

CHANCE FOR FIELD CHIEF IN SECOND LEG

Ray Ribbon, one of New Zealand’s best but unluckiest staying three-year-olds this season, may mark bis return to handicap racing by winning the Great Autumn Handicap on the second day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Riccarton today.

Ray Ribbon has Bit 51b which is lib over weight-for-age at a mile and half, and any way the race is run he will be hard to beat from his place in the handicap. He had no engagement yesterday, but has pleasingly come through a special preparation for the Great Autumn Handicap since his return from Trentham last month after finishing second to Hot Drop in the New Zealand St. Leger and second to Somerset Fair in the North bland Challenge Stakes.

Three-year-olds have distinguished themselves in the Great Autumn in the last few years. They have won six of the last nine contests, Super Snipe mastering 61b more than weight-for-age when she won five years ago. Ray Ribbon has already made his mark at a mile and a half under handicap conditions, winning the last Dunedin Cup under 7st 91b in a manner that left no doubt about his gameness and stamina.

His meeting today with older horses of the ability of Clinker, Toparoa, Easterbroofc, and Americus in particular, should make the Great Autumn Handicap a first-class race, one not likely to lose any value because of the lack of numbers. There are nine acceptors.

The Great Autumn Handicap, and the Templeton Handicap as the second leg, form today’s double.

Clinker has so far failed beyond a mile and a half,’but a galloper of his class has to be given a strong chance because of the possibility of a slack pace early making the race a sprint home.

Clinker is a master of weight, and one of New Zealand's top-flight handicap milers. Track conditions will suit him today, and he does not appear to be showing any wear-and-tear after his recent North Island campaign, Which ended with the Awapuni Gold Cup, in which he was considered unlucky not to finish closer than fourth. Royal Voyage failed in the Riverton Cup on Saturday when the ground was soft, but he raced soundly earlier for a win at Motukarara and a second to Josudi at Wingatui. If he has held his form the distance should not be beyond him, but to beat Ray Ribbon on level terms and to give weight to sound stayers like Toporoa, Easterbrook, and Americus appears to be a task too great for him. Toparoa was third in the New Zealand Cup and again in the Metropolitan Handicap when he was brought from Woodville last November. He has been able to win only one race since, but has raced soundly and consistently for several minor placings since. Easterbrook showed a great reserve of stamina in his racing at Trenthaita last month. He was one of the fastest finishers when he got up for fourth in the Autumn Handicap, two miles, on the first day of the meeting, and soundly beat some good stayers over a., mile and a half a week later. He carried 7st 41b that day, and a rise of 91b should not keep him opt of it if today’s race is truly run. Hie Great Autumn is Americus’s first test over this distance in open company, but there is little doubt that *he will not fail for want of stamina/ He won the Dominion Handicap with one of those .powerful runs that have characterised most of his racing, and if that race has not taken, a toll of his vitality he will be solidly supported to [complete a double .for the meeting. For'his win yesterday, Americus was rehandicapped 81b to 7st 121 b. Wait-a-Bit, Tom Bowling, and Vocalize, the three horses below Americus in the weights, will probably lack the class necessary to give them good chances. Templeton Handicap

The Hob, a stablemate of Clinker, is top weight with 9st in a field of 12 for the Templeton Handicap, the second leg of the double. The Hob carries his nine years lightly and has had two wins this season; but the task of giving away up to two stone may be Beyond him now, if not . earlier in his career.

Field Chief has distinguished himself at this distance in stronger fields, and his fourth in the Dominion Handicap yesterday could be an accurate pointer for today. Bosky and Fulgent failed yesterday. It was a surprising failure by Fulgent, whose form has been so markedly consistent. A win from him today may be too much to expect; but it may be too early yet to regard yesterday’s failure as a complete loss of form rather than an isolated lapse. Lord Rowallan dropped out of the fleld for - the Great Easter Handicap yesterday. He is a powerful galloper whose trials have held hopes for him. though his prospects would be more confidently rated if there was any easing in the ground. Zingabo dia not distinguish himself in the Great Easter after being slow to find his feet, but he should be a force to reckon with at a mile, which is probably his best distance. Declare worked with great dash last week, and his puzzling failure to win a race on his home track during a career now extending into a sixth season may be overlooked because of his very good performances several times at Trentham, where he has been successful as a miler. Writer recorded several creditable placings over slightly longer journeys in the North Island before he was brought south to Join G. R. Felling's stable recently. His training trials at Riccarton have been of a good standard—good enough to make a win for him from his place in the handicap quite a strong possibility. Russleigh and Watch and Wait are other light-weights whose three-year-old performances this season have been good enough to give them chances. Selections:— Kildare Hurdles: Harleston, Some Bounder, Brown Baron. Tasman Handicap: Iroquoi, Gold Trend. Saba. ■ Christchurch Handicap: Great Tom. Sherpa, Tulagi. *Great Autumn Handicap: Ray Ribbon, Americus, Easterbrook. _ Autumn Nursery Handicap: Tess, Persia. Montrose. H ®ndicap: Macduff, The Stove, Michael Brierly. •Templeton Handicap: Field ■ Chief, Zingabo, Declare. Shirley Handicap: Demijour, Beau Ray, Cornflake. • Denotes doubles races.

The fields are:— 11.32 a.m.— KILDARE HURDLES, Of £500. About one mile and threequarters and sixty yards. st. lb. Jolly Miller it. lb. Wealthy (4) 10 8 Exchequer (9) 9 6 (7) 10 7 Brown Baron Harleston (6) 9 13 (8) 9 5 Some ' Grey Valley Bounder (5) 9 9 (2) 9 0 Conrad (1) 9 7 Superdowa (3) 9 0 12.12 p.m.— TASMAN HANDICAP, x Of £800. One mile. st. lb. t. lb. Assembly (8) 9 1 Iroquoi (3) 7 8 Princess Cloque (2) 7 8 Neptune (5) Gold Trend 9 0 Coin’s Edge (4) 7 7 (1) 8 12 Decipher (11) 7 >7 Saba (9) 8 0 Mundus (fl) 7 > PasschenedaeU I’m Alone (7) 7 7 (10) 7 8 12.57 p.m.— CHRISTCHURCH HANDICAP. Of £400. Seven furlongs. Great Tom Mata Hari 7 11 (11) 9 0 Golden Tassln (17) Tulagi (22) 8 11 8 9 Kowhai (2) Coin's Edge 7 11 Sir Galahad (19) 7 11 8 5 Mango (13) 7 11 r . Lady Calcutta Lothian (18) 8 4 Sweep (5) Search Party 7.11 Sherpa (21) 8 3 Berwick (fl) 8 3 7 11 Kiaree Beau First Fiddle 9 ’ (1) Helm (14) 7 11 7 13 Super Find Gallant Peter (10) 7 11 „ (8) 7 13 Miss CastleMarette (16) 7 11 malne (3) 7 n Cassamanda 7 11 Meteorologist (13) (20) 7 11 1.42 p.m.— GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP. Of £2000 One mile and a half. Clinker (3) st lb. it lb. Royal Voyage Ray Ribbon** 8 5 (1) Tom Bowling Toparoa (8) 8 5 8 2 (2) Vocalize (8) 7 0 7 0 Easterbrook (7) 7 13 2.22 p.m.— AUTUMN Nursery handicap. Of £500. Six furlongs. Tess (1) st. lb. 8 1 Le Rof (8) st. lb. 7 10 Persia (fl) Renegade (7) 8 0 7 12 Beau Chat (2) Pretend (4) 7 10 7 8 Montrose (5) 3.2 p.m.— 7 11 Ditched (3) 7 7 WIGRAM HANDICAP, Of £500. st. lb. 9 0 One mile. st lb. Dahlia (1) Chellene (9) Michael Brierly Spike Jones Jesse James Ultra (fl) 7 13 J (4) 8 7 Ripon Wood Macduff (2) 8 7 (10) 7 10 The Starve (8) 3.42 t».m.— 8 3 Airscol (3) 7 7 TEMPLETON HANDICAP. Of £800. st. lb. 9 0 One mile. st. lb. 7 12 7 O The Hob (11) Field Chief Is? „ . (6 > Bosky (7) 8 12 Russleigh (1) 7 0 Watch and Wait (12) 7 0 Fulgent (3) 8 4 Lord Hawaiian Saranac (9) .Adversary 7 0 Zlngabo (2) 8 3 (10) 7 0 4.22 p.m.— SHIRLEY HANDICAP. Of £500. One mile and a quarter. Cornflake (fl) Demijour (7) Beau Ray (2) 9 2 Goldwyn (3) 8 3 8 10 ssuvcr irumpei (8) 7 13 Macduff (11) 8 8 Belle Nuit (9) Pat's Treasure 7 7 San Antonio Scuppered (4) 8 4 Fleur (5) 7 7