Stablemates May Win Double At Motukarara

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27907, 2 March 1956, Page 4

Stablemates May Win Double At Motukarara

RACING

A stable double for A. E. Didham’s pair, Field Chief and Mighty Dollar, is a strong possibility st the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting at Motukarara tomorrow. Field Chief is top weight with 9-4 in the first leg. the Peninsula Handicap. Mighty Dollar occupies the same position, with 9-7. in the second leg, the Kinloch Handicap. Both are last-start winners. FieldChief has not raced since he won the Wellington Racing Club Handicap, one mile and a half, under 8-8 in January. Mighty Dollar has been away from racing longer—since December 27, when he won the James Hazlett Gold Cup on his home course with one of the best performances of his career. Field Chief and Mighty Dollar were brought to Riccarton on Wednesday. They looked in splendid trim, and as if they had done enough work to have them in race-winning condition for their engagements tomorrow.

Field Chief kept up a strong gallop to the end of a mile and a half in his latest Trentham success. He has 101 b more to master, but over 11 furlongs tomorrow. He will probably be ridden by the leading jockey, R. J. Skelton, and it will be surprising if he does not acquit himself creditably.

If the ground stays firm, Calcutta Sweep will probably be Field Chief’s strongest opponent. Calcutta Sweep was an unlucky third, less than a length behind Field Chief, in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap. Two starts earlier he won the Wairarapa Cup over the Peninsula Handicap distance. Calcutta Sweep, whose principal autumn mission is the Wellington Autumn Handicap, showed his fitness for tomorrow's test with a sound mile trial at Riccarton yesterday. He takes time to mount his stayer’s run. but the long straight at Motukarara should help him to work into the picture near the end. Cornflake has been twice placed at Wingatui since his win in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton early last month. He has not been able to do himself justice at times on hard tracks carrying little grass at summer meetings. The best will be seen of him—and it will be impressive—if there is a slight easing in the ground at Motukarara. None of the others has an appealing form background. Saba and Demand may be the best of them. Both have attracted attention with sound trials at Riccarton this week. Mighty Dollar’s Task Mighty Dollar will concede from 61b to 281 b to some smart sprinters in the Kinloch Handicap, but his brilliance Allied with his weight-carrying ability ° f° r the distance could win the day for him. Mighty Dollar is now five, and this will probably be his best season. Before the James Hazlett Gold Cup he brilliantly won the Shorts Handicap at Trentham and the Members’ Handicap at Riccarton. Tomorrow’s race should have value as a guide to his chance in the Thompson Handicap at Trentham a week later. Copenhagen, closest to Mighty Dollar m the weights, has been unplaced three times since be won the Jockey Club Handicap at Riccarton in November. Although he won the Jockey Club .Handicap on a fast track. Copenhagen can do more credit to himself when the fire is out of the ground. He had those conditions when he ran Mighty Dollar to half a length in the Shorts Handicap and Field Chief to two lengths in the Pearce Handicap at Trentham in October.

One of Copenhagen’s best runs would very nearly give him victory over Mighty Dollar. But the Wingatui horse may be the master if the track is firm and fast, as is likely. Clinker carried 9st 71b to a good win in this race last year, a w T eek before he ran fourth in the W. R. C. Thompson Handicap. Success has eluded him since then, and he is in

this field with Bst 131 b. Luck had passed him by in some of his races. He was at or near his brilliant best at the Wellington Cup meeting, but success eluded him. In one of his two appearances there, he struck trouble and was brought down. Strato has had one win in 13 starts this season, but also has some creditable minor placings on his record. However, on Wingatui and earlier form, he does not appeal as much as Paulette, an improved mare for her two races—and two seconds —at the Dunedin meeting. Paulette's very good sprint at Riccarton yesterday could have been a winning trial for the Kinloch Handicap. Riccarton and earlier form points to sound runs by Rio Negro, and Desperado. Rio Negro was not really tested to win the Craven Plate by two and a half lengths. Behind her were Merriment. Strato, Paulette, and Okaruru. Desperado was just shaded by Cornflake and Pack Drill in the Midsummer Handicap the same day. Before that, he had a well-eafhed win in the Wellington Racing Club’s Thorndon Handicap, in which he beat Pack Drill and some other smart milers. All has gone well with Desperado since then. One of his peak performances will carry him into the battle for the placings. Riding engagements include:— R. J. Skelton: Clinker, Desert Cloud, Field Chief, Bonny Pippin. A. J. Stokes: Copenhagen, Saba, Hay Time. Smuggles, Iroquoi. C. McDonald: Paulette. Wee Helen.

H. J. Ford: Swayalong. R. W. Gould: Tarantella, Count de Reszke, Solstice. M. D Alexander: Merriment, Pennant. Happy, Bon Soir. Philadelphia. F. H. Skelton: Strada, Royal Warrant. Airscol.

D. J. Thistoll: Overboard, Curtain Raiser. Strato, Cristatus. Belletavia. G. W. Mein: Kiaree Beau. Rio Negro. Detection. Royal Response. Jimmy Flash. G. G. Hampton: Gallant Peter. N. Eastwood: Calutta Sweeo. Mananui, Goldwyn. Tess, Innesfell. RHanlin: Appreciate. J. R. Currie: Breccia. J. W. McDonald: Columban. Promenade. J. Didham: Mighty Doller. Hunt the Slipper, Demand. Selections:—

112 a.m.—Bradley Stakes: First Division: Purser. Bonny Pippin. Second division: Pennant. Hay Time. 11.52 a.m. —Terawera High-weight: Sole Mio, Royal Display. Gallant Peter. 12.42 p.m.—Peninsula Handicap: Field Chief, Calcutta Sweep, Saba. 1.22 p.m.—Wairewa Trot: Scoot, Taipo, Shemara. 2.2 p.m.—Ahuriri Hack Handicap: Curtain Raiser, Desert Cloud, Philadelphia. 2.42 p.m.—Kinloch Handicap: Mighty Dollar, Paulette, Clinker. 3.22 p.m.—Parkinson Hack Handicap; Goldwyn, Strada, Cristatus. 4.2 p.m.—Waihora Park Trot: Corinthian. Francora, Greenstone. The fields, with form for the doubles races, are: — PENINSULA HANDICAP, Of £750. One mile and three furlongs, st. lb.

4401 Field Chief .. 9 4 0123 Cornflake 8 5 1030 Calcutta Sweep 8 3 0000 Overboard 7 13 3400 Ngapunawai 7 13 00 Grand Boy 7 12 0002 Demand 7 12 1000 Bon Soir 7 10 2000 Saba 7 7 0122 Jimmy Flash 7 7 KINLOCH HANDICAP, Of £450. Seven furlongs. st. lb. 1011 Mighty Dollar ..9 7 1000 Copenhagen ..9 1 4000 Clinker .. 8 13 2044 Strato .. 8 11 0022 Paulette .. 8 10 0413 Desperado ..8 8 0001 Rio Negro ..8 1 0000 Royal Warrant ..8 0 1314 Merriment ..7 9 0000 Tess ..7 7 0040 Okaruru ..7 7