Peter Willonyx In Form For Trentham

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28012, 5 July 1956, Page 4

Peter Willonyx In Form For Trentham

RACING

The Auckland Racing Club’s York Handicap, run at Ellerslie last montli, could well be the key to the result of the Whyte Handicap, the first leg of the double on the opening day of the Wellington winter meeting on Saturday.

Peter Willonyx recaptured his best form in that mile race, and carried 9-1 to an easy three lengths’ win from Ngatoki. a winner over seven furlongs earlier at the meeting. These two very good winter gallopers will meet in the Whyte Handicap. This time. Ngatoki will meet Peter Willonyx on 61b better terms than in the York Handicap, but the result may be no different if both have equal fortune in the running.

Peter Willonyx showed exceptional ability on heavy tracks at Trentham last year. Those who saw him win the Members’ Handicap by eight lengths under 9-13 and the Onslow Handicap by three-quarters of a length with a thumping 10-7, will form a strong band of supporters for the topweight. Peter Willonyx will carry 9-12. He has had a grand preparation, and unless he has lost some of his ability since last year, and that has not been evident, he will be hard to beat.

Ngatoki is a proved campaigner under the worst Trentham conditions. He was one of the outstanding hacks at this meeting last year, winning twice in that grade, then coming to Riccarton for a brilliantly successful debut in the Paparua Handicap. His best distance so far has been seven furlongs, but he was running on in the York Handicap, and it will be surprising if the Trentham mile beats him.

Apart from Peter Willonyx. Berne may be the best in the top part of the handicap. Berne has 9-6. and won this race with 8-12 last year when the minimum was 7-7. not 8-0, as it is now.

Berne then ran second, though 10 lengths from Red Star, in the Parliamentary Handicap. Red Star beat him again, but not so easily, over a mile and a quarter at Awapuni last month, but Berne may be the Trentham horse’s master at a mile.

Master Proven has built up. a good record, mainly where stamina has been the main requirement. His chance may be brighter in the Parliamentary Handicap on the second day. Encouraging Form Clinker has done most of his racing on summer tracks. So has Desperado. They have both won Thompson Handicaps over this distance at Trentham, and have distinguished themselves in other appearances on the course, * but they have not been extensively campaigned at winter meetings before. King of Joy has an encouraging form background with wins at his last two starts.

Rutillant failed in this race last year after winning decisively over a mile and a quarter at the Manawatu winter meeting. He was successful at that meeting again this year, again on a heavy track, but he has not yet shown that he is equally at ease under the conditions at Trentham, and there are no conditions like Trentham conditions at this time of the year. Horatius has won twice in a short career in open company. He was in his element on heavy tracks at the Dunedin winter meeting, and won the Queen Elizabeth Handicap over this distance after mastering 11 furlongs in the Provincial Handicap five days earlier.

Last week. Horatius was fourth under top weight of 9-0 in the Timaru Cup. He was fading slightly at the end, but the distance of that race was only 70 yards short of one mile and a half.

The Wake is one of the iron horses of New Zealand racing, and a switch to hurdling at his last two appearances has not stopped him from racing well.

He was third in this race last year, and at very long odds for a horse with proved form in bad ground. Good Abbot’s best distance is a middle distance, but in his present form he should be running on over a mile. His Timaru Cup second was highly encouraging. Likely Bracket

Royal Warrant and form a popular light-weight bracket. Royal Warrant is back near the minimum after many failures on firm tracks, which do not suit him, since his Winter Cup success last year. He beat all but Assembly on a heavy track at Wingatui, but the second time he raced at the meeting he injured himself and lost a winning chance. He has apparently recovered well, and if he is at his best for this test he will be one of the best of the light-weights. Himiler won this race two years ago. He was unplaced in last year’s Whyte Handicap when he had 8-13, and his failure to win since has brought him back on to the minimum. There was promise of improvement when he beat all but King of Joy over seven furlongs at Awapuni last month, and his proved ability under the worst Trentham conditions could place victory within his reach.

Beau Ray’s record shows that Trentham places peculiar demands on horses in the winter. Beau Ray ran Berne to a length in this race last year. He has won since, but in much weaker company, and it is doubtful if he would measure up to the best class on any other track than a winter track at Trentham.

Peter Willonyx and Ngatoki are expected to be the main rivals. Second Leg

The South Island may be more strongly represented in the Stewards’ Handicap than in the first leg of the double.

Assembly, Kasr el Nil, and Ben Ledi have been racing well under winter conditions and any on them could be a match for the best of the northerners. Assembly and Kasr el Nil won at the Dunedin winter meeting on heavy tracks. Assembly beat Royal Warrant over seven furlongs, and at his second appearance went under to Brooke, a very good galloper on heavy tracks. Assembly pleased in his training before he went north and if right at ease under the conditions should run out seven furlongs very strongly. Kasr el Nil recorded a hollow win over six furlongs on the third day of the Dunedin meeting. Like most ot the stock of Edenbridge he shows to the very best advantage under the worst conditions.

Ben Ledi made an encouraging start

in open company at Oamaru. He was one of the last away from the sevenfurlong- barrier and kept, up a brilliant run round the field to beat all but Lord Rowallan. Ben Ledi raced against the hacks at Wingatui earlier in the month and with 9-10 beat all but Berwick (8-5) in the Tainui Hack Handicap, six furlongs. The North Island representation includes an unusually large number of middle distance horses. Lucrative has established her class as a sprinter, but has heavy work ahead of her to master 10-0 on what is certain to be a heavy track. Sleipnir has paid his way on the provincial courses, but has not been particularly successful against the bestavailable sprinters. The Vandal won over 11 furlongs at Hastings last week and was twice second over middle distances al Awapuni. There is not an outstanding pointer to a sprint success on his record. Domitare has made a steady advance to the top part of the handicap lately, but on Egmont form should be safely held by Peterford. Egmont Winner

Peterford is a four-year-old Hello Peter gelding trained at Takanini by P. E. Pope, so is a stablemate of Peter Willonyx. He won by four lengths at Egmont, where he was having his first start in open company. At Ellerslie on June 4, he won the First Ranfurly Hack Handicap, seven furlongs, on a heavy track under 9-3, recovering brilliantly after being slow away. Peterford’s good form over the distance should make him one of the strongest contenders. Another should be Bandera, a Huntly-trained Hiawatha gelding. He showed ability in bad ground at Ellerslie on June 9 when he soundly won the Visitors’ Handicap, run over six furlongs. Last Saturday, Bandera improved six places from the turn for second behind Bunyarra in the seven-furlong President’s Handicap at Avondale. The track was heavy. Chateau and Gold Caste, halfbrother and sister, are two likely to find more ground to their liking, but both have been racing solidly and should be running on. A favoured trio are Peterford, Ben Ledi. and Bandera. PETER WILLONYX FIT FOR SATURDAY “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON. July 4. Peter Willonyx, the top weight in the Whyte Handicap on Saturday, was at Trentham this morning. He travelled well from Takanini ana looks in excellent condition for Saturday's engagement. Peter Willonyx was accompanied by Bunyarra, which is also in hard condition. He is a last-start winner. His success was an easy one in the President’s Handicap at Avondale on Saturday. He is not big, but he looks the type to handle heavy ground well. Bunyarra is not engaged on Saturday. The stable has a good prospect in the Stewards' Handicap in Peterford.

KING’S FAIR INJURES LEG IN TRIAL (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, Julv 4. King’s Fair appeared at the Eagle Farm track today heavily bandaged just below the near hock. He struck himself in a trial yesterday, and the leg is slightly swollen. King’s Fair’s trainer, J. Mitchell, said: "Naturally, I am worried, but I will work him again tomorrow and see how he pulls up.” The Queensland jockey. S. Curran, who

rode Knave, the New Zealand-owned winner of the Stradbroke Handicap last month, was engaged today to ride King’s Fair in the Doomben Ten Thousand on Saturday.

The outright favourite for the Ten Thousand, Lindbergh, will be ridden by a Melbourne jockey, W. Williamson.