Column Has The Ability To Win At Washdyke

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 4

Column Has The Ability To Win At Washdyke

Column, a newcomer at the meeting, has the ability to make first-day form valueless in the Doncaster Handicap at Washdyke tomorrow. The Doncaster Handicap is one of the principal flat races and the first leg of the double on the second day of the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting.

Column’s record earlier in the season was marked by his second in the New Zealand Cup, 'that following closely on three wins, two of them in open company. He Was put aside after the Wellington Cup meeting, and made an encouraging fresh start at Oamaru last month, finishing sixth after a slow start over seven furlongs. Column is a nippy type of stayer, usually able to take up a good position from the start. Anything like one of his peak efforts would give him a firstclass chance.

First-day form is best represented by Fair Summer and Assembly, which were first and fourth over the same distance in the Seadown Handicap. Fair Summer won quite soundly, and Massive and Prince Filou, the horses closest to him at the end, are missing from this field.

Assembly has been unable to improve on minor placings lately but there has been promise of early success in most of his performances.

Kasr el Nil and Super Maru were failures last week, and unless the ground is heavy nothing better may be seen of them this time.

Appreciate and Ben Ledi,. both newcomers at the meeting, and both recent winners, could play big roles if they ran right up to their best form.

Fulgent was withdrawn from the Seadown Handicap last week, and a start for him tomorrow was in doubt on Tuesday. However, he is likely to run, and he would be hardly inferior to the best of the others over this distance if right at his best. Few of the others have form of any note over this distance. Relinquish, a fast-finishing third against the milers at Ashburton, may be the best of them. The Second Leg Beau Revere’s attempt to win his last race as a hack under 9-13 will heighten interest in the Taiko Handicap, the second leg of the double. He failed to widen his winning sequence to three last Saturday, but did well to carry 9-11 into second place after having carried the barrier strands for a time early in the race. In his present form, Beau Revere will have most of the others behind him at the finish. Pennant was a narrow winner over the distance, six furlongs, at Oamaru in March and has not raced since. He has shown form of a fairly good standard on winter tracks, and the distance will suit him. Bobbie Burns was never well placed from a wide barrier position in the corresponding race last week, but this time he has every chance to take up a good position early. He was receiving only 11b from Beau Revere when the Orari horse beat him by two lengths at the Ashburton winter meeting, and there is 111 b between them this time.

Berwick has had no racing since last October. On the other hand, Fine Line’s latest performances have suggested that he has lost form since the Dunedin winter meeting, where he was a winner.

Lord Fane and Bagatelle were beaten from the start last Saturday after running into trouble inside the first furlong or so, and their chances must be considered mainly on some good runs in hack sprints earlier in the year.

Brown Treasure, which was a fair third in the second leg of the double last Saturday, and Fairy King are considered the best light-weights.

Fairy King has done nothing of note so far in his present campaign, but his races at Oamaru and Ashburton should have brought him close to peak fitness. His form as a two-year-old on winter tracks this time last year was highly promising. Selections:—

11 a.m.—Ota io Handicap: Stage Boy, Scarlet Pimpernel, Mercenary Beau.

11.40 a.m.—Kerrytown Hurdles Tisred, Baffling Eyes, De Bracey.

12.25 p.m.—Caroline Handicap: Lucky Gay, The Mint, Buckles. 1.5 p.m.—Doncaster Handicap: Column, Fair Summer, Assembly. ‘1.45 p.m.—Timaru Steeplechase: Grey Valley, Lumphanan, Tut Tut. 2.25 p.m.—President's Stakes: Tess, Shoal, Teina.

3.5 p.m.—Taiko Hack Handicap: Beau Revere, Lord Fane, Fairy King. 3.45 p.m.—Strathallan Hack Handicap : Expedition, Bobwood, Sir Ed-