GREY VALLEY IN FORM FOR WASHDYKE STEEPLES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28630, 5 July 1958, Page 7

GREY VALLEY IN FORM FOR WASHDYKE STEEPLES

Grey Valley is expected to complete a double at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting when he contests Hie South Canterbury Steeplechase at Washdyke today. Safe jumping and stamina gave him a decisive win in the Timaru Steeplechase last week, and a rise of l()Ib in the handicap is unlikely to worry him.

De Gaulle and Tisred, second and third respectively last Saturday, will not compete again today, but Lumphanan, which followed these two home, is engaged. Lumphanan, which won both the steeplechase events at the South . Canterbury winter meeting last season, showed little dash after being handy to the lead until the straight in the Timaru Steeplechase last week, and was 14 lengths from Grey Valley at the finish. Unless he has improved considerably. Lumphanan. although meeting his rival on 91b better terms this time, may again be safely held. Of the newcomers, the best and most likely to test Grey Valley is Participation. This Gore-trained Sir Galloway gelding beat Delarmo in the Tahuna Hack Steeples on the first day of the recent Dunedin meeting, and then finished third behind

the same runner and De Gaulle in a similar event on the second day. If he has held that form. Participation will again be hard to beat. The scratching of Waffles. Arctic Sun, Irish Wings and Bronze Peak has reduced the field to 12. Unless there are several more scratchings today it is unlikely that anything but a field approaching capacity will contest the Doncaster Handicap, the first leg of the T.A.B. double. Brooke. Coinalot. Adversary, King Robin, Seadune, Ettrick John and Aquarius have already been scratched, but Nor’ east. Smuggles, Whiohau and Pot Luck, which were balloted out, have re-entered the field. Favouritism is likely to be disputed by Pink Rose, from Washdvke, and the Riccarton-trained McCool. Second Leg The second leg of the T.A.B.

double, the Taiko Hack Handicap, is not as unweildly. The scratching of Royal Dasher and Relation has reduced the field to 10 runners, the best of which may be Natella, Kelton, which has been scratched from his engagement in the Strathallan Hack Handicap, and Timely Boy.

A double for on-course investors only will operate on the Opihi Stakes and the Otaio Handicap. Although Royal Loch. Scope, Sea Fox, Gold Crown. Honey Light, Orderly, Bolero and Gaymaris have been scratched for the Opihi, Stages, the re-entry of Kalinita and Royal George brings the field back to only one below the safety limit. Miss Halyard. Telaman and Swanky are three form handily drawn in this six-furlong event. Riverwood is the only scratching in the Otaio Handicap., in which Rose of Kildare, Glenkenick and Port Lanyard are expected to be the best.

Other scratchings yesterday were Meadow Gold from the Kerrytown Hack Hurdles and Irish Brawl from the Washdyke Hack Handicap. The weather in South Canterbury has been fine during the week and the track will again be in good winter order.