Smart Fancied For Invercargill Race

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28895, 15 May 1959, Page 4

Smart Fancied For Invercargill Race

"The Press*' Special Service INVERCARGILL, May 13. Smart, runner-up to Vamoose in the corresponding event on the first day, looks the logical choice for the Waiau Handicap, main event and first leg of the T.A.B. double on the second day of the Southland Racing Club’s winter meeting on Saturday. The second leg, the Tuatapere Handicap, is much more open.

Geysel, which was badly checked last week, may be the one to beat, but Storm Haven, Davaar, Panel, Valaris, King Cassock and Allfair will all come in for aolid support After the rain during the week, the track is likely to be heavier than it was last Saturday. The Waiau Handicap has not drawn a good field and with Vamoose out of the way. Smart will have a chance to come into his own. The Cassock gelding may have been a little unlucky last week as he was checked at the start and forced to cover a great deal extra ground. Under a lower minimum he has 8-7 to carry this week which is 41b less than he carried on the first day. Paper Clip, which has the same weight, has not raced since he failed in the Riverton Cup. He won five of his six starts before that. Reports from Wingatui say that he is in grand order and if he races up to his earlier form he will be hard to beat. Fair Race The Riverton Cup winner Bright Bridge ran a fair race for fifth last week. That W. D. Skelton will ride him on Saturday will gain him added admirers. Nairn Bridge, which won the Waiau Handicap a year ago, came home boldly for fourth behind Vamoose, Smart and Pot Luck in the Awarua Handicap last week. He looks to be on the way back to winning form and can be expected to show further improvement this week. Coinalot resumed racing last week and finished last against the milers. He does not appeal and neither does his stablemate Meadow Gold.

The Washdyke-trained Aquarius has not shown any form for some time and the same can be said of Rathkeale. Count Aven had not been in the money in six starts since winning the Lochella Cup at Vincent in January, but two starts back he finished solidly for a good fifth behind Great Sensation, Nasib, Motueka and Sarcelle in the Dominion Handicap at Riccarton. He looks the most likely to cause an upset on Saturday. Geysel Favoured

Betting promises to take a wide range in the second leg, the Tuatapere Handicap and at this stage it is hard to name the favourite. Geysel did not threaten danger in her race last week but that effort can be overlooked as she lost her’ chance when she was badly checked in the middle stages. At her previous start she won in dashing style over a mile at Riverton, beating Relation and Allfair and over that distance again on Saturday she could be the one to beat. Good Race for Third Panel ran another good race for third to Spiloch and Davaar over a mile and three furlongs last week. Apart from a failure at Beaumont her latest form has been good and she could again be in the picture. King Cassock has a string of placings to his credit and last week finished third over a mile in the apprentices’ event at Ashburton. Davaar has been second at each of his last three starts, one of them over country at Riverton. Last week he was just headed on the post by Spiloch in the hack stayers’ race. More patiently ridden in that even he would have been much harder to beat. In his present form he should again take part in the finish. Port Lanyard does not appeal on his latest efforts but Valaris could cause an upset. He was a fair sixth last week and, at his previous start was an unlucky second to Mighty Son . at Beaumont. Over a mile this week he should make a bold showing. Allfair failed at Beaumont at his last start but he ran good races at Riverton before that and must be given a chance. Storm Haven won a novice event at Riccarton at Easter, and at his only start since he was runner up to Grey Jacket