RACING Lord Fane In Form For Ashburton Cup

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28983, 26 August 1959, Page 4

RACING Lord Fane In Form For Ashburton Cup

The Washdyke stablemates Lord Fane and Lightning Boy will have solid backing in the Ashburton Cup, the first leg of the double on the first day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s spring meeting on Friday. Lord Fane and Lightning Boy are trained by W. P. Hogan.

Hogan just missed lifting the T.A.B. double at the Otago Hunt meeting last Saturday. Lightning Boy won the first leg. the Tally-Ho Handicap, and Marsana | missed only by inches in the second leg. i Lightning Boy did not distinguish himself in stronger fields at the Grand National meeting. But Riecarton form points to a sound run by Lord Fane in this field. Lord Fane raced twice at the Grand. National meeting for a third in the Islington Handicap and a fifth in the Heathcote Handicap. He could not put Vitapointe to the test in the Islington Handicap, but National beat 'him by only half a head for | second. i Among the beaten lot In that race were Kelp, Gay Tommy. Shoal. Lightning Boy. and Canon. Kelp and Gay Tommy did not do badly for fifth and sixth: but Canon was last and Lightning Boy and Shoal were just ahead [of him. Fresh Starts Canon and Shoal were making | fresh starts at Riecarton so they [could be improvers in this field. [Canon is top weight with 9-4 and is 61b above Shoal. Next is Purser with 8-7. This Riecarton galloper is making his third attempt to win the race. He was third two years ago, and unplaced last year, but one of his strongest runs would give him a very good chance. Purser won twice last season, each time over a mile and a quarter. In successive starts he won the Hororata Cup with 8-9 and the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s President's Handicap under 9-0. Purser carried 21b more that day than Shoal, which finished last. Purser and Shoal next met in the Canterbury Jockey Clubls Midsummer Handicap, one mile and a quarter. Purser was third to Motueka ! and Brookfields Lad; and Shoal I was fourth. That day Purser carried 9.4 and Shoal had 9.0. Purser will meet the Dogger Bank mare on 91b better terms in the Ashburton. Cup. Weight could have an important 1 bearing on their fortunes, but [ in Purser's case much could depend on whether he runs along] quietly early. Pulled Hard Hard pulling without a trail i might have cost him a chance of[ filling one of the places in the [Ashburton Cup a year ago ! Jesse Owens has done much I of his racing over shorter dis- [ tances. His record is a very [good one in mile races, and one of his victories as a hack was

over nine furlongs at Riecarton. He is well seasoned for this test after a successful winter campaign, and solid if unproductive performances in the Winter Cup and the August Handicap at the Grand National meeting will make him one of the favoured runners.

J. L. Barr's Riecarton stable will supply two of the lightweights—Kelp and Bobwood. Kelp was bothered by some internal complaint on Monday, and did not gallop, but he shook off the trouble quickly. His Islington Handicap fifth could be regarded. as a fairly encouraging trial.