RACING GLADWYN HAS FORM FOR WIN TOMORROW

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28984, 27 August 1959, Page 4

RACING GLADWYN HAS FORM FOR WIN TOMORROW

Gladwyn, from Riccarton, and Screen Play, from Waimate, may be the pick of the 12-horse field for the Rakaia Three-Year-Old Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s spring meeting tomorrow.

Gladwyn is one of seven Riccarton-trained gallopers in the field. His performance tomorrow might be of some assistance in forecasting the winner of the Wanganui Guineas next week.

Gladwyn is trained by G. S. Barr and will be ridden by R. J. Skelton. He started his secondseason racing promisingly with a second to the smart filly Surrend in the Cashmere Plate at Riccarton on August 1. Gladwyn’s chance appeared to brighten when he beat Last Link in one of the best gallops at Riccarton yesterday. Last Link is a rival candidate, and one of the more promising three-year-olds in training at Ricca rton. Smart Galloper Screen Play made a big impression in his second of two starts as a two-year-old. That was at Ashburton in June, when he finished deteirolnedly to beat My Fair Lady by half a length and the others easily in the Lyndhurst Handicap, for two-year-olds.

A bruised foot cost Screen Play a start at the Grand National meeting. Recovery was almost complete by the time the meeting was over, and this powerful Alonzo gelding should have had the work to fit him for this sprinting test.

My Fair Lady has winning form at six furlongs, and might be one of the best fillies. She has done no racing this season, but can be brought to racing trim with little trouble.

Galina, top weight with 8-9, won her last two races last season. She had 9-0 in the Aylesbury Handicap, her only start at the Grand National meeting, and ran creditably for eighth. The distance was seven furlongs. Roman Maid was a weakening sixth after pacemaking in the Aylesbury Handicap, but she will probably make a much stronger bid over six furlongs. All of the others but Kent and White Skies were winners last season, but most of them have done no racing as three-year-olds. Cop Prospects South Canterbury will be strongly represented in the Ashburton Cup, the first leg of the double. The Washdyke stablemates. Lord Fane and Lightning Boy, are form runners, and the Wai-mate-trained Jesse Owens is expected to make a good first showing over this distance.

pected to more than match their southern rivals in the Flying Handicap, the second leg of the double.

Bagman won this race brilliantly last year, and he has shaped so well in his traniing lately that another victory will be strongly anticipated. Bagman’s stumbling block in this field could be Rustic, which, will be having her third start in open class.

Rustic was a solid finisher for fifth in the Winter Cup, her only race at the Grand National meeting. Motueka has made his mark as a middle distance performer, but he sprinted very keenly yesterday. He strengthens the possibility of a Riecarton victory. The Oamaru three-year-old Feleka will be the lone Otago representative. He won his first race at Ashburton last spring, and might have the qualities necessary to bring him out on top in this field.

Jesse Owens is trained by P. H. R. Andrews, and is a stablemate of Screen Play. He has been a strong finisher in most of his shorter races. This was particularly so in the Winter Cup on August 1. He was seventh close up in that hard mile race after being close to the tail of the 21-horse field on the home turn. One of Riccarton's best will probably be Gay Tommy, whose final trial yesterday was encouraging. Last start, he was sixth in the Islington Handicap at the Grand National meeting.

Purser should manace this distance quite competently if he settles early. His hard pulling cost him a chance in this race last year, but he was placed over 11 furlongs at Wingatui at his next start.

G. W. Mein, who won the Ashburton Cup on Tamarisk last year, will be Purser’s rider. Riccarton sprinters are ex-