RACING Motueka, Stradbroke Likely Winners

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29004, 19 September 1959, Page 6

RACING Motueka, Stradbroke Likely Winners

Motueka and Stradbroke, both members of J. S. Shaw’s Riccarton team, will take beating in two of the main races on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting today. Motueka is engaged in the Ranfurly Handicap, the first leg of the double. Stradbroke is in the McLean Stakes, the first South Island two-year-old race of the season.

Motueka will be one of two Riccarton representatives in the Ranfurly Handicap. The other will be Captain Hunt. Shoal, another Riccarton-trained acceptor, was scratched yesterday, leaving eight in the field. The handy size of this field would have suited her, but slje would have probably been unable to gallop freely on the hard track. Royal Chant, from Wingatui, and Recluse, from Invercargill, might be Motueka’s strongest rivals. Royal Chant had a quick

graduation to open company as a sprinter, but won over a mile and a quarter at the Oamaru winter meeting. Royal Chant ran against the sprinters at the Otago Hunt meeting last month. After a slow start he did well to finish third. New Venture Motueka’s stablemate, Stradbroke, might give Mr D. Tse, of Wellington, a successful start as an owner today. He showed high speed in a ; sprint at Riccarton last Tuesday. He was tried from the stalls at

Wingatui on Thursday, jumped out quickly, and then galloped at three-quarter pace. Motueka and Stradbroke will be brought back to Riccarton tomorrow. All going well, the Wellington Racing Club's spring meeting next month will be on their programme. The McLean Stakes favourite might be Bernadine. a smart filly owned by Mrs H. A. Anderton, wife of the successful Wingatui trainer. Bernadine has shown very good speed in parades and training sprints at Wingatui. Telegraph Handicap Demolish and Subside, both double acceptors, have been scratched for the Telegraph Handicap, the second leg of the T.A.B. double. Riccarton should be solidly represented by Waterfall and the consistent Search Warrant, but they will have opposition in strength from the Otago sprinters Sparkler, Cashmere, Ben Ledi and Feleka. J. R. Dowling has been mentioned as Sparkler’s rider, but the trainer, D. P. Wilson, said yesterday that it was not a certain engagement. Dowling is the stable apprentice. The club will operate an oncourse double on the St. Kilda Hack Handicap and the Trial Stakes.