RACING Compensate Favoured In Marlborough Cup

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29057, 20 November 1959, Page 5

RACING Compensate Favoured In Marlborough Cup

One of Compensate’s best runs should gain him a victory in the Marlborough Centennial Cup at Blenheim tomorrow. The excellent progress the Oamaru-trained Balloch gelding has made on his present campaign should now have him ready to run out 11 furlongs successfully. He showed racewinning fitness when tested for speed in his semi-final trial for this race at Riccarton on Tuesday. The Marlborough Centennial Cup, the principal event and first leg of the double on the first day of the Marlborough Racing Club’s centennial meeting, will be Compensate’s fourth race this season and his second beyond a sprint distance.

His latest and only race at the New Zealand Cup meeting was the Fendalton Handicap on the second day. t His effort to finish fifth under top-weight of 8-13 was highly encouraging. Ability to master weight and middle distances competently marked some of Compensate’s best runs as a four-year-old. One of his peak staying efforts last season gained him a deci-

sive victory over 11 furlongs in the Nelson Cup in April. Compensate is trained by J. C. Hobbs whose stable will also be represented in the cup field by Pilot Light, which comes in 201 b below his stablemate.

Pilot Light is W. D. Skelton’s mount and is certain to have solid backing. He showed his best form from four starts this season by finishing third to Vamoose and Attribute over 10 furlongs at Gore dn October 26. He has not raced since but should be capable of making a worthwhile showing if he has held that form. One of Pilot Light’s two winning runs last season was in the Richmond Brook Handicap at Blenheim in April. The possibility of a North Island victory faded with the scratching of Kirklea. This Trentham-

trained mare has been withdrawn from both engagements on’ the first day because of soreness. There will still be high hopes, however, that one of the seven Riccarton-trained runners might take the major honours. The programme for Cruising, which is a dual acceptor was still not decided yesterday but it is very doubtful if she would be capable of extending some of her better performed rivals in this race if it is chosen as her mission. The best of the Riccarton contingent might be Purser whose record this season includes two wins over 11 furlongs on the testing Ashburton course. Purser races best when allowed to gallop freely in the lead. He should have little difficulty in reaching the front early from the No. 1 position at the start. Water Boy is taking longer to reach peak form this season but he should now have had enough racing to fit him for this test and with a favoured run might make a worthwhile showing. There will probably be more solid support, however, for Royal Halyard which will lack nothing on the score of hard condition. His racing this term has been marked by consistency and one of his best runs should enable him to take part in the finish.

Lightning Boy will represent South Canterbury. On recent performances, he will not be in great demand.

Appreciate and Desert Cloud will both contest the Weld Handicap in preference to the cup, and Gay Tommy will start in the cup instead of the Weld Handicap. Now than Compensate has been scratched for the Weld Handicap, the second leg of the double, Appreciate is likely to start favourite and should prove capable of justifying that support. There was much merit in his effort to lead the Metropolitan Handicap field until the straight at Riccarton last Saturday. If he has held that form he will be much harder to peg back over seven furlongs on the smaller Blenheim track. The North Island sprinters in the field, Fair King, Scimitar and Ranganui, will all have solid backing but one which might match them and could put Appreciate to the test is the Riccartontrained filly Roman Maid. This will be her first race in open company but if she can capitalise on her brilliant early speed it could be a successful debut. Double fields, with form, are.— MARLBOROUGH CENTENNIAL CUP,

Of £650; one mile and three furlongs. 1425 Compensate (3) 0666 Purser (1) 5777 Water Boy (12) .. st lb 9 0 8 11 8 6 0863 Pilot Light (7) .. 7 8 1370 Royal Halyard (11) 3000 Whiohau (2) •• 7 6 7 5 5700 Lightning Boy (10) 7 4 0068 Gay Tommy (4) 7 3 8590 Cruising (6) 7 1 4960 Gaytana (9) 7 0 Scratched: Appreciate, Cloud. Kirklea. Desert WELD HANDICAP, Of £350; seven furlongs. st lb 1208 Appreciate (6) .. 9 1 0453 Desert Cloud (2) 8 6 5357 Fair King (7) .. 7 7 0882 Scimitar (4) 7 4 8590 Cruising (1J) 7 3 0808 Bobbie Bums (5) 7 0 0700 Lucky Sal (3) .. 7 0 4541 Roman Maid (10) 7 0 7114 Ranganui (12) Scratched: Compensate, Tommy, Kirklea. 7 0 Gay