Racing STEEPLECHASE AT WINGATUI

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29222, 4 June 1960, Page 6

Racing STEEPLECHASE AT WINGATUI

Arctic Sun In Favour

Arctic Sun and Gay Tommy should represent Canterbury with credit in major races on the first day of the Dunedin winter meeting at Wingatui today. Arctic Sun is in the Otago Steeplechase and Gay Tommy is engaged in the Birthday Handicap, which is the first leg of the T.A.B. double.

Gay Tommy showed that he had travelled and settled well when he galloped with dash at Wingatui yesterday.

Gay Tommy is trained at Riccarton by G. Raines and will be ridden by C. T. Wilson, who won the 1938 Birthday Handicap on Last Refrain, but has not had a winning ride in the race since. Gay Tommy may find Believe Me and Melodic hardest to beat today. Believe Me and Melodic are at the top of the handicap with 8-9. Melodic won at Invercargill, where he is trained, at his latest start. He outclassed his rivals there but in a stronger field in the Riverton Cup he was beaten by Matlock and Believe Me, which had the finish to themselves. Capet and Tadpole, the two star performers in the Hazlett stable, are not engaged at Wingatui, but there is strong southern confidence that Ronson Light will win the Otago Steeples for _ the stable.

Ronson Light is a four-year-old, and three years younger than his youngest rivals. It is 12 years since a Hazlett jumper won the Otago Steeples, but some of the most accomplished jumpers in the stable have usually been reserved for richer races later in the winter. Only three of the nine acceptors for the Otago Steeples are above the minimum.

Won Last Year

Delarmo is top-weight with 10-7, 41b more than he won this race with last year, and Janama and Ronson Light are the others above the minimum. Arctic Sun has made steady improvement lately, and if he recaptures his form of two years ago when he won over country and hurdles he will take beating. Mozart will be a second Canterbury representative in the Otago Steeples. He has had two starts over country for a fi-’st and a fifth. The fifth was at Waimate where he tired of leading the chase after Sarkey. which made a strong gallop out in front.

Hurdles ‘ Winner

Mozart is a master of the worst winter conditions —he won the Otago Hurdles on a heavy track last year—and the Wingatui fences, stiffer than those at Waimate, should not embarrass him. H. J. Ford, who will ride Mozart, has been engaged for Balance in the Greenfield Hurdles. Balance was a winner over hurdles at Wingatui in the spring, but has not made the expected improvement in his jumping. He ran a very ordinary race in the hurdles at Waimate last week, and might need a heavy track to give him anything better than a rough chance. Balance has no marked powers of acceleration, but is at ease under the most trying track conditions. He won the Trial Stakes at Wingatui this time last year. Wandering Willie, the winner of two races at Waimate last Saturday, will be a strong fancy for the Brighton Hack Handicap, first leg of the on-course double. Wandering Willie has firmed in favour since the withdrawal of the top-weight. Chief General, which is believed to be under offer to an Australian owner.

Riccarton will have two form representatives. Safe Harbour and Roa are both last-start winners. Safe Harbour won a mile maiden race at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting. She has not raced since, but sprinted fast at Wingatui on Thursday. Roa won against the hack milers at Waimate last week. She just lasted to beat the Washdyke-trained Rhythm Rein, which came with a rush but did not keep straight