AUCKLAND STEEPLES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29228, 11 June 1960, Page 6

AUCKLAND STEEPLES

Lochgair In Demand "The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, June 10. The Auckland Racing Club's winter meeting will be concluded tomorrow, when the big attractions will be the York Handicap, the McGregor Grant Steeplechase, and the Campbell Hurdles. The York Handicap particularly gives promise of a grand contest. Uppercut is likely to go weH,' and so are Anywhere, Black Lad and Craddock. The York Handicap will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double, run over a mile, for £1250. When acceptances were taken on Tuesday there were 26 horses in* the race, and as the .field is not likly to be much reduced the Issue appears very open. Uppercut, Anywhere and Black Lad were three of the beaten horses in the Cornwall Handicap, of a mile and a quarter, on the first day last Saturday, but each ran creditably. In the meantime four have trained on well, and the continued wet weather making the ground very heavy has been in their favour. The second leg will be the Visitors’ Handicap. For such a prize, the field in the McGregor Grant Steeplechase is disappointing; but if Lochgair and Patrick Molloy both go to the post the event will attract great interest. Patrick Molloy won the Great Northern Steeplechase on Monday, when Lochgair threw his rider about half a mile from the finish. What the result would have been had Lochgair not blundered is still being argued. A popular opinion is that Lochgair would have won. There is no doubt he was most unlucky, as he may show tomorrow, when he will meet Patrick Molloy on 101 b better terms. Fend, which won the Great Northern Hurdles on the first day, and Region, second, are both acceptors for the Campbell Hurdles, which will be decided over two miles. Since the second day on Monday, when the ground was holding, there has been heavy rain. Unless there is a sudden change to drying weather, which seems unlikely, the going will be particularly trying. Selections

11 a.m —Tamakj Steeples: Te Awarere. Fair Raye, Peter Keith. 11.40 a.m— Orakel • Hurdles: Big Chief. Sahib Yardgar

12.25 p.m.—York Handicap: Uppercut, Craddock. Anywhere

X.lO p.m.—McGregor Grant Steeples: Lochgair Patrick Molloy, Ronay.

1.55 p.m.—Visitors’ Handicap: Seafarer, Fair Merit, Airephelia.

2.40 p.m.-Paineil Handicap: Watson, Gento, Dipnoi. 3.20 p.m.—Campbell Hurdles: Fend, Count d’Azure, Gold Kip. 4 p.m.—Fitzroy Handicap: Redspot. Teddy, Drumhirk.