RACING Sarkey Picked For Steeples At Timaru

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29245, 1 July 1960, Page 4

RACING Sarkey Picked For Steeples At Timaru

Sarkey may outran his rivals over two miles and a half in the Timaru Hack and Hunters’ Steeples on the first day of the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting tomorrow. For consistency and versatility Sarkey outshines any which will oppose him tomorrow. He has won on the flat, over hurdles, and over country, and his record for the season is four wins and four minor, placings in eight starts. -

Sarkey was tried first as a ’chaser at Waimate in May, and he ran second to Le RoL At his latest start he won the steeples at Oamaru. He outpaced his rivals with ease, the light fences on the Oamaru course allowing him to capitalise on his speed. Most of the others felt the strain of the solid pace some way out. Wash dyke offers a different test. The fences are bigger and the ground will probably be softer, which will brighten the chances of some of those not as fast on the flat as Sarkey. But unless the Wingatui-trained Sir Galloway gelding fails in his jumping he should be the hardest to beat. •

H. A. Anderton, who trains Sarkey, will also have Chief Cashier to represent his stable. Chief Cashier, an undistinguished sixth in the steeples on the third day of the Dunedin meeting, will shade most of the others for jumping ability, but at level weights Sarkey is expected to beat him. Cock Crow, now 11. is also on 10-3 with Chief Cashier and Sarkey. He was fourth in the steeples at Oamaru, and did not go at all badly for a veteran having only his second start for the season. Cock Crow is trained at Gore by R. J. Cochrane. Southland will also be represented by the stablemates, Baby Toes and Tybalt. For Tybalt it will be the first race since October, but Baby Toes is a seasoned horse. Placed As Hurdler In his only start at the Dunedin winter meeting. Baby Toes ran second to Balance in the Greenfield Hurdles. He is a newcomer to steeplechasing but comes from a stable in which novice ’chasers are well schooled. Judged on his record so far, Baby Toes lacks the pace that would have taken him to the best class over hurdles, but he may be one of the more successful of the younger South Island ’chasers this winter. Canterbury’s best in the steeples will probably be Van Da Hum and Saltash. Van Da Hum was first and Saltash fourth in the steeplechase at Ashburton last week. They are both young as ’chasers go and it is hardly likely that they have reached their full powers yet. The Ashburton race was Saltash’s first over country. His jumping was sure, if at-times extravagant The stiffer Washdyke fences should not bother him. Engaged At Trentham Saltash is one of three horses in the Timaru Steeples engaged in the Mariri Hack and Hunters’ Steeples at Trentham next week. The others are Horatius and Pearly Gate, both from Wingatui, and both newcomers to steeplechasing. Horatius and Pearly Gate both

have ability on heavy tracks, and have had fair success as hurdlers. The RJccarton-trained Offend was scratched yesterday for the Seadown Handicap, the second leg of the double. She could have been dne of the best lightweights, but she was showing signs of muscular trouble after her gallop yesterday.

The chances are that Riccartort Will supply two of the strongest

contenders for Seadown Handicap honours.

Cheyenne and McCool are two very good milers, probably more than a match for the best of their southern rivals.

Fancied runners for the first leg, the Donald Grant Memorial Handicap, include Kelp, Promise, Believe Me and the light-weight, Rhythm Rein. Rhythm Rein is a newcomer to open class, but won his last four hack races.