RACING Guide For Winter Cup At Washdyke

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29262, 21 July 1960, Page 4

RACING Guide For Winter Cup At Washdyke

McCool and Ravelston, two of the South Island’s brightest hopes for the Winter Cup this year, will meet for the first time in the Claremont Handicap at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s meeting on Saturday.

How they fare over a mile and 35 yards at Washdyke could have suite a bearing oh favouritism for the Canterbury Club’s £l5OO mile race next month. The Claremont Handicap is run over one mile and 35 yards.

McCool is more highly regarded by the Washdyke handicapper, Mr A. L. Lewis, than by the Canterbury Jockey Club’s handicapper, Mr F. A. Jarrett. If weights alone have the bearing on the results, Ravelston stands a better chance of beating McCool at Washdyke than he wifi in the Winter Cup.

McCool has 9-7 in the Claremont Handicap, and will be conceding Ravelston 151 b. There is 101 b between them in the Winter Cup. The Winter Cup minimum is 71b lower and McCool has 8-9. McCool is 51b below the topweight Compensate at Washdyke, but is 91b below the Oamaru horse in the Winter Cup. A win in the Claremont Handicap alone for McCool could not adjust the position at all because this race is not worth £5OO to the winner. None of the Claremont Handicap candidates will meet McCool on more advantageous terms in the Winter Cup than in the Washdyke race. Light-weights Worst off are the light-weights Kelp and Glenrowan. They are both 61b closer to McCool in the Winter Cup than they will be on Saturday. Like Ravelston, the lightweights Omaha, Offend, Rhythm Rein, Willie Wolseley, and Marsana; also Matlock, will be 51b closer to McCool in the big Riccarton mile. The Orari-trained Appreciate will meet McCool 41b worse in the Winter Cup than he does on Saturday.

McCool has won his last two

races, both at Washdyke. Another win or a sound run by the big Balloch gelding could, indirectly, help to install Cheyenne as an early favourite for the Winter Cup. Cheyenne is not engaged at Washdyke, but he tested McCool to the utmost in the Seadown Handicap there on - July 2. Cheyenne (9-3) carried half a stone more than McCool and went under by only half a head. In the meantime McCool has won again and Cheyenne has failed in one start at Trentham. Better Terms In the Winter Cup, Cheyenne drops to 8-5 and will meet McCool on 111 b better terms at Riccarton.

Cheyenne won the Winter Cup with 8-6 two years ago and has won twice, once at Trentham, in a rather restricted programme since.

He was not able to show one of his best gallops on a holding track in the Whyte Handicap at Trentham on July 9 and was brought back to Riccarton that night

But one of Riccarton’s better winter tracks finds this fast Cassock gelding more at his ease. All going well in the meantime he should be one of the South Island’s best. And the result of the Claremont Handicap at Washdyke could, indirectly, confirm that.