RACING WAIKATO STEEPLES TOMORROW

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 5

RACING WAIKATO STEEPLES TOMORROW

Cambridge Team Well Placed

**Tne Preis" Special Service AUCKLAND, May 18. The jumpers produced lately by the Cambridge trainer, J. W. Winder, have been thoroughly prepared and it seems likely that two and perhaps three of them will be prominent in the running of the Waikato Steeplechase at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The two being most discussed in connexion with the big race are Contract and Marvo. Fend is the other candidate from Winder’s stable and he seems so well placed with 9-2 as to have a very good chance indeed. Because they race in different ownerships the three horses will not be bracketed on the totalisator. Contract’s owner is Mr L. R, Allen, and the other two are being raced by Winder and Mr C. M Sims (Fend), and Mr J. Baker.

Fend, Contract and Marvo each ran the last two miles

and a half of the Waikato Steeplechase course on the middle day of the meeting. Contract for a decisive win and Fend for a fair sixth. Marvo, in the Vercoe Steeplechase, threw his rider when he misjudged a fence with about a mile to go. lu Fine Form Contract’s victory, in the Melville Steeplechase, for horses in the hack class, was his second over the country, and followed an equally decisive win in the Clarkin Steeplechase the previous week. He carried 10-2 the first time, then 10-11 and this week he has 9-6. Marvo has 9-0. In the two steeplechases he has won so far. Contract proved much too fast for his opponents. He jumped very smoothly as well and altogether looked extremely well practised over the bigger fences. An impressive hurdler of last. winter, Fend has tried the country twice, being unplaced in the Clarkin Steeplechase the other week as well as in the Melville Steeplechase. In the Clarkin Steeplechase he was forced off by a riderless horse after going about three furlongs and in the Melville Steeplechase he came sixth out of 14. Last year Fend won the Great Northern Hurdles with 9-7. The next week he won over two miles with 10-4. So whenever he takes kindly to steeplechasing he will make the best of his opponents go very hard to beat him. Marco's Chance A six-year-old gelding, by Marco Polo II from Mary Marvel. Marvo had not raced over the country for nearly a year when he tackled the Vercoe Steeplechase. But he had been pretty well prepared by his training work and racing on the flat and had he not blundered he would very likely have been in the finish. Last year Marvo won twice over country, at Ellerslie and Rotorua. He was also unplaced in the Great Northern Steeplechase and seemingly not quite himself when he failed shortly afterwards at Te Awamutu. If he continues on the right way Marvo might be very useful this winter. He relishes heavy ground and has returned to racing looking a fair way improved. Horses lightly weighted, as Fend and Marvo are. did best in the last two contests for the Waikato Steeplechase. Consign having had 9-1 when successful last year and Prince Charles. 9-2. when he won the year before. The next best behind Consign were Patrick Molloy <9-3> and Lochgair <9-01 and the two who followed Prince Charles home were Jewel Denby (9-6) and Ronay GO-7). Bigger Field On both occasions there was a field of 10, which is only slightly less than what has been average .for the race. This time, however, the runners are likely to number about twice as many. The best lightweight chance apart from Contract, Marvo and Fend is likely to be Patrick Molloy (9-6 i If one of the others in the bottom half of the handicap wins it will be a big surprise because except for Lombard, none of them seems to be of much account yet as a steeplechaser. Patrick Molloy looked a trifle above himself when he paraded for the Vercoe Steeplechase last Saturday. That was not surprising because he had only a week before resumed racing for the season. Nevertheless, he put on a good showing until he fell at the last fence. A winner in the Vercoe Steeplechase last Saturday. Overseas has 11-2 this time so i if he wins he will have put up a notable performance.

Probably tils speed and great jumping will enable him to be very prominent. But the question is whether, with his big weight, he will last the course sufficiently well to match the lightweights. Last year Overseas won the Vercoe Steeplechase with 9-6 and was a disappointing failure in the Waikato Steeplechase with 51b more. With an extra 191 b from the weight he carried in the big race last year, and a tougher field and heavier ground to contend with, his assignment this week looks formidable indeed. Sea Contour (10-13) gave Overseas a good race in the Vercoe Steeplechase and as he seems to handle the Te Rapa country very competently he might go well again this time. Break Away is in fair form and, in view of the forthcoming big events at Ellerslie, where he is a good deal more at home, Cabot will attract interest.