RACING RHYTHM REIN FOR WINGATUI

Press, Volume C, Issue 29535, 9 June 1961, Page 4

RACING RHYTHM REIN FOR WINGATUI

First Leg And Principal Flat Race

Rhythm Rein and Compensate will give South Canterbury stables strong representation in the Queen Elizabeth Handicap at Wingatui tomorrow. This event is the principal flat race and first leg of the T.A.B. double on the third day of the Dimedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting. Rhythm Rein is a Washdyke-trained light-weight with strong form credentials. He has raced with distinction as a sprinter and middle-distance performer in the last six months and close up on his record is a win in the Waimate Cup.

Rhythm Rein’s best in two torts at Wingatui meantime was in the Provincial Handicap on Monday. His fastfinishing fourth was one of the minor features of the race. Rhythm Rein has no winning form as a miler this aeason but at this meeting a year ago he carried 9-1 to victory over the distance in the first of three successive winning runs which took him out of hack class Rhythm Rein has 7-12 tomorrow. That is the same weight as Ravelston carried successgully in this race last year. But Ravelston will have to attempt his second Queen Elizabeth Handicap victory under top-weight of 9-8. Although he is noted for his ability on winter ground the task of conceding 241 b to Rhythm Rein and weight to two proven milers in Compensate and Cheyenne will probably require a much better than avenge performance. Competent Miler Compensate proved bis worth as a miler by winning the Templeton Handicap at the C.J.C. autumn meeting at Riccarton in April. Meantime his campaign has been restricted mostly to middledistance competition and his more recent record includes a win in the Nelson Cup—his fourth in successive years -and an unlucky third in the Ta Timi Kara Handicap at the Otaki meeting at Trentham last month. Compensate is closest to Ravelston in the weights. He has 9-6, lib more than Riccarton's sole challenger, Cheyenne. Cheyenne had his first race since January in the open sprint at Wingatui last Saturday. It was no< a very distinguished beginning to a fresh campaign—he was fourteenth of 15 to finish—-

but that was not unexpected for the heavy state of the going tended to take the edge off his brilliance. The ground at Wingatui has been drying out since Monday so with the benefit of a race and the prospect of firmer footing the chance of victory for Cheyenne must be highly regarded for he has tew peers as a miler. Wingatui stables will put seven runners into the field beside Ravelston. The best of the others are expected to be Fire Bar and Peril. Fire Bar was runner-up to McGregor in the Provincial Handicap on Monday and Peril filed the corresponding place behind Irrepressible in

the Birthday Handicap la»t Saturday. Blue Haven might be Southland’s best. This Gore-trained Kurdistan mare has placed form in the open sprinta on the earlier days of the meeting on her record. Stable Double A Compensate victory in the Queen Elizabeth Handicap would altnoat certainly ensure Royal Order of favouritism for the Empire Handicap, the second leg of the main double. Both are members of the highly successful Orari stable of P. H. C. Stock. Royal Order is a newcomer to the meeting and this Will be her second race in a fresh campaign. She began it well last month at Waimate where she beat all but John Jameson in the open sprint. Form earlier at the meeting points to Desert Chief. I?>e Wanderer, and Callevo being Royal Order's strongest rivals but there will also be solid backing flor the River-ton-trained Grate Game Callevo and The Wanderer chased Shangri-La home in the Winter Handicapp last Saturday. The Wanderer proved the value of that run by carrying 9-2 to victory in the corresponding race on Monday. Callevo was fifth then but it was closer than 9he had been at any other stage of the race. Desert Chief had his firs’ run snnee the C.J.C. autumn meeting in the Members’ Handicap on Monday. He Mowed The Wanderer and Blue Haven home, a meritorious performance under 9-13 Grate Game made hia open company debut in the Winter Handicap last Saturday He weakened slightly in the run home and was ninth of 15 to finish. He is generally expected to be improved by that run. his first since October when he was succeaßful twice over sprint distances.