RACING FRANCISCO AND TOA FANCIED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 4

RACING FRANCISCO AND TOA FANCIED

Caroline Handicap At Washdyke Today

Riccarton stables will enter two strong form runners in the Caroline Handicap at Washdyke today. They are Francisco and Toa, which are expected to battle out the finish of the sixfurlong event for two-year-olds on the first day of the South Canterbun- Jockey Club’s winter meeting. Francisco, a member of V. D. Clutterbuck’s team, and Toa, which is trained by J. E. Shaw, are both last-start winners. The former out-ran a big field of two and three-year-olds over six furlongs in the Electric Stakes at Wingatui on June 10.

Toa will be trying for his second win within a week. In the Lyndhurst Two-year-old Handicap at Ashburton on Tuesday he finished doggedly to beat Shalom narrowly and the others very easily. Shalom will be one of two tnighly fancied South Canterbury youngsters In today’s field. The other is Present Again, a half-sister to the well-performed open-class galloper. Rhythm Rein. Shalom’s second at Ashburton was her third successive placing. Half a furlong from the end she seemed likely to achieve her first win but Toa’s resolute run pegged her back in the last stride or two. Present Again also has laststart placed form. She ran Warrigal to a length in the Trial Stakes on the first day of the Dunedin winter meeting and was the only two-year-old to contest the finish. The Wingatui-trained topweight, Marlow, might be the best of Otago’s representatives. This Khorassan colt has compiled a solid record this season in much stronger company. He has not raced since Easter when he was runner-up to the Wanganui youngster. Sikh, m the Richmond Handicap at Riccarton. Many Scratchings Scratchings for the meeting have been fairly heavy but the fields most affected are ‘hose which had filled to capacity and had horses awaiting re-entry. Six two-year-olds have dropped out of the Caroline Handicap. They are Lucky

Streak. Polly Alonzo. ComI plaisant, Corneil, Garcia, and Hiaway Garcia was one i of the reserves. The other. Sum Up. is now back in the ’ field. Scratchings exceeded reserves in the Winchester Handicap. Four of the nine i defections were among the ; six horses which had been balloted out. Anouk and i Vixenette have re-entered i the field A ballot was also neces- : stiry in the Kingsdown Hack I Handicap Taitumu and ' Breaker have re-entered the I field. Although there have I been seven scratchings a field I of 21 is left. Canon and The Era have | dropped out of the Donald Grant Memorial Handicap. I the first leg of the double. A I favoured trio in this event are Fire Bar. Compensate. I and Offend. McGregor. Cheyenne, and Persuasive are expected to : fare best in the second leg i of the double, the Seadown Handicap. The defections in this race are Supreme Effort and Safe Harbour. Hunted and Penstock, two Riccarton-trained hack sprinters. will not fulfil their engagement in the Beaconsfield Hack Handicap. Jumpers’ Races Jumpers are catered for in; the Tekapo Hack Hurdles and Hunters’ Steeplechase. The respective favourites in these two events might be Morelia and Waikiwi Star. Sports Date, a dual acceptor, has been scratched from both races. Pyrites will also be missing from 'Jhe Tekapo

Hurdles and Napoleon Bonaparte. top-weight in the Timaru Steeples. was scratched earlier in the week. The weather in South Canterbury has been fine during the week and the track is in good winter order.