RACING HOKITIKA DOUBLE TODAY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29744, 10 February 1962, Page 4

RACING HOKITIKA DOUBLE TODAY

Riccarton Horses Will Be Popular Although Riccarton stables will have few representatives at Hokitika today it is almost certain that Riccarton-trained horses will form the popular combination for the T.A.B. double. This double, on the first day of the Westland Racing Club’s summer meeting, will operate on the Michael Keenan Memorial and the Lake Matheson Handicaps.

There seems little doubt that Explain, which will represent Riccarton in the first leg, will be at cramped odds. Mr H. O. Baker’s Clarification filly will be trying to win her second major race at Hokitika within a month. The last time she raced there Explain outclassed the open milers in the Westland Handicap on January 15. Her

only race meantime has been the Gloaming Stakes at Trentham in which she finished fourth but was promoted to third after an inquiry. Julloch, from Orari, and Hunting Melody, from Washdyke, might be Explain’s strongest rivals. Julloch was the runner-up, five lengths behind Explain, in the Westland Handicap the last time he raced and that was at the end of a fairly strenuous campaign.

Hunting Melody was the Westland Handicap fifth, coming with a strong late run from the tail of the field. Before that she had beaten the open milers at Reefton —Explain was one of them—was the runner-up to Julloch in the corresponding race at Kumara and outran the open sprinters later the same day. The scratching yesterday of Leslie Bell from the Lake Matheson Hack Handicap has strengthened the possibility of victory for Ashleigh, Riccarton’s sole representative in the second leg. But Ashleigh is unlikely to have things all his own way for Master Conclusion and Totara Lass, both of which have strong form credentials, are almost certain to prove formidable rivals. FIELD OF SEVEN Both legs of the main double will be two-dividend races. The scratching of Queen Of Sheba in the Keenan Memorial leaves a field of seven. Leslie Bell, Pictavia Girl and Surrend have dropped out of the Lake Matheson Hack Handicap, reducing the field to five. There will be a double for course patrons only on the Ross Stakes and the Franz Josef Hack Handicap. Although there are several dual acceptors in both races the fields remained intact yesterday afternoon. Montez and Fair Polly might be the successful combination in this double.

There were heavy showers in Hokitika during the week, but a change to fine weather yesterday when the track was reported in good order.

Fields are:— Noon—

ROSS STAKES, of £130: six furlongs.—Montez (6). Rose Command (1), Royal Money (2). Sir Donnlngton (3), Sumptuous i 5) 8-10; Inland Revenue (4). Susie Darling (7), Taxman (8) 8-5.

Bracket: Inland Revenue and Taxman.