Cranbrook May Retain Unbeaten Record

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 4

Cranbrook May Retain Unbeaten Record

Cranbrook, unbeaten at his two starts, will have a great chance to extend his record by one in the Dunedin Two-year-old Handicap at Wingatui tomorrow. •

The event, a feature race over five furlongs on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, drew a small field of 10, which was reduced to nine yesterday with the scratching of Bronze Knight.

Cranbrook will carry topweight of 8-8. but that should not be enough to trouble him. None of the others has won and three of them — King’s Gift. Hot Foot and Kay-Ib-Marie have not raced.

Cranbrook is a colt by Trovato from Virgo, owned by Mr E. Jackson and trained for him at Washdyke by J C. McKerrow His two wins were at Washdyke, over five furlongs on December 27, and at Riccarton this month, where he beat Deladena and Share over the same distance in the Middle Park Plate.

Both times Cranbrook led all the way. Although he has one of the wider barrier positions tomorrow —number seven—that should not stop

him from adopting similar tactics in the small field. In Bronze Knight's absence, the second favourite will probably be Irol Prince. This Llanstephan colt has not yet managed to win. but he has been placed at three of his other five starts besides his seeond to Bronze Knight. Last time out Idol Prince ran a fair fifth against maidens over six furlongs at Gore. Over five furlongs here he should go a sound race.

Mission Girl might be ano'her fancied runner. She finished well back in the Middle Park Plate at Riccarton, but went better races earlier, at Waikouaiti and Washdyke. Rain in Dunedin this week has soaked the track, which will be soft tomorrow. The club will run two doubles, one for on-course patrons only on the Taieri Hack Hurdles and the Maungatua Intermediate Handicap, and one for both on and off-course patrons on the Otago Handicap and the Autumn Handicap. Windvale Lad and Gay Fox is a likely combination for the off-course double. The smart Astra and Blue Haven, a winner by two lengths and a half against the sprinters at Gore last week, are other fancied runners in the Autumn Handicap.

Grant, a staying type and a last-start winner at Invercargill, could be the best of the form runners in the Taieri Hack Hurdles, first leg of the on-course double. The promising filly Double, an unlucky fifth at Gore last week, will take beating in the second leg, the Maungatua Intermediate Haandicap. On-course double fields and form are:—

TAIERI HACK HURDLES, Of £350: one mile and threequarters. st. lb 7751 Grant (9) . 10 12 84 38 Brianbra (7) . 10 3 1430 Napoleon Bonaparte 2845 Garrob (2) : * *9 5331 Selkirk (5) . 9 9 9740 Superex (4) . 9 4 9384 Clean Heart (8) . 9 3

5990 Hunted (S) 0940 Bright Str (12) 9643 Calestan (8) 00 Mighty Fella (Hl 0070 Rhu (1) Bracket: Garrob and Sir. • 9 1 . 9 0 . 9 0 . 9 0 . 9 0 Bright MAUNGATUA INTERMEDIATE HANDICAP, or £400; six furlongs. st lb 3791 Corvale (51 . 8 13 7357 Grey Jacket (14) . 8 11 3141 Tocsin (7) . 8 11 5432 Golden Glynnls (121 8 1 8225 Double (2) . 8 0 Our Heritage (•) . 8 9 Strategy (3) . 7 13 5089 Athenree One (11) 7 7 5076 Elrick (6) . 7 7 7070 Fare Ye Well (13) 7 7 880 Fuji Yarns (9) . 7 7 0665 Kintail Loch (10) . 7 7 8140 Mirror (1) . 7 7 9196 Stomal (4) . 7 7 Off-course double fields with form, are:— OTAGO HANDICAP Of £800; one mile and three furlongs 1081 Desert Chief (9) »t. lb . 9 5 4163 Melodic (1) . 8 4 2176 Quick Time (11) . 8 3 2932 Irrepressible <6) a 7 13 4090 Windvale Lad (4) a 7 10 3836 Personify (8) a 7 9 1603 Kastanea (7) a 7 7 2531 Domic (2) • 7 6 3124 Night Sock 110) a 7 4 4334 Aquinas (5) a 7 0 Lucky BUI (3) . 7 0 AUTUMN HANDICAP. Of £500; seven furlongs 1488 Solus (10) trt. Ib • 3 00 Fair King (5) 0090 Napra (3) 8 0 7 10 090 Fire Bar 16) 7 8 1070 Astra (8) 7 8 1000 Andalusia (2) 7 7 1585 Royal Chant (1) . 7 7 7691 Blue Haven (11) . 7 5 8636 Gay Fox <4) 7 0 0727 Gay Mood (9) 7 0 68 Tarlon (7) 7 0