RACING Kumai Bracket Should Be Popular At Wingatui

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30145, 31 May 1963, Page 4

RACING Kumai Bracket Should Be Popular At Wingatui

The Kumai*lrrepressible bracket will be a popular first choice for the Birthday Handicap, the first leg of the T.A.B. double at Wingatui tomorrow. Kumai is top weight with 9-6 and Irrepressible has 8-3.

Kumai gained stature in the best class with two outstanding wins at the last Wellington winter meeting. The distance of both races, the Parliamentary- Handicap and the Winter Oats, was 11 furlongs.

In the spring, he returned to Trenthani to run third in the weight-for-age Harcourt Stakes after a fourth in the Wellington Handicap. And, after a summer spell, he cajne back to his best with a decisive win in the Sockbum Handicap, one mile and a half, his only start at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting.

Irrepressible won the Birthday Handicap two years ago under 8-12 and was third behind Desert Chief and Rhythm Rein last year, when she carried 8-5.. This time she has 8-3, 41b less than she carried into second behind Central Flight in the Waimate Cup last week.

Irrepressible’s Waimate run was puzzling. After pacemaking, she was caught and passed by Central Flight early in the run home, but

she was travelling faster than the winner at the end. and there was not much between them. Desert Chief, the second top-weight with 9-5 tomorrow, outclassed the others with one pound more in this race last year. Since last year’s win, he has won one race, the Oamaru Autumn Cup in March, and there have been some creditable placings as well. He was the best of Kumai’s rivals in the Winter Oats at Trentham last July. Improved Chances

Windvale Lad has not managed to win a race this season, but his brightest chances should come from now on.

when tracks can be expected to deteriorate.

Rhythm Rein’s form, too, should improve when the ground becomes heavy. He is a plodding type, but is game and consistent, and can never be discounted in an average South Island winter handicap. Central Flight started in open class with a win in the Waimate Cup, and she will be solidly backed to win this one with 7-12. She is by Cassock from the good Nizami mare Super Flight, and should run out a mile and a half as well as any of them. Melotone beat a weaker field, and won easily, too at the Southland winter meeting. This half-brother to Melodic comes to his best form on winter tracks but his record suggests he is better at distances short of a mile and a half. This time last year, he ran a fair second to Kumai in the Provincial Handicap, 11 furlongs, after failing in the Birthday Handicap. Second Leg The Wingatui Wilson stable may have the key to success in the Winter Handicap, the second leg of the T.AJ3. double. Runners for the Wilson stable will be Warfare and Palisade, which were both in form in their Easter racing Palisade won against milers at Riverton, and was an unlucky second in another start there.

Warfare did his Easter rac. ing at Ricca non, starting with a close second to Vitamise in the Great Easter and finishing with a close fourth in the Waltham Handicap. Tutton is a strong Canterbury hope. He is a strong galloper on rain-affected tracks, and won easily on an easy track at Waimate las'. Saturday, Bold Venture and The Wanderer were next best to Tutton at Waimate. but were soundly beaten, and it is doubtful if either would manage to finish ahead of him this time.

Gold View won easily on ? soft track at Riccarton on March 9 and ran second— Warfare was third—to the class sprinter Poet’s Pride in the Suburban Handicap at Trentham on March 16.

Captain Hunt, a stronglyfinishing third behind That’s That and Corvale in the C.J.C. Waltham Handicap, seven furlongs, on April 23, will be a threat with 8-4 if he runs as well tomorrow.

There will also be a double for course patrons on the Trial Stakes and the Brighton Improvers’ Handicap. Fields for the T.A.B. double are.—

BIRTHDAY HANDICAP, £700; Um.

WINTER HANDICAP, £5OO ; 7f.

st. Ib 0331 Kumal (9) 9 6 2138 Desert Chief (11) .. 9 5 9425 Windvale Lad (8) .. 8 11 7032 Irrepressible (13) .. 8 3 (10-4-8 Rhythm Rein (2) .. 8 1 3610 Valaris (3) 8 1 7161 Central Flight (7) .. 7 12 8020 Captain Morgan (10) 7 10 3861 Melotone (1) 7 10 3699 Sudd ei Nil (4) .. 7 8 0090 Believe Me (5) 7 7 0460 Master Conclusion (6) 7 7 Scratched: Rifleman.

st. lb 3173 The Wanderer i 12) 9 10 1206 Gold View (10) ..9 2 3264 Warfare (3) ..9 2 2452 Bold Venture (7) ..9 0 1712 Palisade (9) ..8 8 9123 Tom bo b (13) ..8 8 9751 Tutton (2) .. 8 7 0517 Blue Haven (11) .. 8 4 7753 Captain Hunt (4) ..8 4 9294 Elrick (6) ..8 2 4266 Brandy Gold (1) ..8 0 1770 King’s Lace (5) ..8 0 3162 Magic Casement (8> 8 0