TEST FOR STAMINA IN HURDLES TODAY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 5

TEST FOR STAMINA IN HURDLES TODAY

"The Presr” Special Service

AUCKLAND, May 31. It is hard to find anyone in agreement on what will win the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie tomorrow. The big race has seldom appeared more open One thing certain is that it will be run very fast for the conditions.

When it comes to pace and Quickness at the jumps Elrey is hard to beat and his speed might get him a long way toward success. He is trying for his second Great Northern on end so his victory would be notable.

Elrey comes from Awapum Where he is trained by R. L. Dulieu for Messrs W. B Connors and J. L Muir. At mne years he is the oldest of the runners, the 10-year-old gelding County having been scratched so as to contest the Hunt Hurdles.

Taiwhiti Rahi, a five-year-old stablemate of County, will be the youngest competitor, "he others are six, seven and eight-year-olds

Horses as old as Elrey do not often win the Great Northern Hurdles The last nine-year-old winner was Meresun in 1957 and it is 25 years since a horse older than nine took the big race. The feat of winning the Great Northern twice on end has been achieved only twice, by El Gallo in 1915 and 1916 and by Solar Mist in 1954 and 1955. Elrey has not come anywhere near their class. On the other hand he will be trying for his second win under much less weight than the other two carried—--9-7 as against 10-13.

Elrey might not be anywhere near the class of El Gallo and Solar Mist but he is quick, sure footed and not a bad stayer when it comes to a jumping race in very soft going. Last year he won the Great Northern in front for the last mile and there is hardly any doubt that he will run with the pacemakers on this occasion.

When he won last year Elrey was ridden by C. R Cooksiey. This time his rider will be J. R. Potter, an accomplished hurdling and steeplechase jockey from Te Rapa Last year Potter rode Count Lin into fourth place He won the big race in 1960 on Fend and the Great Northern Steeplechase on Sabre Last year and on Kn.ght's Star in 1957

The horses most likely to try Elrey for pace are Lord Oman and Peacemaker In the finish both might be hard to beat.

Blue Rock and Daysun are two of the solid stayers which will be competing and another of the notable candidates is To Reign Blue Rock and Peacemaker are stablemates, prepared at Woodville by j P Carter who made history in the Greath Northern Hurdles when he rode three successive winners—Solar Mist < twice! and Coppice. Daysun and To Reign both come from Te Rapa and Lord Oman is trained at Avondale.

The course for the Great Northern Hurdles is two and a half miles and 10 flights Probably the winner will be required to go -'"Hit 4mm 50sec. The record for the big race is 4min 34 3-ssec but that was on unusually firm going.

After being fine for a long spell the weather broke last week-end and some heavy showers meanwhile made the ground very soft Fine, mild weather is promised tomorrow but the going is bound to be holding As well as being the feature event on the first day of the Auckland Racing Club's winter meeting, the Great Northern Hurdles will be the first leg of the T.A.B double.

Th-e second teg will be the Cornwall Handicap, the toughest of middle-distances in which Harrier. Craddock Blue Beard, Action Packed and Roy ton are notable. Selections:— 11 a.m —Green Lane Steeplechase. Cavallo. Davett King' Host 11.40 a.m.—Jervois Handicap Fontamara Mali Peter Overdale 12 25 pm—Great Northern Hurdles- Elrey. Pin Money Lord Oman. 1.10 pin—Penrose Hurdles Goa Acquittal Teddy. 155 pm.—Cornwall Handicap Harrier Craddock Action Packed. 2.50 pm.—Heme Bay Handicap- Princess Merit. Emphatique Sherry Wine 3.30 p.m.—Hunt Hurdles. Covert County Young Greg 4.10 p.m.—Members' Handl cap: Mantovam. Prince Honolulu. Toureg Acceptances . 11 a.m.— GREENLANE STEEPLE CHASE. £9OO. about 2Jm.—No Boy (51 0-13; Valuation (2< 9-11; Cavallo (6) 9-10, Davett *4l 9-9; Ballador (9* 9-7; King s Host >8) 9-4; Hesitate (U 9-2; BeUezsa <3- Big Chief <lOl Tamara <7< 9-J Scratched: Toy Tiger. 11.40 ajxia— JERVOIS HACK HANDICAP £800; It.— Overdale 118) 9-9, Couvarto ‘29i Prince Judah (7i 8-13. Mall Peter <26> 8-9; fontamara (5) Great Venture (9). Innes Mild <241 4-8. Mmguiui 119) 8-7 Count Carmel (83 Maimoa (15) 8-8; Fantasia (10). Foxchiei (3) Tawa Mahal < 13. 8-2; Caballero (4). -Master Goodwin (2). Olivene ill) 8-1. Crujeck (27) Eearlate <l7i Gay Gran) »29> Golden Gossip il6> Lord Thurnhan. 181 Oropt Lass <l4* Tauleas (21) Revel's Pride (25) 8-0

Balloted out with ngnt ol re-entrv in the following order Davidawn (8) Golden Spray (22) Kita (12). Otaika (30) 8-0 (6> Goiden Spray (22) Kita <l2l Otaika <3Ol Seaman (1) Scratcned; Amigo. Seaman. 12.25 pjn.— GREAT NORTHERN HURDLES.

£3o<« 2>,m

I.W p m PENROSE HACK HURDLES £BOO. about Ijm Acquittal (5) Goa (3) 10-1: Teddy «») 9-13:

Top Liner (1) 9-12: Flying Meteor (7). Kindling (6) 9-10: Bookful (12) 9-8; Redex (101, Solid Gold (11) 9-2: Eisteddfod (2) Prejudice (4). Royal Count (I) 9-0. 145 p.m

CORNWALL HANDICAP. £1800: Um.

73# p.m HERNE BAT HACK HANDICAP, £800; Im. —Princess Merit 18) 8-10; Emphatique (24) 8-8; Sherry Wine (3) 8-4; Essen don <2) Saucy Filou (6) 8-3: Owai's Billy Boy (17) 8-1. Redspot 18). Shangen (4) Time Payment (1) 8-1; Air Shot (10) Brilliancy (14) Crisona (23) Eileen’s Choice (16) Explanation (12). Golokhan (9). Kadelka (19). Little Moss <s> Lucy Gray ,20) Prime Cut (2). Princess Clare (13). Rareoll (22) Summer Prince (11) Tin Tacks <l4l 8-0

Scratched: Wish Me Luck. 130 p.m.— HUNT HURDLES £BOO 2m.— County (1) 10-9; Toy Tiger (3) 9-10: Angus Junior (4i 9-6; Kennedy Bay (2). Ngairo (5), Sir Gallant (8), Summa Pete (7). Young Greg (6) 9-0. Scratched: Covert 4.10 p.m.— MEMBERS HAN D I C A P. £1000: It Toureg (19) 9-1; Foxskin '6), Prince Monolulu <ls> 8-10: Mall (28) Shakespeare 14) 8-9: Brown Hair <24) 8-8 Tormod (12) 8-th Royal Dee (7). Selalah (25> 8-5: Speedwell (10) 8-4; Relight (20). Royal Filou (11 8-3: Sweetnotes (29) 8-2; Ashbourne B'ue <23>. Corador (lil), Grasher (3). Mantovani (18) 8-6; Nestle Brae (2) Prince Manu (13). Royal Dragoon (5) Khurjen <4) Gardone (16). Yara (21) 8-0

Balloted out with right ot reentry in the following order:Express Time (6). Flierwings (8). 8-0.

Scratched: Friendly Trio. Taxpayer. Good Day Peter. Hello Polly.

st lb tftli Blue HocK (V* . 10 2 O0o3 Fly Home (7) . 5 13 4311 To Reign (1) . 9 11 0*4 Daysun (12) . » 9 0005 Elrey (101 .. . 8 1 02« Lord Oman IS) * . 9 4 2242 No Offence <8> . 9 I 1052 Chel <8i . 9 0 5842 Count Lin (2» . 9 9 0103 Peacemaker «3» . 9 0 0453 Pin Money (14) . 9 0 3705 Tawhitl Rani (11).. 9 0 Solioe. Countv.

st. lb 5203 Waipan (9) 9 6 4050 Action Packed (2) 9 4 3u81 Harrier (1) 8 12 3272 Blue Beard (18) 8 10 1838 Firenze (19) 8 8 0344 Jovic (15) 8 6 0100 Bonnie Dee (11) 8 4 0400 Dolamars (8) a. - 8 4 9050 Anywhere (16) 8 2 6954 Dashing Star (22) Jun's Count (14) 8 2 0391 8 2 9513 Royton (6) 8 2 3021 Supreme Gold (24) 8 2 0506 Craddock (5) 7 13 0300 Red Luca <23) 7 13 XXX) Surging (17) 7 13 0544 Dry Martini (26) 7 11 4760 Uppercut (13) 7 11 0008 King’s Cove (21) 7 10 2070 Capt Lancaster Scratched: Coeur (7) 7 10 Volant, Otara. Pale Face. Blue Gay Parade. Emsie. Heather.