RACING Warfare May Be Hard To Beat At Oamaru

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30157, 14 June 1963, Page 4

RACING Warfare May Be Hard To Beat At Oamaru

Irrepressible will probably be the popular fancy for the Oamaru Winter Cup tomorrow. But there will probably be a fairly even division of opinion if her stablemate, Warfare, also runs.

They are trained for “outside” owners by D. P. Wilson, who often studiously avoids situations where one member of his team runs against another.

Irrepressible, owned by Mrs T. K. S. Sidey, is top weight with 8-11, and is 21b above Warfare, a newcomer to middle-distance racing.

Irrepressible has won the Wyndham and Gore Cups this season. Besides, she had been a fairly consistent placegetter and meritorious runs included her third behind Moy and Sybeau over a mile and a half at Royal Riccarton. a fastfinishing second in the Waimate Cup two starts back, and a second to Desert Chief in the Birthday Handicap last time out

She carried 8-8 in the Birthday Handicap and 8-7 * at Waimate, where she ran . Central Flight close and finished clear of Donna Maria, which has since won at Wingatui.

The leading jockey, R. J. Skelton, will ride Irrepressible, and the stable jockey, J. R. Dowling, rides Warfare.

Good Sprint

Warfare has been close to top class as a sprinter, has raced well at a mile, and there is every reason to expect a sound middle distance run from her.' She has drawn better than Irrepressible and should be in a commanding position from the start

William David, Ashleigh, Royal Order, and Royal Leigh will be form runners for the Canterbury stables. William David is trying for his second win in the race, and he faces this test with a more promising background that he had last year. He has won the Marlborough Cup this season and was third—he had finished fourth and was promoted—over 11 furlongs at Ashburton at his last start

Ashleigh beat William David twice at Blenheim after running unplaced behind'him in the Marlborough Cup. In the meantime, Ashleigh has raced once for a sixth at Ashburton.

On that form William David might beat him again, but there might be little between them.

Royal Order and Royal Leigh have both done most of their racing as sprinters, and made the grade in good company, too.

Royal Order was tried over more ground in the Waimate Cup and ran a fair fourth. Royal Leigh also shaped encouragingly with a second over 11 furlongs at Ashburton. That performance lost little merit, though the Callander gelding had to be disqualified when N. Eastwood weighed in light Royal Leigh has a sharp sprint, and if allowed to make a leisurely pace for the first mile or so the others will not find him easy to peg back. Placed runs at Wingatui will keep Rhythm Rein, Melotone, and Captain Morgan under consideration, but they might need heavy ground to show their best, and Oamaru usually offers a fairly firm surface. Second Leg Double will probably be a dominating favourite in the Grange Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double. This will be her first race since her third under 9-1 in the Challenge Stakes at Riccarton in April. This time she has 9-8, but will meet the top-weight. The

Wanderer, on better terms than at Riccarton when the Southland veteran ran last of seven.

Gold View, which was second last in the Challenge Stakes, will also meet Double again. It does not seem likely that she will beat the Wanhdyke speedster this time, but it is possible she is an Improver in this field holding a good place chance at least with 9-2.

John Jameson, the Amberley Cup second two starts back, usually races well at Oamaru. He won there in March. Picca Leigh was placed in two starts on the course in March, and is engaged again. She has drawn well and must be given a chance after a good fourth in the Amberley Cup last time out

Waverley will be having his second start’after a spell, and his pace should keep him right in the picture to the finish. He would probably adapt himself to a heavy track better than most of his rivals.