RACING Bandon Strong Fancy For Great Autumn

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30406, 3 April 1964, Page 4

RACING Bandon Strong Fancy For Great Autumn

The £2OOO Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton tomorrow could provide a continuation in a series of tussles between the good northern handicap horses, Bandon and On Purpose. Theyj have been well matched, with fortunes varying one way or the other with variations in the weights. This year Bandon has beaten On Purpose in the Wellington Racing Club and President’s Handicaps at Trentham.

On Purpose came out on top in the Summer Handicap at Trentham and in the George Adams Handicap at Riccarton last Monday. Bandon failed by half a length to give On Purpose 111 b and a beating in the £3600 race last Monday. On Purpose is 61b closer to the consistent Awapuni gelding tomorrow, and everything suggests she will fail to come out on top again. Bandon will probably be favourite, but he is unlikely to be a dominating favourite.

Pomare’s chance will be highly regarded after his bold late run from the back for third a length behind Bandon in the George Adams Handicap. Pomare, like Bandon, has gone up 31b, and on the higher scale of weights the chances are that Pomare could have a slight edge at the end of a mile and a half. It seems certain that the northerners will be strong contenders again, but no-one need be surprised if the veteran Great Sensation puts up tougher opposition this time. Improver Great Sensation was very much in the race until about a furlong and a half from home in the George Adams Handicap, and faded only slightly to finish sixth almost in line with Sailorman (fourth) and Sir Athol (fifth). This was only Great Sensation's second race, and his first over a bit of ground, this autumn, and it is reasonable to suppose he will be a fitter horse tomorrow.

Sailorman, Explain, and Golden Glen are last-start winners in the field. Sailorman won the Dominion Handicap over a mile and a quarter on Wednesday, running right up to the form which made him the best of the South Islanders in the George Adams Handicap. Explain won the Riverton Cup last Saturday, and Golden Glen won the Tweedie Memorial on a soft track on Monday.

Their chances might not be so very bright if the track remains firm.

Royal Crest and Apathy, the next best to Explain in the Riverton Cup, are also engaged. Royal Crest has already appeared at Riccarton this week, and was a fastfinishing third behind Sailorman and Sir Athol in the Dominion Handicap. This form could be of some value, but the class of the opposition was not as strong as it was in the George Adams Handicap, and Pomare’s third in the longer and richer race two days earlier looked more meritorious. Second Leg Shakes is almost irresistible in his present form, and he will be heavily backed for his attempt to complete a hat-trick for the meeting in the Waltham Handicap, the second leg of the double. Shakes is top weight with

9-0. Closest to him is Warfare, which beat the sprinters at Riverton last Saturday, but missed a place when tried at a middle distance on Monday. Warfare is one of two smart sprinters from D. P. Wilson’s stable in this field. The other one is Hot Foot, which was unbeaten in two starts at Riverton. This was a return to the very good form she showed last autumn when she won the Warstep Stakes at Riccarton after beating a strong field of hacks at Trentham.

Champ has thoroughly earned a win after two close seconds to Shakes this week. He has drawn well, and has the early pace to hold a commanding position. Much could depend finally on how he has come through his latest racing. The light-weights might not be a force in this field unless there is enough rain to soften the track. If that happens the dashing front-runner Waverley should take beating with 7-0. Toureg will be a prospect from the middle of the handicap if the ground is soft.