RACING Wester Going North By Sea And Road

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30528, 25 August 1964, Page 4

RACING Wester Going North By Sea And Road

A last minute change in the travelling arrangements for Wester could also have a marked affect on the Riccarton three-year-old’s racing programme in the next week or two. R. P. Register, who trains Wester, had been trying to arrange air transport to take the Red Jester gelding to the North Island next week.

He received confirmation yesterday that this was not possible. Now Wester, which is to contest the Wanganui Guineas next Saturday week, will have to be taken north by sea and road.

A direct flight to Wanganui could have been arranged, but only if there had been a full load of eight horses. There is no suitable equipment for loading and unloading horses at Wanganui and It would have been uneconomical to shift the equipment from Paraparaumu to handle one horse.

Wester will probably go north now next Monday or Tuesday night. His proposed programme at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s second spring meeting will probably depend on the available transport to return him to Riccarton after the Wanganui meeting. It could mean he will miss a start in the John Grigg Stakes next Saturday fortnight.

If Wester competes in the John Grigg Stakes D. N. Hadfield will have the mount, but as yet no decision has been made about a rider for the Wanganui Guineas. It will probably be Hadfield or M. J. Wildermoth, who has ridden the gelding in his four races so far. Although Wester will meet rivals with open-class rating in the Wanganui classic, his record to date for Mr and Mrs G. A. Smith, of Greymouth, suggests the trip could be worth while. In his three races to date on his home track—at the Christchurch Huht and Grand National meetings—his record is a win and two seconds.

As a lead up to the Wanganui Guineas, Wester will have his race as a miler at Ashburton on Saturday. He has been accepted for in the Chatmos Improvers’ Handicap. Guineas’ Rivals Three likely Guineas’ rivals for Wester began their three-year-old racing in the Robinson Handicap, second leg of the double at Foxton on Saturday. They were Fairford, which was involved in a fourhorse fall near the straight entrance, Dunmure and Shiloko. Of this trio Dunmure appeared to be the most forward according to a northern report. But this natural speedster seemed to be unsettled and was already sweating fairly freely during his preliminary. Just the same he opened up a substantial lead on his rivals early in the race, but began to weaken approaching the straight and faded to last. Shiloko, like Dunmure, showed early speed, but he.

too, was beaten three furlongs out At the finish he had only Dunmure behind him. But Mr P. Louis's Knight’s Romance colt could improve with that race, for he looked well above himself in condition.

Fairford’s fall probably did not affect the result. Although he ran with the leading division he also seemed a little gross in condition and appeared to have come to the end of his run just before he was brought down. Apparently Fairford, whose programme includes the major spring cups in Australia, came to no harm in the fall, according to his trainer, J; A. McFarlane. He hopes to have Mr J. Wattle’s Fair’s Fair colt on hand for the Wanganui classic. Although all the open class three-year-olds finished out of a place there was one winner at Foxton on Saturday which has a Wanganui Guineas start on his programme. That was Hug, which the Woodville trainer, E. Ropiha, saddled to win the second division of the Wharangi Hack Handicap. Although Messrs R. E. Fell and D. Scandrett’s Clarification colt won very narrowly, everything about his performance suggested he will run out a mile very well. Hug was one of the slowest beginners and still well back in the field at the half-mile. R. J. Skelton managed to get a rails run with Hug in the straight and he got there by half a head in a four-sided finish.

It might not be long before Barwood makes his first appearance as a jumper. In the little schooling he has done so far he has shaped very well.

Each day for the last week Barwood has been schooled over a standard hurdle on the property of his Riccarton trainer, J. L. Barr, who races the Jimmy Flash gelding in partnership with Mr W. R. Woodham, of Christchurch. Although he has won twice on the flat and has run into places in quite a few races Barwood’s recent form has convinced his connexions he does not try very hard. Leading up to the Grand National meeting his track gallops were of a high standard, but his race form in three starts at that meeting was thoroughly disappointing.

So far there are no definite plans about where Barwood’s career as a hurdler will start. But the jumping experience could still prove valuable even if in the meantime he continues to race on the flat. A course of schooling often has the effect of sharpening the form of a flatrunner whose form is suspect. Well Forward The well-performed Wingatui galloper, Royal Estate, showed that he was well forward to begin a fresh campaign when he brilliantly won his heat of the barrier trials conducted by the Otago Owners’, Trainers’ and Breeders’ 'Association at Wingatui on Saturday. Royal Estate, which was ridden by R. N. Marsh, galloped right away from six rivals at the end fo five furlongs. His time of Imin 5 2-5 sec, the last three furlongs in 39 3-ssec, on a dead track and wearing ordinary shoes was an outstanding effort. Although he failed to win a race last season Royal Estate was one of Wingatui’s most consistent performers. He was placed in 12 of his 19 races from six furlongs to a mile and a quarter. His four-year-old racing concluded with placjngs in the Templeton and Waltham Handicaps at the C.J.C. autumn meeting in April.

Although no definite plans have been announced for the immediate future by Royal Estate’s trainer, A. N. Didham, it is understood that he intends to concentrate more on a middle-distance campaign for Mrs H. G. McLeod’s Castle Donnington entire this season. Avondale (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, August 24. The T.A.B. double on the first day of the Avondale Jockey Club's spring meeting at Avondale on Saturday is on the Avondale Cup and the Sheriff Handicap. The on-course double is on the September Hurdles and Swanson Handicap. Acceptances:— U a.m.— SEPTEMBER HURDLES, £750; 15f.—Monoceros (8) 11-1; Captain Rebel (1) 10-1; Revello (4) 9-13; Time Payment (6) 9-12; Young Ray (12), Nebro (15) 9-9; Hyde Out (5) 9-6; Prince Judah <7), No Regrets (2) 9-4; Jack James (11), Royal Willonyx (3), Summer Prince (14), Lucanui (10), Prince Fawkes (13), Kuddles (9) 9-0.

11.40 p.m.— AVONDALE STAKES, £1000; sf. —Amphibian (7), Bar Twenty (5), Dr. Simon (3), Hi Court (1), On the Cards (9) 8-5; Cobbler Lass (2), French Rose (11), Manapouri (6), Ponderosa (10), Queen’s Pride (4), Sealyn (12), Silent Knight (13), Soeur de Chat (1) 8-0. Bracket: Hi Court and Soeur de Chat.

12.25 p.m.— SWANSON HANDICAP, £809; Ilf.—Smoke Ring (14) 9-0; Earl Marshall (11) 8-10; The Prophet (12) 8-8; Olivene (1), Mr Dickens (16) 8-3; Lucy Gray (19) 8-2; Blue Packet (3) 7-13; Wee Amyn (9), Quo Vadis (8), Avalon (17) 7-12; On Top (7) 7-11; Tin Tacks (6), Sea Eagle (20), King’s Host (15), Heroic Flight (18), Otakiri Boy (10), Lord Oland (2), Spookes (5), Thailand (4), Explicit (21), Kevin Barry (13) 7-10. 1.10 p.m.—

HENDERSON HANDICAP, £800; 7f —Great Command (13) 90; Markable (24) 8-12: Danesway (11) 8-11; Misere (29) 8-0; Umpah (2) 7-13: Lipton (3) 712; Jenny Lee (23), Creolian (15) 7- Astral Blue (16), El Cortez (22), Caminar (10), Kublai Khan (26), Folder Star (6), Ammate (4), Forebrace (18), Gayrene (8) 7-10; Skymaster (19), Summit Mist (7), Chattanooga (1), Maguire’s Reek (5), Flanders Folly (9), Marco’s Pride (20) Able Pal (30), Knogman (21) Cash In (27), Mendelian (14), Ildrim (31) 7-9. Balloted out with right of reentry:—Liz (28), Parisian Charm (25), Ben (17), Black Emperor (12) 7-9. Brackets: Summit Mist and Chattanooga, Ben and Maguire s Reek, Black Emperor and Flanders Folly. Marco’s Pride and Liz, Able Pa) and Parisian Charm, Cash In and Knogman, Mendelian and Ildrim. _ Eliminated: Kandance Taffrail, Gay Charade, Grand Filou, Pengam, Jaydee. 2 p.m.— AVONDALE CUP, £2900 and gold cun valued at £100; Ilf. Action Packed (11) 8-11; My Com tact (16) 8-7: Count Filou (6) 8- Craddock (12) 8-1; Captain Lancaster (15) 7-10: Countax (17), Straight Time (7) 7-9; Kiwi Fox (2), Glllin (3) 7-8; Emphatique (10) 7-6; Valiant Roman (9) 7-5: Tardinl (13) 7-3; Blue Heather (4) 7-2: Surging (8). King’s Credit (5) 7-1; Wonder (1). Silver Eagle (14) 7-0. 2.45 p.m.—

BOROUGH HANDICAP, £lOOO Im. —Mantovani (10) 8-10: Fair Bid (8) 8-8; Blyton (12) 8-5; Old Parr (6) 8-4; Queenwood (I) 8-2; Garden Place (3), Crojack (5) 8-0; Climbing (11) 7-12; Ashbourne Blue (9), Master Goodwin (7), Cardone (13), Paromac (2), Viti (4) 7-7. 3.35 p.m.—

SHERIFF HANDICAP, £1190; 6f.—Mali Peter (1), Dandeinee (5) 8-4; Clarendon (8) 8-3: Overdale (11) 8-1; Gauntlet (17) 7-12; Earl of Foxwood (14), Thunderhead (18) 7-10; Loyal Ruler (13). Crojack (7), Blue Bay (10) 7-6; Gold Chat (12) 7-4; Texarkana (4) 7-2; Tax Free (9) 7-1: Cabal lero (3), Peter George (15), Miss Halo (19). Dingwall (2), Surco <6), Astarito (16) 7-0. 4.25 p.m.— CORNWALLIS HANDICAP, £BOO, 6f.—Wimmera King (21) 9-0; Royal Tax (9). Roganne (25) 8-13; El Cid (5) 8-12; New Tjkl (24), Sobig (1) 8-8; Super John (12), Gold Imp (26) 8-7; Te Pari Chat (7). Kandy (16) 8-5: In-The-Blue • 23) 8-4; Synola (6) 8-3: True Title (8), Furst Lady (19) 8-2; Domino (15) 8-1; Furious (22) 8-0; Leawavne (2), Ironbark (17) 7-13; Torquil (14), Nooranee (3) Five Spot (18), Whispering Hope (11), Cherie Brizard (20), Faloose (13), Joytax (10) 7-12. Balloted out with right of reentrv: Regal Ruler (27), Seretse (4) 7-12. Brackets: Regal Ruler and Seretse; El Cid and Sper John; Faloose and Joytax.