Silver Kingdom Picked For Hokitika First Leg

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 4

Silver Kingdom Picked For Hokitika First Leg

Canterbury-trained horses could be heavily involved in the finish of the Michael Keenan Memorial Handicap at Hokitika tomorrow. On a firm, fast track Silver Kingdom and Marlow will be high on the list of fancied runners in the first leg of the Westland Racing Club’s TA.B. double.

On the other hand, if the ground became soft or heavy, Meandering could well be the popular fancy. In one respect the Hokitika track is exclusive in comparison with other South Island courses. Because it is a right-handed circuit it can set problems for some horses attempting that way of going for the first time. Meandering is one which has previously proved his ability on the course. He won the Michael Keenan Memorial at this meeting 12 months ago with second topweight of 8-10. He holds the same position in the handicap again this time, but has only 7-12. Although he is 10 Meandering showed by finishing second and fourth at Westport last month that he is still capable of a fairly good gallop. Silver Kingdom, the top-

to come from the Nelsontrained Shanty Town. This Khorassan entire made a big impression with two easy wins against the hack sprinters at Westport last month. He was far from disgraced to finish seventh and fifth in much stronger hack fields at Trentham—his only starts meantime. As far as Shanty Town is concerned it will be a question of how he handles the right-handed track. At this meeting last year he was well beaten in two starts after competing with moderate success in hack class at Westport. Rae’s Hope, from Totara Flat, and Belle York, from Orari, might battle it out for honours in the Goldsborough

Hack Handicap, second leg of the main double. Two races at Westport last month should have brought Rae’s Hope close to the very good form which gave him four hack sprint wins—including a victory at this meeting—on the West Coast last year. Belle York has already shown winning form in metropolitan class this season. Her four-year-old racing began with a win in the Woolston Hack Handicap at Riccarton, the first of her two races at the Grand National meeting. She has not raced since, but should be able to run out six furlongs fairly well fresh-up. Messmaid, a dual winner in maiden class at Westport last month, and Vivien Robe and Corneil, both of which have last start place form on their records, are three Riccartontrained hacks which could add interest to the finish. 2 p.m.—

weight with 8-3, will be trying for his third win on the West Coast this season. He was successful with frontrunning tactics in the main open handicaps at Westport last month. Meantime Silver Kingdom has recorded a third—in the North Canterbury Gold Cup—and a couple of failures. But the most recent of those was in fairly distinguished company at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Marlow was another which was outclassed on his campaign at Riccarton, but there was promise in his sound run for fourth in the J. F. Buchanan Memorial at Motukarara last month and that performance might be the best guide. Has Sound Form Most opposition for the Riccarton trio will be expected

MICHAEL KEENAN MEMORIAL, £300; Im. st lb 1300 Silver Kingdom (1) 8 3 4090 Meandering (4) .. 7 12 00 Crackers (6) ..7 7 0540 Deladana (8) ..77 0000 Gabbler (7) ..7 7 0836 Gold Find (2) ..7 7 8400 Marlow (5) ..7 7 1175 Shanty Town (3) .. 7 7 4 p.m.— GOLDSBOROUGH HACK HANDICAP, £160; 6f. st lb 10 Belle York (7) >.! 9 0 85 Rae’s Hope (3) 8 13 Star Maiden (8) l. 8 4 9950 Messmaid (2) i... 7 9 Prize Girl (11) ..7 9 7780 Tanzy (6) ... 7 8 0534 Vivien Robe (14) ..7 8 8084 Corneil (9) ..7 7 His Host (13) ..7 7 Jules (12) ..7 7 Kummel (5) ..7 7 00 Printer (4) ... 77 Balloted out with right of reentry: — Patrician (10) ..7 7 Prize Melody (1) ..7 9