Big Field For Rich Mile At Ellerslie

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 6

Big Field For Rich Mile At Ellerslie

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. All the excitement of the season’s best mile races at Ellerslie is promised in the Caltex Mile today. Unless there are unexpected scratchings the field will number close to the limit of 26 and packed with possibilities in the Auckland Racing Club’s first leg of the T.A.B. double.

Foremost is the topweight, Red Count. Another good prospect is a stablemate, Rainfall, and the others include Markable, Mansize, and Weatherly.

Red Count is a four-year-old with 9st 41b; Markable, Rainfall and Mansize are three-year-olds and the amounts they will be receiving from Red Count are 21b, 131 b and 171 b respectively. Rainfall and Mansize are in a strong group at the lower middle part of the field. Weatherly, a four-year-old mare, is also thereabouts, with Bst Hb, and Maria Mitchell, a visitor from Taranaki, is notable with Bst. The best light-weight might be Woodpecker. a three-year-old which shows promise of being very good. Red Count and Rainfall are both trained by R. C. Verner at Takanini. Red Count is raced by Mr L. H. Prangley and Rainfall by Mr and Mrs L. W. Davis. Markable comes from Avondale where he is trained by D. J. Burgess for Messrs R. W. Cavaney and G. Vuglar. After being let up briefly Red Count and Rainfall returned to rating at weight-for-age over seven furlongs at Matamata last Saturday and finished first and third. Both have thrived in the meantime. Consistent Red Count is well known as a high-class and consistent runner of sprint distances. Altogether he has had 15 starts this season for four firsts and seven minor placings. Rainfall

was one of the most promising fillies last spring and she came to light again in the autumn with two good wins, at Te Rapa and at Avondale. Red Count usually begins well and he is able to unwind a fine finish. Where Rainfall sometimes fails is in an ability to go the early pace, usually she is at her best in the last furlong. Markable will be trying for his fourth win in succession. In his last two attempts he scored easily at Avondale over seven furlongs and at Ellerslie over the same distance. Markable and Rainfall seem to be at their best when the going is very soft as it promises to be tomorrow. Red Count is capable of a good gallop whatever the footing. Training reports from Te Awamutu this week have tended to bring Weatherly support at the expense of Mansize. Weatherly, from all accounts, has been galloping in great style with an edge on Mansize. She is a last-start winner and she has a Great Northern Oaks to her credit. Five Firsts Mansize has the impressive form background of five firsts and a second in six races this season. Counting against him is a very wide barrier position and it is a fact causing his admirers concern that he has not raced since June 19. The luck of the barrier draw went the way of Red Count, Markable and Rainfall, which have No. 8, No. 1 and No. 9 respectively. The Caltfex Mile will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double, worth £4lOO all told and £2700 to the winner. The field in the second leg, the Stewards’

Handicap, is more moderate and it looks a good opportunity for the Avondale three-year-old, Wonderbar. The prospects are for wet weather.