DISTRICT PROSPECTS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30822, 6 August 1965, Page 4

DISTRICT PROSPECTS

This morning, racing correspondents of “The Press” will mark the card for Grand National day at Riccarton tomorrow. These correspondents are from districts which have sent “name” horses to Riccarton for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s spectacular jumping carnival.

Today they write about the best winning prospects from their districts.

Wellington

Wellington provincial horses should win at least two races on Grand National Day, the Winter Cup and the Cashmere Plate, but which horses will be winners is debatable. Masterton has Dhuran and Lei in the Winter Cup and it is likely that they will be the first two favourites. Preference is for Dhuran, which ran a slashing second to Cabriere at Levin last week and will drop from 9-8 to 8-13. Last time he was at Riccarton Dhuran won the Waltham Handicap, seven furlongs, after dead-heat-ing for a close second in the Great Easter. Lei also won a race at Riccarton at her last visit, the Winter Cup, two years ago. Three starts back Lei was the beaten favourite tn the Whyte Handicap at Trentham, but was caught short of a race. By her appearance, at the track on Thursday there will not be the same excuse this time. The last horse Lei’s trainer, A. Jenkins, brought to Riccarton, was a winner. He w»s That’s That, which scored tn the Waltham Handicap three years ago. The two Wellington horses In the Cashmere Plate are Carlsberg, from Otaki, and Feiramor, a stablemate of Dhuran, from Masterton Carlsberg is preferred. He has done exceptionally well since his runaway Hatdon Stakes win last week and might have a slight edge on Feiramor on the score of racing condition. Feiramor blew slightly after his final trial on Thursday, but nevertheless is a class galloper. The firmer the track the better chance Carlsberg will have. He did not have much trouble with the going tn the Haldon Stakes, but that was over new ground down the straight six. Carlsberg has never been tried oh a heavy track. _ Yeti, from Foxton, is Wellington’s hope for the Grand National. He has Improved with his race m the Homeby Steeplechase, but still is a long way from being a form fancy. Perhaps Wellington can sneak in with Cinnaman. He is trained in Blenheim, which Is in the Wellington metropolitan district. Cinnaman ran as well aS any behind Koral in the Homeby and over the extra mile Cinnaman's age might tell against Kbral's youth.

Southland

Koral will be number one choice for the Grand National, and another Southland runner. Court Belle, looks to have a good chance in the Winter Cun The record book may be against Koral because of his age—he will be the youngest horse to win the race if he can do it—but he has come through a judicious preparation and he looks like duplicating the feat of his stablemate, John O Groats, which took the Homeby National double last year. Court Belle’s mission since she won the Great Autumn Handicap has been the Winter Cup and she was kept going during the winter with this in view. She -s certain to be improved by her run in the Brabazon Handicap and over a mile tomorrow she will be right in her element.

One of the most amazing performances of Court Belle's outstanding four-year-old record last season was her second to Eiffel Tower in the Riverton Cup. She gave him an impossible start from the half-mile and ran him to half a length. She is the best mare to race in Southland since Shangri-La finished. E. A. Winsloe’s Grand National pair, John’s Mistake and Tidal Rip, are not racing as well as thev did in the autumn when both won twice over country.

John's Mistake beat a weak field in the Great Western in which Tidal Rip was second. Both are competent jumpers and sound stayers but they

would need to Improve sharply on their more recent efforts. Tundra, Tampa and Gladaub will be a capable Southland trio in the Winter Cup but Court Belle will be more than a match for them. Tundra has failed badly since she was a winner at Wingatui in June, but for all that she is a very able mare. The same could be said for Tampa, winner of the Oamaru Winter Cup and a renowned mudlark. She will be wel) suited over a mile. Otago With the scratching of Kumal from the Trial Hurdles, Wingatui stables will not be represented by a star performer, but they will have a well balanced team. Golden Blosson may Wave the best prospects of the four Wingatui candidates for the Winter Cup. The Targui mare has had only four races in a fresh preparation, but is improving with each gallop and was a close second to Morris Francis at the South Canterbury Hunt meeting. Morris Francis was the best of the South Island runners in the Winter Cup last year, finishing third to Gillin and Royal Duty. Combination scored his fourth win for the season in the Donald Grant Memorial at Washdyke early last month when he decisively beat Shakes. Shakes was an impressive winner of the Brabazon at Riccarton last week, in which Combination was fourth. Glenmorven has recorded two seconds and a win from as many starts and with 7-10 the Kurdistan gelding looks well placed at the weights. Carpenter has “Sen consistently placed, but the distance of one mile may be a little short for him. Glenmorven's stablemate, Debater, may be the one to beat I? ‘l® first . Ieg ’ the Paparua , A winner over a mile at Washdyke at his last appearance, he makes appeal with 8-3 31b above the minimum. Flying York and Gold Venture, o, nd third respectively in the Wellington Stewards Handinl?,’ ,T ’ g J, ve . solid backing to h,? Flying York m ay be me better over seven furlongs McGregor will be Wingatui's hope in the Trial Hack Hurdles ®" d on , th e strength of his win on the last day of the Weliing!A?„Km^ etlng w,n h ave strong southern support. Manawatu n » Fa ™ln e , shou ‘ d s ‘art the day 9" I t 0 1! Manawatu stables , He gavc an exhilirating display to win at Awapuni in his last start and 'here are few better jumpers about than this grey. The testing Riccarton fences will not worry Facade and North Island money should ensure him of favouritism in the opening event. It will take a good horse to lower his colours T he best has not been seen of Southern Cloud in the North [sJand because of bad tracks. He dislikes heavy ground, so 1 s l ate the track tomorrow will determine his prospects in the Enfield Steeplechase. He ran third at Levin last week and chased Facade home at -Awapuni before that. J. Hely will ride him and he could pay a dividend. E Bopiha could provide the Trial Hurdles winner in Gipsy Fire. Gipsy Fire is one of the best novice hurdlers turned out for some time. He won easilv at Hastings in his first start and then showed his versatility by winning the Winter Cup Trial over a mile at Awapuni. That was a fine performance. Gipsy Fire makes no mistakes and with Hely to ride him, punters will be falling over themselves to support this combination Saturnian and Bagush will race in the Jumpers’ Flat as a lead to the Grand National Hurdles on Tuesday. Both should win more than expenses on the trip. They look well placed for tomorrow. Saturnian was the leading Awapuni stake winner last season with £5095, made up from both flat and hurdle racing, tn hts last start he won the Winter Hurdles. He has done well since in spite of * slight stifle injury sustained at Trentbam.

Saturplan has more pace on the flat than the average hurdler. Track conditions at Riecarton should suit him. He and his rider, B. Clements, have been a happy combination lately. Bagush is little Inferior to Saturnian. He could spring a surprise with his handy weight in the big hurdles next week. Meanwhile he will be reckoned with in the Jumpers’ Flat. P. J. Cathro will ride him. Bagush. the winner of the Carterton Racing Club Handicap a year ago, revels in bad ground. He finished second to Saturnian in the Winter Hurdles. Chesterman beat Saturnian in a jumpers’ flat race at Awapuni in June and that showing will not be forgotten at the Grand National meeting. Chesterman commands a fair turn of speed on the flat. He was placed in his only start over hurdles at Trentbam and reports Indicate that he has done well since. He should be very hard to keep out of the money. R. Taylor went south on Tuesday to ride Dhuran in the Winter Cup. Taylor will ride the first two days and then return home to pilot Empyreus on the second day at Hastings tomorrow week. Taylor suits Dhuran and this combination nearly won the sprint at Levin last week. Dhuran would be improved by that race and his Winter Cup rivals may have to look to their laurels.

Auckland

Prettypeen, from Matamata. and Emsie. from Takanini, seem to rate best among the Auckland and Waikato visitors which will compete on the first day of the Grand National meeting. Prettypeen is held in such regard in Auckland that no-one will believe her form in last week’s Homeby Steeplechase is the best she will show on her trip south. Her crowds of admirers will be expecting her to be all the better for that look at the tall Riccarton fences. Big as they are, the Riccarton jumps should not give this game little niare, In her best form, much trouble. Before being put to hurdling Emsie was a successful middledistance runner an<) -one of his good performances on the flat brought him a win, in rather moderate company, it must be admitted, over 10} furlongs at New Plymouth. On Saturday, he will tackle the Jumpers’ Flat Emsie was a five-year-old when at New Plymouth. When a six-year-old he sebred a jumping win over Smoke Ring In a hack hurdles event at Ellerslie, giving the champion 15lb. Except that he became prone to lameness there is little doubt Emsie would have reached the best company over hurdles. As an eight-year-old he might yet get another good stake. His last start win. in the two-mile Greater Auckland Hurdles at Ellerslie on July 24, could not have been more impressive and he pulled up well. A good race In the Jumpers’ Flat tomorrow would bring him many northern backers in next Tuesday’s Grand National, even against Kumal. Pxettypeen's stablemate. Hoss, although only six years old, has a name already as a solid, staying steeplechaser, and looks another excellent northern chance in Saturday’s Enfield Steeplechase. Hoss has pace and will continue to Improve for some time. CHRISTCHURCH LADIES.— L.G.U. medal match —Silver division: Miss M. Beadel, 96. 18— 78; Mrs W. V. Fountain. 96, 18— 78; Miss B. Langley, 88, 9—79; Mrs L. A. Watson. 89, 10—79; Mrs G. H. Grigg, 96. 17—79. Bronze division, handicap 19 to 27: Mrs C. Suckling, 98. 20—78; Mrs A. C. Freeborn, 100, 21— 79; Mrs A. T. Cartwright, 105, 26—79. Handicap 28 to 38: Mrs L. Burns, 106, 30—76; Lady Adams, 109, 30—79; Mrs R. F. G. Kingscote, 117, 36—81. Vernon salver—Semi-final: Mrs A. D. Nicholls beat Mrs H. W. Revell at the nineteenth; Mrs G. Riley beat Mrs N. Merewether. 4 and 2. Final: Mrs Nicholls beat Mrs Riley, 1 and 1. Jud* Team.—New Caledonia has named five judokas to compete In the Oceania championships at Auckland on August 14. three light-weights and two middla-wcights.