Riccarton Apprentice Could Ride Double

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 4

Riccarton Apprentice Could Ride Double

The Riccarton apprentice, J. A. Messent, who rode the successful combination in the T.A.B. double at Wingatui last Saturday, has a good chance of repeating that achievement at Motukarara tomorrow.

Messent’s mounts at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s summer meeting include Golden Vanity and Sabell, which are bound to form one of the popular combinations for the T.A.B. double. Golden Vanity will try to improve on sound form in the first leg, the Peninsula Handicap. Since she won an open high-weight at Washdyke in December Mr J. F. Donnelly’s Summertime mare has started three times for a third, a fifth md a fourth. Golden Vanity’s latest placing was behind Red Siren, General Gilbert and Hushaway in the Provincial Handicap at Riccarton early last month. None of that trio will oppose her tomorrow. On Provincial Handicap form and good track gallops meantime, Golden Vanity has come right into favour. Although there is always room for improvement,

Standout, which was eighth, Misjudge (10th) and Early Dawn (last) could hardly be fancied on their Provincial Handicap showings. But, by the same yardstick, even Cobble’s chance tomorrow would have to be viewed with reserve. Won Last Year Cobble, which was Messent’s mount when she won the Peninsula Handicap 12 months ago, again is one of the form runners. But because she could only manage to finish fourth of six in last Saturday’s Wingatui Handicap, won by Baal Hanan, her background does not look strong. 1 The best that Baal Hanan could manage at his previous start was sixth, two lengths from Golden Vanity in ”>.e Provincial Handicap at Riccarton. Sabell is not one of the strongest form rupners in the second leg, the Kinloch Handicap, but came into strong favour with a sound gallop in training during the week. Another thing which made him look like an early winner—the first time he struck a field of moderate strength —was his last start fifth to Warfare’s Amuri Handicap at Riccarton last month. Sabell will have three laststart winners with which to contend. They are White Skies, a nine-year-old which has shown his best form in the mud, Certain, a very capable performer but which has not raced since November, and Prince Callan, which has yet to make his mark as a sprinter. Strong Rival But the last-start winners might not be the hardest for Sabell to beat. It is generally expected that his strongest

rival will be Mister Bud. another four-year-old which is Riccarton-trained. Mister Bud, which has won three races this season—the first in hack class at Motukarara in October and the latest in open class at Westport at his start before last —has been generously treated by the club’s handicapper (Mr H. V. Spicer). He has been given 7-11, 11b more than Sabell which has still to win his first open-class race. If victory fails to go the way of either of these Riccarton light-weights or to Certain, from Washdyke, it may go to either Fairlane or Bell Man, which are also South Canterbury-trained. Both lack recent form but would only need to produce one of their peak runs to match the best of the others in this field.

1.55 p.m.— 8034 PENINSULA HANDICAP, £550; Ijm. Cobble (1), B. Eden st lb 7 12 1354 Golden Vanity (6). J. A. Messent . . 7 9 3680 Standout (3), A. J. Stokes 7 8 3579 Charlborough (4), G. W. Mein 7 7 2100 Earlv Dawn (S), D. N. Hadfield 7 7 7345 Filspar (5). P. Ryall 7 7 1707 Misjudge (2) 7 7 0044 Scent (7) 7 7 3.25 6708 p.m.— KINLOCH HANDICAP, £400; 7f. Fairlane (3) st lb 8 2 3580 Bell Man (9), A. J. Stokes 8 0 0097 Approval (2), W. H. Beck 7 11 3312 Mister Bud <8), E. G. Low 7 11 9071 White Skies (7), M. P. McCann 7 11 1041 Certain (6) 7 10 0948 Llanawyn (10) 7 10 6691 Prince Callan (4), P. Ryall 7 10 6205 Sabell (1). J. A. Messent 7 10 8856 Moganibo (5), B. Eden 7 10