RACING TREBLE LIKELY WINNER

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31113, 16 July 1966, Page 6

RACING TREBLE LIKELY WINNER

Winter Hurdles At Trentham Today (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. Treble is selected to win the £2750 Winter Hurdles on the final day of the Wellington winter meeting at Trentham today.

A five-year-old from the powerful Robinson stable at Matangi, Treble probably earned favouritism for today’s race with his second to Gus in the Parliamentary Handicap on Wednesday.

Treble was one of the stars of the Auckland Racing Club’s Great Northern meeting in which he was unbeaten in three starts as a hack hurdler. He ran two miles solidly at Ellerslie, and it will be surprising if the distance of the Winter Hurdles, about two miles and a quarter, beats him today. Treble has 9-13 and is just below Kumai and Confer, two with outstanding records at Trentham. Kumai and Confer dominated the finish of the Trentham Hurdles last Saturday.

Confer was the stronger finisher, but Kumai lasted it out for a neck victory over the Conclusion gelding. Confer then won the Lambton Hurdles on the second day of the meeting.

Kumai was returned to the flat on Wednesday for an attempt to win his third Parliamentary Handicap. Success proved beyond him, but he was not one of the real failures of the field, finishing fourth. Macdonald will be another notable runner for the South Island. He showed good stamina in winning the Great Northern Hurdles.

A win for the South Island In the Winter Hurdles is long overdue. The last successful South Islander was Desert Trek, which won in 1947. Other rich races on a good programme today are the

£3OOO Eric Riddiford Steeplechase and the £2500 Winter Oats Handicap. The Riddiford Steeples could be the Wellington Steeples again with Prince Robin, Wheroma and Brevity battling it out The third top-weight of 10-6 might not stop Prince Robin from finishing the meeting unbeaten. The three-year-old, Gus, should also manage a second win for the meeting. He is the top-weight in the Winter Oats, but in a field that lacks the strength of the one he beat easily in the Parliamentary Handicap. Maria Mitchell and David Jeff, which combined to win the T.A.B. double on the first day of the meeting, will be rivals today in the Onslow Handicap, and their chances look brighter than most. Unless there is rain today the track will be holding, providing testing conditions for those in the long races.