RACING Stablemates Likely Trentham Prospects

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31169, 20 September 1966, Page 7

RACING Stablemates Likely Trentham Prospects

Last October Worthy Chat beat all but Creolian in the Watkins Handicap—his only race at the meeting—and Tracey completed her campaign with an all-the-way win against the hack milers in the Ruahine Handicap.

The Levin stablemates, Worthy Chat and Tracey, both of which showed good form at the Wellington Racing Club’s spring meeting last year, could be leading contenders for the major races at Trentham again next month.

J. K. Searle produced these two good gallopers at Marton on Saturday in race-winning order after they had been off the scene for most of the winter.

Worthy Chat just toyed with the opposition to win the Marton Handicap. Then Tracey, although hard-pressed over the final stages, lasted courageously to complete the T.A.B. double by winning the Flying Handicap. That Worthy Chat was able to run a middle distance successfully at his first appearance in a fresh campaign was a tribute to his own ability and also that of his trainer. At present Worthy Chat probably is the best horse in the Searle stable. If he trains on satisfactorily it seems certain he will win one of the major handicaps this season. His next race, as a preparation for Trentham, probably will be at Otaki next Saturday week. Tracey, which is a highlystrung mare, will have a week or two off before racing again. Promising Debut J. F. Harris, a son of the former top jockey, J. W. Harris, did not ride a winner at Marton on Saturday, but showed that he has inherited much of his father’s style, skill and patience. The closest Harris got to victory on his first day of race-riding was in the Farewell Hack Handicap. In that event he rode Hyfort into second place behind Myree. Fit Sprinters Middy and Captain’s Command, two of Otago’s top sprinters last season, showed they were fit and ready to begin fresh campaigns when they were paired in an exhibition gallop between races at Wingatui on Saturday. Middy appeared to be going slightly better than his companion, although both did their work well, at the end of a fast five furlongs on the

course proper. The ran the first two furlongs in 23 4-ssec and the distance in Imin 1 3-ssec.

Middy, which is prepared by his Mosgiel owner, Mr G. B. Thomson, has obviously thrived during a winter spell. If he resumes in the Gold Leaf Filter Handicap on the second day of the Dunedin meeting he will try to keep a winning sequence intact. Last season Middy won seven races, the last four—including the Great Easter and Waltham Handicaps at the C.J.C. autumn meeting—in succession.

Captain’s Command, which is trained at Wingatui by A. I. Powell for Mr E. H. Young, of Dunedin, might also resume in next Saturday’s open sprint. He won an open sprint

“first-up” on his home course last season. The most important of his other three wins as a three-year-old was in the Railway Handicap at Trentham in March. Better News The Riccarton trainerbreeder, V. D. Clutterbuck, who lost Melinda Jane, an elder sister to Cheyenne, a few weeks ago,, received some pleasing news about another close relative to the former high-class miler at the weekend. Early on Sunday morning Araphoe, a younger sister to Melinda Jane and Cheyenne, foaled a colt, by Mellay, at B. J. Anderton’s White Robe Lodge Stud, at Wingatui. The colt, which very much resembled Cheyenne, is Araphoe’s first foal. He is also one of the first crop of his rich-ly-bred imported sire. Mellay is a half-brother, by the Derby winner Never Say Die, to the top English three-year-old, Charlottown.