Busy Weeks For Northern Riders

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 4

Busy Weeks For Northern Riders

Jockeys living in the lower part of the North Island are having their busiest weeks of the racing year. They had racing at Trentham last Saturday, at New Plymouth on Monday, at Waipukurau yesterday.

Later this week they will be able to ride at Opunake (Friday) and at Trentham (Saturday), and some of them will travel south at the week-end fo the Ashburton meeting next Monday. J. A. Messent, W. D. Skelton, and N. Eastwood, three former South Islanders, have taken mounts at Ashburton. Messent will ride Gingerbread and Her Pal in the major races. Her Pal will be his mount in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton a week later. W. D. Skelton has been engaged to ride Carester in the Coldstream Handicap at Ashburton. I Carester ran Her Pal to half a head in the corresponding race at the Banks Peninsula meeting earlier in the month. W. D. Skelton has been engaged for the Washdyketrained Certain in the Caltex Gold Cup at Ashburton. He will ride Frafre in the Lauriston Two-year-old Handicap, Starless in the Trial Stakes, and Brookfields Hope in the Alford Hack Handicap. C. Plowman, an apprentice in the Murfitt stable, who won on Her Pal at Motukarara, will

ride Shakes in the Coldstream Handicap at Ashburton. When Shakes won this race at long odds last year he gave Plowman his first winning ride. Plowman has also been engaged for Kai Bank, and Cranford at Ashburton. He will ride either Sun Bank or Scorn in the Alford Hack Handicap.

Riders For Opunake “The Press” Special Service WANGANUI. Riding engagements for Opunake on Friday include: G. Constable: Syrinx. R. W. Taylor: The Major. J. A. Messent: Alcheringa, Alkira, Re-Echo, Llanarae. R. T. Cleaver: Straddle, Acis, Step Softly, Mr Fashion, Moutoa. M. J. O’Connor: Darron, Barta Bov Rand. R. J. Skelton: Areas, Understudy. J. F. Harris: Flying Heather.

W. D. Skelton: Dusty Slipper or Roussel. G. Chitty: Roley. J. Waaka: Prince Tirage.