RACING General Gilbert Geraldine Pick

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31340, 10 April 1967, Page 4

RACING General Gilbert Geraldine Pick

Canterbury’s best should be tested by the best of the southerners in the Gordons Gin Handicap, the Geraldine Racing Club’s feature race at Washdyke tomorrow.

General Gilbert, Tumble and Seminole, all from Riccarton, have winning autumn form at middle distances, and will be three of the stronger fancies.

But it would be all against th trend of Canterbury races of this type if there was not a strong challenge from the south,\ and the combined efforts of Carpenter, Hushaway, and Golden Thistle might have a big bearing on the result _ Golden Thistle, from the powerful Winsloe stable, is one of the most interesting runners. She was a distant third behind Ettrick at Beaumont on Saturday, but on her form at Washdyke she is a strong light-weight chance with 7-7.

She brought off a good double at a mile and a quarter on the course in Decem-

ber, running away with the Timaru Cup honours, then winning the high-weight on the second day. In the Timaru Cup she was four lengths better than General Gilbert, which was third. Each has won once since, and the southerner will meet General Gilbert one pound better tomorrow.

One of those on the minimum, Golden Thistle was one of three balloted out and the last to re-enter. The others, Benefice and Sandbank, are now assured of starts, Last Dip and Matea having been scratched. Fresh Runner A good percentage of the Gordon’s Gin Handicap candidates had fairly busy programmes at Easter, and the less robust of them might be at a disadvantage against such as General Gilbert, which has not raced since he won at Westport in February. J. L. Barr, part-owner and trainer of General Gilbert, has brighter hopes than most of winning the Geraldine club’s prize of £5O for most points as trainer at its two meetings this season. After the. first meeting Barr, with eight points, held a lead of three over M. R. Jones, from Washdyke. Coseta will be another form runner for the stable tomorrow, and the two-year-old Conway Stewart, shapes as if he will be a match for James Arthur and Gold Vista, the only winners in the Nightmarch Stakes field. Coseta, a winner at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, is a double acceptor.

A rider has been engaged for the Copenhagen gelding for the Arundel Hack, a race for apprentice riders, but a start in the Wainui Highweight might look equally attractive.

The high-weight field is not strong, and it lost one of its stronger form candidates yesterday in Royal Master. Royal Master has been bothered by hip trouble and was scratched yesterday. Monograph, Her Pal and Danny Kaye may be the pick of the field for the..Stewards’ Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double.

Monograph is a quick front runner, and in the hands of W. D. Skelton he may be hard to peg back at the end of six furlongs. But Danny Kaye should find the speed and tenacity to come up with a formidable challenge if the ground is firm.

There will be an on-course double on the Temuka Stakes and the Wainui High-weight, for which Pretentious and How Exciting are selected.

Fields, with form for the T.A.B. double races, are:

Balloted out with the right of re-entry:— <503 Golden Thistle <l3) 7 7 Scratched: Matea (6), Last Dip (1).

2.30 p.m.— GORDON* GIN HANDICAP £1000: Um. fft lb 0757 Carpenter (8) 8 7 4213 Huthavay (8) 8 6 0148 Seminole 13) 8 6 1336 Tumble (4) 8 6 4701 General Gilbert (10) 8 4 7808 Certain (12) 7 10 0080 Shakes (ID 7 8 0040 Allegretto (T> 7 7 4012 Great Guns (18) 3007 Lucky Son (10) 7 7 8550 Standout (16) 7 7 0006 Takatua (5) 7 7 0080 Tsunami (14) 7 7 0700 Benefice (15) ». 0734 Sandbank <9) 7 7 708 Wind vale Lad (17) .. 7 7

4 n.m.— STEWARDS' HANDICAP, £500: Of. st lb 1000 Sabel! (8) .. 8 9 Morris Francis <9) .. 8 6 5300 5044 Danny Kaye (1) Her Pal (5) 8 7 0 13 018« Glamie Lad <11) .. 7 12 2178 Bandashar (4) 7 11 0740 Monograph (3) 7 11 ooo Supreme Courage (10) 7 10 1540 Beau Supreme (0) .. 7 9 0807 EtoUe Kate (12) 7 9 Pease (2) 7 9 3070 Ronrlco (13) 7 9 0000 Status Symbol (7) .. atched: Red Chips (1 7 9 Sci 4)