RACING Roodyvoo Fancied At Marlborough

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31344, 14 April 1967, Page 4

RACING Roodyvoo Fancied At Marlborough

Roodyvoo and Switch are two good middledistance performers P. Burgess will saddle in the Marlborough Gold Cup at Blenheim tomorrow.

A peak run from either of these Tauherenikau • trained stablemates should be adequate to give them victory in the first leg of the Marlborough Racing Club’s TA.B. double.

In his younger days Roodyvoo—and eight-year-old now—was in the top flight. Although he has not been able to find winning form for more than two years his recent efforts confirm he is not a spent force.

A third at Feilding the last time he raced and a second at Waipukurau two starts before is suffiicent proof that Roodyvoo has put renewed vigour into his racing. Switch, although not as well seasoned, is a very capable mare. She will revert to staying after one race as a sprinter on her home course last month. If she has made good progress in the meantime she should have little trouble mastering a mile and a quarter. Switch has 7-11, 31b more than Roodyvoo and 91b less than the top-weight Apa.

Good Stayer Although he has been out of form, Apa could not be anywhere else in the weights. As a stayer he rates with the best. The Auckland and Brisbane Cups were two major victories on his record last year. In spite of his form Apa could still take beating, for he is nippy and capable of running close to the pace, and should be well suited by the Marlborough course.

General Gilbert’s showing at Washdyke last Tuesday could have little bearing on his chance in this race. He has never been able to produce his peak run on winter tracks. If the footing is good a second victory this year for General Gilbert could be well within reach. He was successful at Westport the month before last. Twelve months ago he began a campaign at Blenheim by winning the Wattie Gold Cup. Gingerbread, Kalimera, Golden Vanity and Takatua are other contenders from Riccarton •tables—beside General Gilbert —with sound form close up on their records. A peak run from any one of them would strengthen the possibility of a South Island victory. Grand Coeur is another North Island stayer which will have solid backing. This will not be because of his most recent form but because of his record on previous campaigns in the South Island. Grand Coeur seems to reserve his best runs for this circuit each year. He has already won three Nelson Cups, a Richmond Brook Handicap at Blenheim and was narrowly beaten in the Marlborough Gold Cup 12 months ago. Sprint Prospect If Flying Trix has held the form which gave her fourth in the Waltham Handicap at Riccarton last Saturday week sle could give some talented sprinters weight and a beating in the Stewards* Handicap, second leg of the main double. The smart Invercargill-trained taare has shown her best form on turning tracks. For that reason she should take beating at Blenheim, especially from No. 1 kt the start. The hardest for Flying Trtx to beat might be Allbut, a stablemate of Roodyvoo and Switch, which was a sprint winner on her home course at Easter. If the result depended entirely on speed. Might would come strongly into calculations. Although he has plenty of pace he also has limitations, and the last furlong of seven could cause him some bother. Sabell, the winner of this race 12 months ago, could go well as a sprinter while he is fresh, but he, like Danny Kaye, another capable Riccarton sprinter on the top of the ground, will have to overcome a wide barrier draw. Warm Up. third to Royal Chase and Middy over a mile at the C.J.C. autumn meeting the last time he raced, will be another form runner from Riccarton stables. Combination, from Wingatut, and the Reefton stablematee, Debbie Marie and Jayess, could

be the best of the others in a representative field. There will be a concession double for course patrons only on the Sutherland Memorial and Plcton Hack Handicaps. Malibar could be the best of the hack stayers in the first leg. Storytime and Carolina might be the strongest second-leg fancies. Fields, with form, for the T.A.B. double races are:—

120 p.m.— MARLBOROUGH GOLD CUR. lb £1000; Um. St. 0970 Apa (7) 8 6 4701 General Gilbert <1#> 7 13 6 Switch (4) .. 7 11 4237 Clipper (1).. 7 9 2464 Gingerbread (5) 7 9 7253 Roodyvoo (15) 7 8 7868 Certain (2) 7 7 0080 Grand Coeur (14) .. 7 6

7470 Chiive D'Oro (13) . 7 4 0034 Combination (10) . 7 4 2388 KaMmera (5) . 7 3 4368 Golden Vanity (11) . 7 3 5140 Sabaean Summer (8) 7 2 0005 Takatua (9) . 7 2 6314 That’s Fair (3) . 7 2 0250 Tuskar Rock (12) . 7 2 Bracket: Switch and Roodyvoo. 2.40 p.m.— STEWARDS' HANDICAP, £620; 7L St. Ib 3104 Flyint Trix (1) . 8 3 1000 Sabeli (14) .. . 8 2 6916 Allbut (9) .. . 7 12 3209 Might (3) . 7 6 0034 Combination (7) . 7 5 5300 Danny Kaye (15) . 7 5 3190 Jet Girl (17) . 7 3 4000 Taxman (6) . 7 2 6503 Warm Up (11) . 7 2 3290 Waltohi (16) . 7 1 1084 Albaneta (5) . 7 0 4420 Debbie Marte (12) . 7 0 Garwan (IS) . 7 0 2620 Jayess (13) .. . 7 0 0508 Royal Admiral (2) . 7 0 6299 Sir Lhnond (8) . 7 0 0000 Status Symbol (10) . 7 0 0606 Tallc (4) . 7 0