RACING El Beka Picked To Win At Washdyke

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31564, 29 December 1967, Page 4

RACING El Beka Picked To Win At Washdyke

After a creditable third in the Timaru Cup, El Beka is an obvious fancy for the St Andrews Highweight, the first leg of the South Canterbury Jockey Club s T.A.B. double at Washdyke tomorrow 7 .

El Beka will not be opposed this time by Royal Master and Royal Encounter, the two which beat him in the Timaru Cup, and most of the others in the field were a wellbeaten lot in Wednesday’s feature race.

El Beka made up a lot of ground for his Timaru Cup third—evidence that he is steadily coming back to the form he showed to win the Waikouaiti Cup a year ago. His strongest rival this time could be the Reefton gelding, Count Down. Count Down ran himself out pacemaking in the Timaru Cup and finished a weakening sixth. But his strong gallop in the lead had several, of the others in difficulties a good way from home. General Gilbert, the Timaru Cup seventh, and Baal Hanan, which was ninth, showed bet--ter form just beforehand, and

they could hardly fail to improve on their latest runs.

The three-year-old Billy Joe could complete the double for Riccarton stables by winning the President’s Handicap. He was out of sorts for some time earlier in the month, and muscular trouble also threatened to cost him a start on the first day at Washdyke.

However, he started and ran promisingly for a close fourth in a hard tussle for the minor places with Jayess and Fairlane.

Both Jayess and Fairlane are also engaged again, and are two of the stronger prospects to fill places. Royal Blue, a stablemate of Billy Joe, stands a good chance of coming through the meeting unbeaten in two starts against the middle distance hack performers. He is in the Rangitata Handicap, second leg of the on-course concession double. The first leg of this double is the Albury Stakes.