TROTTING Strong Canterbury Team For Gore

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31657, 18 April 1968, Page 5

TROTTING Strong Canterbury Team For Gore

Some 25 Canterbury pacers will compete at the Gore Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. This number is much smaller than seemed likely when nominations for the meeting closed, but owners and trainers have probably decided against the trip south because of the likelihood of a soft track.

The most interest will be taken in the $2200 Southland Invitation Stakes, which has drawn a field of 10, including last Saturday’s Easter _ Cup Final winner, Allakasam, which will be bracketed with Alpine Lady.

wald pacer, may be a better prospect in this race. He has not raced since he finished fifth over 14 furlongs at Washdyke in February after starting from 36 yards. Inspire, a place-getter at Omakau, is also in this event. Barrhill and Julienne will give Canterbury strong representation in the Gore Three-year-old Handicap. Barrhill is a lightly-raced brother of Corwar, which has not started since December. Julienne was second to Selwyn Hanover at Roxburgh on Monday, a placing which is expected to give her favouritism in this race.

Allakasam is the backmarker on 36 yards, a position she has justly earned after wins in the Auckland and Rotorua Cups as well as the Easter Cup Final this season.

kasam could be the pick of the Canterbury-trained horses in the race. Even so there will be strong support for Stewart Hanover, whose racing has been most consistent. G. D. Shand, from Washdyke, will have two form runners in Tyrone (Gore Free-for-all) and Conclusion (Kelvin Handicap). Tyrone resumed racing recently and finished fourth over two miles at the Wairio meeting. He finished fifth over the same distance in the Roxburgh Cup last Monday, an effort which gives him a great chance in this field.

She will not be troubled by a heavy track and in spite of her handicap she looks to be one of the better prospects.

Alpine Lady, too, could show up, although her form background is weak. Stewart Hanover, second in the Easter Cup Final, will meet Allakasam on 18 yards more favourable terms this week, but Fort Nelson, third in the final, meets her on only six yards better terms. Possibly the handicapper has been influenced to place Fort Nelson on 12 yards after his twomile heat win. But Allakasam too, won a two-mile heat, so Fort Nelson meets her on only six yards better terms as a result of the running of the $lO,OOO final. From this it appears that Fort Nelson has been harshly treated, or that Allakasam has been most leniently treated, the former being more likely. Humphrey, a noted performer in winter conditions and the winner of the Easter Cup Consolation Race last week, looks to be right back to top form and he and Alla-

Tyrone has won over all distances and has proved adept in bad ground. He is at his best over sprint and middle distances and will be well suited by the 12 furlongs at Gore. Dresden Blue, an out-of-form runner from Tinwald, is the only other Canterbury pacer in this race, which is the first leg of the double. The strongest Canterbury representation, outside the main race, is in the Hokonui Handicap, in which there will be six runners, including Top Row, a runner with the right of re-entry.

Bright Frost, a rather unlucky second to Emulate at Roxburgh on Monday, will be a popular fancy, but Grainger, a good fourth over 13 furlongs at Methven last month, will be a place chance. Grainger is a member of D. J. Townley’s team, which will also be represented by Batavia and Julienne. Batavia made a fresh start at Roxburgh on Monday and was not a possibility. He could be improved as a result of that race, but may not be seasoned enough to win the D P. Windle Memorial Handicap. Battery Boy, another Tin-