Royal Polo Likely To Win At Waverley

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31662, 24 April 1968, Page 4

Royal Polo Likely To Win At Waverley

"The Press” Special Service PALMERSTON NTH.

The up-and-coming steeplechaser. Royal Polo, is expected to start a highly successful season over country with a win today in the Waverley Steeplechase, the first cross-country race to be decided in the lower half of the North Island this winter.

, At the Rangatlkei Hunt Club's . point-to-point steeplechase meeting last week Royal Polo showed himself well forward by winning decisively over two miles. After that race he should have little difficulty with the extra five furlongs of today's race, especially because : many of those running against him are still in need of racing. His main rival could be Sure Trade, which was also a winner at the hunt meeting, and Blue Defaulter, which Is having his

first season In E. Ropiha’s stable.

The leading jockey, W. D. Skelton, should have little difficulty winning the Besley Memorial on Cox, which has done particularly well for the Lennox brothers, of Waverley, since being sold to them cheaply by Mr T. C. Lowry. Cox was a last-start second to Game at Feilding.

This race will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double.

Sall Away, which is on the verge of retirement, could test Cox, because he represents good class in a field of this type In his latest racing he has seldom been far away in niuch stronger! company.

Linesman is expected to make a good showing over a middle distance after running on strongly in his latest sprint races From the inside at the start he could be in, or near, the front throughout

R. J. Skelton will ride Monty's Gold, whose best chance would be on really heavy footing

R. J. Skelton’s second-leg mount is Bijali. which also would perform best on a rainaffected track. But she is well conditioned and she looks a good prospect no matter what the weather is like.

The fine weather during the last 48 hours has dried the track appreciably and unless there is further rain the going will be easy. Selections

11.35 a.m. Westholm Hurdles: Topmost, Royal Admiral, Bairam. 12.10 p.m.—Synes Memorial Maiden: First Division —Rose of Italy, Gipsy Topaz. Second Division—Parmestan, Golden Music. 12.55 p.m.—Kohl Handicap: Blue Falcon, Royal Guest, Glen's Girl. 1.35 p.m.—Waverley Steeplechase: Royal Polo, Scot, Blue Defaulter. 2.20 p.m.—Besley Memorial Handicap: Cox, Sail Away, Linesman. 3.5 p.m.—Hgutuwere Handicap: Sennoma, Stone Thrower, Umanui. 3.50 p.m.—Wai roe Handicap: Roger, Bijali, Astral Blue. 4.30 p.m.—President’s Handicap: Arcador, Fair Muse, Zanda. Fields are—--11.35 a.m.— WESTHOLM HURDLES, $550; Urn. —Royal Admiral (11) 9-8; Grappa (3) 9-7: Prince d’Amour (2), Topmost (1) 9-6; Fairweather (9). Gayemana (10) 9-5; Ben Bella (7) 9-4; Bairam (4), Mister Ed (18) 9-3: Boodle (6) Sea Prince (14) 9-2; Choc Wallace (5), Evening in Paris (19), Hello Kathey (18), Identification (13), Rahpete (15), Sam Cash (8) 9-0 Bracket: Boodle and Choc Wallace Scratched: Count Carmel (12), Tainoch (16). 12.10 p.m.— SYMES MEMORIAL MAIDEH RACE, $6OO, 6f. First Division: Iranian (14), Ruby Red (3), Gay Topsy (8), Tellywhat (25), Castle Ridge (16), Bluebern (5), Donate (21), Mr Black (6), Ronamoss (4), Silver Fair (20), Gipsy Topas (7) Winterset (19), The Bard (2), Miss Saxon (1), Good Aim (24) 8-5; Sangro (12), Equable (15), Palvoret (17), Blue Nile (22), Step Up (9), Kaysie (23), Crystal Bowl (10), Rose of Italy (18), Miss Lucky (11) 7-12. Second Division: So Proud (5), Jimmy Supreme (22), Proud Light (13), Mission Dank (24), Pearly Shells (9). Lyveden (14), Contradict (17), Nicotine (16), By Meter (20), Joycelia (7), Shady Work (18) 8-5; Gold Martian (1), Gather (12), Kindly (15), Golden Music (3), Emson (4), Parmestan (21). Valray (10) Red Sabre (6). Fore Star (11) Kaiama (2) 7-12. Balloted out with right of reentry:—First Division: Winterset, Ronamoss. Brackets: Iranian and So Proud. Ruby Red and Proud Light; Gay Topsy and Mission Dank; Tellywhat and Pearly Shells; Castle Ridge and Lyveden; Donate and Contradict; Mr Black and Nicotine; Ronamoss and By Meter: Silver Fair and Gold Martian; Gipsy Topas and Joycelia: Winterset and Shady Work; Miss Saxon and Gather; Good Alm and Kindly; Sangro and Golden Music; Equable and Emson; Palvoret and Parmestan. Blue Nile and Valray; Step Up and Red Sabre; Kaysie and Fore Star; Rose of Italy. Kaiama and Miss Lucky. Scratched: Regal Link (8), Tembi (23), Miss Cinder (19). Carmencita (13).

12.55 p.m.— KOHI HANDICAP, $650; 7f.— Royal Guest (7) 8-6; Cherie Marie (23) 8-3: Glen's Girl (14). Lucky Lin (8) 8-2; Blue Falcon (22) 8-1; Anxious Moments (19), Concepta (16), Eastern Fields (17), Gay Merit (12), Grindl (2), High Case (21), Lady Robina (6), Lord Harry (13), Morning Dew (9), Our Fury (4), Proud Light (15), Sasan Gold (18), Scalpel (10), Serenade (1). Skinfufl (5). Wahkeena (3) 8-0 Scratched: Magico (20). Nansen (11). 1.35 p.m.— WAVERLEY STEEPLECHASE, $700; 2m and sf.—Bagush (6) 10-5; Blue Defaulter (9) 9-10: Royal Polo (1) 9-9; Sure Trade (13) 9-5: Barta Boy (5) 9-2; Fabriano (12) 9-1; Hunoor (3), Jonty (11), Mighty Blue (10). Scot (2), Smoulder (4), Vulcan (8) 9-0. Scratched: Sir Lake (7).

Scratched: Roley (2). 3.5 p.m.— HGUTUWERA HANDICAP, $650; lim- —Slone Thrower (22) 9-0; Sennoma (10) 8-2: Durado (24), James Bond (3) 8-1; Sunny Italy (5), Umanui (13) 7-12; Janess (14) 7-9; Cresta Dore (2). Supreme 7-9; Cresta Dore (2), Supreme Teat (8) 7-8; Alcheringa (12), Amidships (11), Astaire (16), Benten (17), Dilkara (21). Fair Quota (25), Glasgee (1). Lovely Dream (4), Mission Dank (15), Scrutiny (6), Step Softly (20). Talishar (7), Upstart (9) 7-7. Balloted out with Tight of reentry; Mission Dank, Umanui. Bracket: Alcheringa and Glasgee. Scratched: Robert Earl (23), Blue Lord (18), Beaudelaire (19).

Bracket: Conspirator and Roger. Scratched: Marand (3). 4.30 p.m.— PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, $650, Of.—Lenoman (14), Zanda (5) 8-5; Just Wishing (2) 8-4; Colane (13). Kaiso (7)) 8-2; Arcador (15), Fair Muse (6) 8-1; Caltex Star (3), Dusty Slipper (4), Ferragamo (11), Serenade (9), Shady Work (1), Windrush (12) 7-13. Scratched: Langelinie (8), Nansen (10).

2.20 p.m.— BESLEY MEMORIAL HANDICAP SI 500; lim. st lb 9023 Cox (4) .. 8 9 3478 Sailaway (5) . .. 8 9 3824 Cabriere (9) .. 8 4 6205 Fair Kora! (14) .. 8 r4 9444 Linesman (1) .. 8 4 6008 Monty’s Gold (6) . . 8 2 4000 Aqua Pura (15) .. 8 1 5909 Coralong <8) .. 7 13 0000 Getup (13) .. 7 13 6900 High Sky < 10) .. 7 13 6900 Montini (11) .. .. 7 13 4870 Surf Boy (7) .. .. 7 13 5826 Umanui (12) .. .. 7 13 7067 Wingman (3) .. 7 13

3.SO p.m.— 5018 WAI ROA HANDICAP 11500: 6f Dunraven (16) st 9 lb 1 6503 Understudy (17) 8 3 1406 Lightning Ridge (15) 8 2 9444 Linesman (1) 8 1 3759 Bijali (2) 7 13 Autobe (13) 7 11 4084 Astra! Blue (10) 7 8 4390 Governor General (7) 7 8 006 Albaneta (6) 7 7 0 Conspirator (4) 7 7 4335 Innes Lady (9) 7 7 1300 Nerona (12) 7 7 0900 Resonare (8) 7 7 1625 Roger (14) 7 7 5080 Unsurpassable (11) 7 7 7800 Showtime (5) 7 7