Track Conditions Have Bearing On Whyte Hep

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31723, 5 July 1968, Page 4

Track Conditions Have Bearing On Whyte Hep

**The Prau” Special Service PALMERSTON NORTH. Track conditions at Trentham tomorrow could trouble two of the leading Whyte Handicap contenders, in the opinion of their trainers. The horses are Royal Theme and Free Pass, both of which have shown a preference for shallower footing in their earlier racing.

The leading trainer, S. A. Brown, who will saddle Free Pass in the first leg of the Wellington Racing Club’s T.A.B. double, feels that his charge is fit enough to see out the mile. Furthermore, he is hopeful that the four-year-old will win.

But Brown Mid yesterday that he would have preferred to see rain Instead of the frosts that have been experienced lately. This la because Free Pass has shown himself much better In wet ground than holding footing. Royal Theme's trainer, E. Ropiha, feels very much the same way about his chestnut. In spite of Royal Theme's wins in the wet at Ellerslie last Easter, he considers the Arragon gelding a better pro position still on dry tracks. Just before be went north on his highly successful campaign, Royal Theme broke the Awapuni track record for 10 furlongs, and Ropiha says the horse did not do nearly as well when taken to Ellerslie again in June as he had at the Easter meeting. Solid Weights Both hones will need to be happy In the conditiona to produce their top form, for they have solid weights. Royal Theme has to race under 8-1, while Free Pass has 88. Both trainers draw attention to the difference between

winter footing at Ellerslie and Trentham. The record book tends to confirm this, for comparatively few horses have excelled on both courses at this time of the year. York Handicap form has not been of much value as far as the Whyte Handicap is concerned, so Free Pass’s win this year may not be the strong lead many people believe.

Good Ellerslie horses like Rainfall, Wlri, Queen’s Poet, and Friendly Opal are just four of those which have failed to run up to form when brought to the Trentham winter meeting. Both Ropiha and Brown feel that the hard horses to beat will be the proven Trentham gallopers, Gus and Dunraven. They are racing well and their Trentham records are excellent

Naturally, they expect both Royal Theme and Free Pass to go well, otherwise they would not be there. But Gus and Dunraven have already won five races each at Trentham, these are the two with the best credentials for the first leg of tomorrow’s double. Form Horses The South Island does not often put three form horses Into a Whyte Handicap field, but it has done so this year. In Glamls Lad the South Island has a representative with winning form under winter conditions at Trentham. The Washdyke gelding has also captured his best form in the last few week* to win sprint races at the Dunedin and South Canterbury meetings. Earlier he showed his qualities as a miler with a good second In the 1967 Winter Cup. Chango and Jay Ribbon are two other South Island horses which have made rapid progress this season. Chango has been only once beaten in open company, but his record suggests he is bet-

ter at a middle distance than at a mile.

Jay Ribbon was the outstanding hack at Rlccarton at Easter and has since won the Waimate Cup. This halfbrother to Ray Ribbon could have hardly been more impressive in coming from the tail of the field for second to Royal Blue over a mile at Ashburton on June 22. Second Leg Redaire could worry the top-weight and pre-post favourite, General Myth, in the Stewards' Handicap, second leg of the double. The apprentice, D. Withington, will ride Redaire. Redaire will be trying for her ninth win tomorrow. She has won three times this season, in the Gallipoli Stakes at Carterton in April, and the Wadestown Handicap at Trentham in May, and the Mahora Handicap at Hastings on June 24. Redaire carried 8-3 at Hastings, where she held on gamely to beat Donroy and Dunraven. The Red Jester mare has galloped well in training this week. General Myth bounced back into the limelight at Hastings last week. He coasted home in the second leg of the double and gave the others no chance. He was seventh on the first day, but obviously that race improved him considerably. General Myth came through his final trial at Woodville fairly well, showing that he has taken no harm from his fall when pulling up after winning last Saturday. Hardy Runner

The northern gallopers, Bottle Top and Cambridge Fair, will find favour. Bottle Top has been second in each of his last three starts. He raced twice at Manawatu then returned home to chase Wairare Lass to the line at Tau-

ranga. Bottle Top usually meets one better on the day, yet he is a hardy horse which thrives on racing and travelling. Few handle bad ground better. Cambridge Fair won last year, and R. W. Taylor will ride him again in an attempt to repeat that success. Cam bridge Fair was second behind Wonderbar at Ellerslie on June 8. He did not go anywhere near as well at Avondale last Saturday when ridden by the apprentice, J. Winder. Conditions were atrocious, and according to northern reports few horses handled the waterlogged track.

Just Wishing has been placed in her three starts so far in open class. She was third at Awapuni and filled a similar place at Hawera. Holding ground might not suit Just Wishing too well, yet her form is hard to overlook. B. F. Andrews will ride her.