RACING Wellington Cup Now Red Siren’s Target

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 4

RACING Wellington Cup Now Red Siren’s Target

Red Siren increased his earnings beyond $22,000 in winning the Hororata Cup for his Southlad owner, Mr D. Boniface, at Riccarton on Saturday.

The Gore-trained veteran showed good qualities in overcoming difficulties in the running for this, his 12th victory'.

The Hororata Cup was Red Siren’s first win since his CJ.C. Metropolitan Handicap in 1966 but since then he has been placed in good races, including the 1967 Wellington Cup, and he had a setback with lameness last summer. “He thrived while spelling ind we had ideas about Tuning him in this year’s Melbourne Cup,” Mr Boniface said after Ids horse won on Saturday. “Now we intend to prepare him for the Wellington Cup, but there will be races for him at holiday meetings in the south in the meantime.” Mr Boniface decided to buy

Red Siren at the Trentham yearling sales because he held the stock of Red Mars in high regard. Red Siren is a three-quarter blood brother to Redcraze but he was not in much demand at the sales and Mr Boniface secured him for 625gns. Red Siren struck trouble in the running in the Hororata Cup but bad the class and gameness to recover from his set-back and nose out Ship- , master in a spectacular finish. • Shipmaster also gave ground ■ early, but made a determined « run inside Red Siren, and i would not give an inch in the last 50 yards. He was beaten , only by “the nod of the head.” Time and Tide, a stable--1 mate of Shipmaster, carried i top-weight of Bst 81b into third plaee a neck baek and a neek ahead of General Gilbert which, at nine vears, was the veteran of the field. General Gilbert and Time and Tide ran together close to the pace, for which Count Down was mainly responsible. Senator Jack, third on the home turn, tired to fifth and the favourite Jay Ribbon earne from behind the middle of the field for sixth. He was making steady headway in the last furlong, but was gaining ground all too slowly and in the style of a horse likely to do better over a bit more ground. Jay Ribbon is to travel north today with Red Chips, which, to the surprise of no one, completed the Hororata club's T.A.B. double with a decisive win in the Gordon’s Gin Handicap. Red Chips was having his

first start since he was bought outright by his trainer C. McDonald and Mr J. A. Randle but it was his second successive win on the course and it showed he was in form for his holiday programme, which will start with the Manawatu Cup meeting. After some reported indecision about a rider for Red Chips, connections of the favourite settled for the apprentice, R. J. McCann, and a 71b allowance. For a moment in the

; straight Red Chips looked as • if he needed every ounce in his favour, but he steadily gained mastery of the lightweight Watchman and won going away by a length. Watchman was one of the slowest away, was taken forward quickly to be at the girth of the pace-maker, Cosmetic, ran clear in the straight, but had to bow out close to home. The consistent Debbie Marie was half a length back third, narrowly beating Cosmetic, Pango, and Gay Doctor.