RACING Beau Supreme Favoured In Ashburton Event

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 4

RACING Beau Supreme Favoured In Ashburton Event

The consistent and courageous Beau Supreme is in the right form to extend his solid record by winning the Maronan Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday.

He is unbeaten in two Starts at middle distances on his present

campaign, and was second to Bargain Hunter Over a mile at Oamaru last Saturday . The WashdykO-tralned Beau Diable gelding was switched from sprinting to a middle distance in the Waimate Cup CO May 24 and he carried 8-1 to a brilliant win over Watallan. Time and Tide and Sandbank. An Advantage Time and Tide will carry his Waimate Cup weight of S 4 again at Ashburton and Will meet Beau Supreme 91b better. Time and Tide has not Meed in the meantime, but Beau Supreme has since won at Washdyke as well as runping Bargain Hunter close at Oamaru. Sandbank, the Waimate Cup fourth under 8-12, carried one pound less when third behind Beau Supremo and Lady (Mery at the first South Canterbury winter meeting- Beau Supreme carried dlb less that day but the run of the race wat all against Bandbank, which pulled hard out in the open early in the race and was joint pacemaker some way out CotMittcnt The Bowthlaad ■ trained for consistent form latest racing. He was not disgraced in being beaten by a horse of the class of Glamis Lad at Wlngatul on June 1 Whether he can produce form of the same level on what is expected to be faster footing at Ashburton is another matter.

Aconite and Harold Bank are Biccarton-trained light-

weights with the ability to make impressions at this dis* tance.

Aconite beat some good North Island hacks over 11 furlongs at Trentham on May 7 then ma fourth under 9-0 over nine furlongs on his homo course on May 20.

Harold Bank has taken time to recapture his best two-year-old form, but his fourth against the milers at Oamaru last Week was highly encouraging. Second Leg Glamis Lad and Meldle, two entrants for major flat races at Trentham next month, will supply much interest tor the Ashburton racing when they meet in the Seafield Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. concession double.

Giamis Lad, tb« outsuadlag performer at the Duaedla winter meeting—he was unbeaten in two starts there—faces a formidable task with 9-8 over nevetn furlongs, a distance short of his best when the tracks offer good footing. The Biccarton-tralned Meldie will be having his first race since May 7, when he won over 11 furlongs at Trentham.

Plans for him to race on his home course later in May had to be discontinued when he developed some heat in a leg, but he shook off the trouble quickly. He showed something of his considerable ability when be ran the fastest half mile of the training at Ricearton on Tuesday. several of the others may beat him for early speed at seven furlongs at Ashburton, but none might run the race out more strongly. Watchman will command the utmost respect at this distance after his win over seven furlongs at Ricearton last month. He is a four-year-old, and in winning at Ricearton after missing the start slightly he showed he was still improv* ing. Waterfront, third behind Bargain Hunter and Beau Supreme on a firm track at Oamaru, also handles soft ground better than most in this field. He won the cor-

rfispeading race at Ashburton last y«ar, although the distance on that occasion was six furlongs. In Cosmetic and Pango, D. J. Thistoil's Ricearton stable will have two representatives with speed to match the swiftest of the others in this field. But Pango often loses chances at the start, and cosmetic does not always produce racing qualities to match her turn of speed. Gay Baron and J. R. Dowling’s mount, Stephanair, are interesting newcomers from Washdyke to open company. Gay Baron won a double at the Dunedin winter mooting and Stephanalr was successful at the Waimate and South Canterbury meetings after a close second at Riccarton, his last start fourth at Oamaru was over a middle distance.