RACING Proud Chief In Favour After Rain At Trentham

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 4

RACING Proud Chief In Favour After Rain At Trentham

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON.

Heavy rain at Trentham yesterday morning will provide conditions which might allow Proud Chief to win his second Winter Oats Handicap on Saturday.

The hardy Takanini stayer did not carry stable confidence when he ran seventh in the Parliamentary Handicap on Wednesday because the ground was puggy. Nipawin, the Takaninitrained winner of the Parliamentary Handicap, and Lord Cheval, an improver's fourth

in the race, are engaged again. Lord Cheval, in particular, looks capable of improvement on his racing earlier at the meeting. He was carrying lots of condition when he ran in the Whyte jHandicap last Saturday. He had cleaned up nicely with that race but still looked as if he might be one short when he appeared on Wednesday. As a Wellington Derby winner he is one of the obvious prospects with 8-3 now that he has been raced into something like his best shape.

Domodossola was a disappointing second favourite in the Parliamentary Handicap. R. B. Marsh gave the Hawke’s Bay Cup winner the run of the race, close to the lead, but the Tsaoko gelding made a weak response and it is possible he was tangled by the sticky going.

Escameno extended a most consistent record with his second in the Parliamentary Handicap, and there would be no more popular winner if this Ashhurst gelding did manage to come out on top. Ramleigh, a four-year-old from Te Aroha, made an encouraging first appearance at the meeting with a sixth, only a matter of a length or so

from the runner-up in the Parliamentary Handicap. Improver? Cambridge Fair's eleventh on Wednesday did not hold bright possibilities for immediate success at a middle distance, but the loosening in the ground might help one of his spare physique more than some of the others. The Onslow Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double, has not attracted a field notable for strength in depth and it seems likely that Honda and Chill will practically dominate the betting. Chill is a newcomer at the meeting but she will command respect after an impressive win at Hastings last month. That followed a sprint double at the Manawatu winter meeting. Honda ran Hindi to half a length in the Stewards’ Handicap, six furlongs, last Saturday and was rested on Wednesday. He is a brilliant young galloper and should extend his present patch of good form into important spring races. Ardfern, which gave Sunwarm a hard race on Wednesday, should reach a place again if she has held her form.

Surf Boy is a possible improver. He had luck all against him in the Whyte Handicap last Saturday.

Fields, with form, for T.A.B. double:— 1.55 p.m.— WINTER OATS HANDICAF

$$000; Ilf. st lb 0217 Proud Chief (9) . 8 9 1200 Domodossola (7) . 8 7 0621 Nipawin (2) . 8 7 3232 Eecameno (11) . 8 6 1410 Cambridge Fair (3) 8 5 0704 Lord Cheval (4) . 8 3 0780 Automaton (10) . 7 10 6309 Norma's Lass (1) . 7 7 0046 Ramlegh (5) . 7 7 5786 Gayllan (8) .. . 7 7 Scratched: Glamis Lad (4).

3.25 p.m.— ONSLOW HANDICAP $3000; 7f. st lb 1141 Chill (5) 9 1 0212 Honda (6) 8 12 2220 Mackley (16) 8 9

3687 Whittle (7) ... 4372 Ardfern (12) i» a 8 5 8 3 8024 BoOand Star (10) ..8 1 MM Redaire (1) .. r.. 8 1 2520 Surf Boy (13) ...8 1 8608 Tosh (8) c. 8 1 MOO Head Off (15) ... 8 0 4000 Hl Vita (9) >. 8 0 0050 Lenoman (2) .. ... 8 0 0995 Master Spy (4) ,..8 0 1699 Mias (3) ..8 0 9280 Rikkl Tlkkl (14) 8 0 3216 Trend (7) ... 8 0 6004 Regal Link (11) i... 8 0