Young Horses Sold To Aust Owner

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32077, 27 August 1969, Page 4

Young Horses Sold To Aust Owner

The Riccarton studmaster, G. H. Murfitt jun., who has had an active interest in Australian racing this winter through the deeds of his good jumper Sun Bank, has recently sold two promising youngsters to Mr J. Houlahan, of Melbourne.

One is & well-grown—-he is already 16.2 hands —two-year-old gelded son of Ribotlight. The other is a three-year-old Dogger Bank-Floreneia W. The Ribotlight geMiag is from the same family as the Great Northern St Leger winner, Don Quixote, and Gladynev, a dual winner of the C.J.C, Metropolitan Handicap. Our Ruth, the second dam of the Dogger Bank filly, was a sister to Flying Control, whose nine wins included a Tlmafu Cup. TMa iff the family which also produced Aqaba, winner of 14 races, and the fine Australian hurdler,. Air Fox. i Mr Houtahao's purchases were both shipped from Lyttelton on the Mabeno last Friday. On the same ship was Narcotic, winner of six races test season for Mr and Mrs G. H. Murfitt, jnr. Narcotic, too. will do his future racing in Australia. Earlier this month Mt B. R, Hedley, the principal in one of the biggest contracting firms to Australia, bought a half-share to the Ribotlight fW-yeer-oW. The other halfshare has been retained by Mr and Mra Murfitt. Narcotic, which will enter the Caulfield atobles of T. Hughes, will be prepared for summer racing in Melbourne. Another Sale Negotiations for the Mie of the Riccarton gelding, Sleeky Fox, were completed on Monday. He has been mN by his Christchurch owner, Mr J. Y. Scales, to Mr I. 0. Anntog, father of the Riecarton

Fox, the homie’s future i« aintert certain to be in th* role of a staepS«cb2fflrt. In the little schooling he has done the rix-yearold Arrsgon gelding h«s shown much ability. Sleeky Fox had a busy and unrewarded season u a fiveyearoki but won three races for Mr Scales eartier to hie career. Slack Time A handful of Mtoewton jockeys, who toot the Grand virtualy who will not get another ehance of race-ridtog close to home until the Ashburton meeting next month, will trawl far afield this week-end in tefirffh of mounts. ' 1 E. G. Low will be riding at Auckland on Saturday and D. R. Sanderson, R K. Moir and tiie Riccarton apprentice, D. R. Tucker, will travel south to Gore for the Eastern Southland Hunt Club’s meetla Low has been engaged for

IF«rebre« to th* C. B. Cl*rk« Memorial at toe Avondale ll«k«y Club’s meeting. He li bopiag titeit R. 3. Skelton will he able to eecure tom’ other B. R. Sanderaon, who rode at the Auckland meeting a fortnight ago and returned home last week-end, hae been encaged for Flowing Gold and Jeykaiu at Gore, Moir will ride the Rioeartou steeplechaser. Phenomenal, in the' Eastern Southland Steeples. Tucker 1 * mouato are befog arranged by the Gore trainer, E. A. Winaloe. Tm Riccarton apprentice, R. J. McCann, who is on holiday in Wanganui at present will . ride at the Wanganui meeting on Saturday. He has been engaged for Ensenada in tMPutiki Hack Handicap. M. P.,McCann will also go to Wanganui if guffteient mounts are available. Recovering Mettle, Riccarton’s big hope in thle year's Caulfield Cup, is ptiU towing signa of lameMM, caused when he ricked a muscle to his hindquarters test Thursday, but his progress towards recovery is still P He Im« had tight exercise and on Monday he had an enlarged off-hind hock but by yesterday the accumulated fluid had moved further down the leg. It te hoped that the fluid will move to the hoof, from where it can be drained. TU« should cure the tamenese altogether. 1