TROTTING Royal Armour May Win On Saturday

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32114, 9 October 1969, Page 4

TROTTING Royal Armour May Win On Saturday

If Royal Armour trots as well as he did at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday he should win the Markalan Handicap, the feature race at the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club’s annual meeting at Rangiora Raceway on Saturday.

Royal Armour has failed to trot solidly in his two starts since he was successful in two appearances at the national meeting at Addington Raceway in August.

On Tuesday he was opposed by a field of slow-class horses and he was required to give starts of up to 120 yards. He beat them with plenty in reserve, recording an effort in keeping with that of a horse in his class. He will have to show very little improvement on that run to win on Saturday.

Light View’s consistency entiles her to serious consideration. She won at Hororata and a week later at Addington Raceway. Then, on September 20, she finished a close second to the speedy Briganelli over 13 furlongs Light View should find the track at Rangiora to her liking and from the limit her chances of success are highly rated. Briganelli gained a long overdue win in the Ordeal Cup on September 20. He meets Light View on the same terms this week and should again run him to a close decision.

Johnny Gee won this race 12 months ago when handicapped on 18 yards. He will start from 24 yards this year, a mark which is unlikely to be sufficient to keep him out of the finish. Johnny Gee has been a model of consis-

tency and his three starts so far this season have resulted in a fourth, a second and a fifth.

Tony Bear has bad a third and a seventh this term. Last year in this race he finished, third. He looks in great heart at present A win for Logan Count would be a fitting reward- He was runner-up to Johnny Gee 12 months ago and filled the

same position behind Stylish Major a year earlier. Logan Count showed his fitness when he gained much ground for sixth behind Ballytrue at Ashburton last Saturday. He lost ground after a furlong and at the finish he looked to be going more strongly than any of his rivals. Cardigan Lass and Merrin should do best of the others on the limit, while the consistent Break Through and Stylish Major, which gained a second and a fourth at the recent Wanganui meeting, appeal most of those on handicap marks. The sound record in recent weeks in doubles races of horses trained by J. Grant and D. G. Jones should continue in the Ellesmere Handicap. The stable has pro duced Diarac (twice), Leading Light and Light View tc win legs of doubles. Light View is in the first leg of this double, and Leading Light will represent the stable in the first leg of the main double at Forbury Park. Prosper will be the hope of the stable in the Ellesmere

Handicap. He made a fresh start at Ashburton last week and made a great run after a slow start to finish third, half a neck and a head behind Waratah. Prosper will appreciate the extra half-mile on the Rangiora track, which was the scene of his initial race win.

Waratah, in spite of his handicap of 36 yards, will be ' hard to beat. He came with : a true stayer’s run to win at I Ashburton last Saturday, and - confirmed that run with a ' stylish win at trials on the same course on Tuesday. Waratah is a fine stayer and is in peak form. *

Intrepid is another pacer with sound form at Rangiora. He gave notice of an early win when he finished fourth behind Waratah in a : “blanket” finish at Ashburton. Intrepid, too, looks to be on the verge of winning form and he should be prominent

h Morano Lad showed dash n when he overcame a slow is start and finished sixth bed hind Waratah at Ashburton, it He has much ability and looks e to be ready to extend his reg cord. o Michaeloe and Trader Horn o should be the pick of the others on the limit o Young Danny is to miss this s meeting and start at Forbury i- Park. In his absence Croy--1 don Avenue will probably do a best of the horses handicape ped behind the limit. He has !, raced most consistently but i- without much luck in recent weeks. He finished third to it Ballytrue at Ashburton last f week and will have to show it very little improvement on i- that run to be a threat i