RED SIREN FAVOURED IN RICCARTON FIRST LEG

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 4

RED SIREN FAVOURED IN RICCARTON FIRST LEG

Red Siren and Yipp will give Eastern Southland stables high hopes of victory in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double on Saturday. Red Siren is top-weight in the Midsummer Handicap. His position as early favourite has strengthened now that it has been decided to leave Red Chips in the North Island to contest the Wanganui Cup. Red Siren, a last-start winner at the Vincent meeting, has 8.10, 11b more than the Dunedin-owned, Riccartontrained Shipmaster, and 91b ! more than the Southlandowned, Wingatui-trained Gay Gabador. On their best form Shipmaster and Gay Gabador should give Red Siren plenty to do at the end of a mile and a quarter.

Gay Gabador was the more, impressive of this pair at the I Wellington Cup meeting, but: Shipmaster’s peak efforts at | a middle distance command i the utmost respect. Last season he won the Dunedin Cup. This season he won the Timaru Cup, one mile and a quarter, besides the Wellington Racing Club’s Wainui Handicap, one mile. THRIVING If their looks do not belie them, both Gay Gabador and Shipmaster are unmarked by I their Trentham racing. Trentham form might also have some further bearing on the result through Gay Doctor. This consistent six-year-old has done most of bis racing as a sprinter-miler and he gained two valuable placings in that role at the Wellington Cup meeting. Marnie beat him by only half a head in the mile Anniversary Handicap on the first

day. Honey Belle beat him into second place over seven furlongs on the second day. Those placings gained in stature when both Honey Belle and Marnie won feature races on the final day of the Wellington meeting. Gay Doctor was one of Honey Belle’s beaten rivals in the George Adams Handicap on the third day at Trentham, but he was not one of the lesser lights in finishing eighth in such a strong field.

General Boy will be a second form runner for South Canterbury. He will be attempting to lengthen a winning sequence he started with a victory against the milers at Kumara and continued with another success as a miler at Hokitika. VERSATILE ! The Invercargill-trained ißellaware starred as a sprin--1 ter on her campaign here

last year, winning the Craven Plate at seven furlongs. She failed over nine furlongs on the second day of the meeting but this season has mixed sprinting and middle distance racing with fairly rewarding results. Her close third behind Governor General and Red Siren over ljm on the first day of the Vincent meeting must commend itself even to those who are prepared to assist in establishing Red Siren as favourite. Silver Fountain mixes sprinting and middle distance racing with fairly good results. Her latest placing, a second was as a sprinter at Reefton. But her peak run for the season was at a mile and a quarter, and it gave her a surprise win in the Fendalton Handicap at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Pretentious, a last-start second in the Kurow Cup, and Hay Burner, whose form in hacks has been solid, should be the best of the others.

CONSISTENT Yipp is an obvious fancy for the Craven Plate after a solid programme of performances up to a mile this season. If he has freshened well he should prove the value of Trentham form. His three starts at the Wellington Cup meeting produced two fourths, one in rich company in the George Adams Handicap. In November he showed his liking for Riccarton by winning the Members’ Handicap after a fourth in the Stewards’ Handicap. Red Sash, Hombre, Aeolian, Watchman, Dave’s Gift, Gee Tee, Martha Bell, and Sandbank all have done something as sprinters to commend them as opponents for Yipp. Red Sash, a stablemate of Red Siren, was an easy winner at six furlongs at Invercargill on January 2, then ran third under 9.2 over seven furlongs three days later. TRENTHAM FAILURE Hombre failed in his only start at Trentham, but after being placed behind Yipp in the Members’ Handicap in November he won twice at Riccarton in December, then added another win and a second at Washdyke. Aeolian won for J. R. Shaw’s stable on a holiday campaign in the North Island. Watchman won fresh up over six furlongs at Kumara last month. Gee Tee was regarded for some consistent placed runs with a victory in the open sprint at Waikouaiti on January 1. Dave’s Gift, second to Gee Tee at Waikouaiti, won at Kurow and has since been second on his home track at Gore.

Martha Bell impressively won a double against hacks at Riccarton in December and made a quick breakthrough on entering open company with a win over six furlongs at the Westland meeting last month. Sandbank was spelled after losing form on his middle distance campaign in the spring. He can muster a good sprint at seven furlongs when fresh, and it would not be surprising if he forced his way late into the finish.