RACING Shipboard Sprint Pick At Rangiora

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 6

RACING Shipboard Sprint Pick At Rangiora

Shipboard has a record that absolutely compels attention and will almost certainly make him favourite for the Kaiapoi Handicap, the second leg of the North Canterbury Racing Club’s T.A.B. double on Monday.

He is one of very few horses which have more victories than defeats on their records.

True, his career has been restricted by one form of trouble and another, but a record of six wins, two seconds and a fourth from nine starts carries the stamp of excellence, and must appeal to almost everyone intent on winning the North Canterbury club’s double. Until the present season Shipboard had never raced more than twice in a season. His six-year-old programme has been five starts for three wins, two in open company. A fourth in the Wellington Racing Club’s Sports Handicap and a win in the North Ca.iterbury Handicap in October assured him of a high place of favour for the Stewards' Handicap at the last New Zealand Cup, but when leg trouble threatened, Shipboard's trainer J. C. Tomkinson, eased him and put him aside. Monday's race will be the start to another campaign for Shipboard, but lack of recenl racing should not place him at a disadvantage at six furlongs. Form Rivals There is form close up in the records of most of Shipboard’s rivals, and the race should be run at a great rate if the ground is firm and to the liking of Hombre and Lady Fort, which were first and second respectively in the

corresponding event at the Banks Peninsula meeting. Watchman, a good second at Riccarton and a somewhat unlucky third at Wingatui in February, should not have to find any improvement to force his way into the finish. Gee Tee and Royal Blue, the best of the open sprinters at Ashburton on Monday, are engaged again. But a start for Gee Tee is not certain and Royal Blue is a double acceptor.

If J. R. Shaw starts Royal Blue in the first leg, the Pres' ent’s Handicap the Aeo-lian-Royal Blue stable bracket will come in for solid support. South Canterbury stables might have a formidable trio in Sandbank, Gay Doctor, and Chota. Sandbank came back to middle distance racing after a sprint victory at Oamaru with a close second to Governor General at Ashburton last Tuesday. Riding Change

Governor General was ridden by J. R. Dowling, who will ride Chota on Monday. The Chota-Dowling combination triumphed with ease at the Banks Peninsula meeting, and in his only start since the Washdyke four-year-old failed on a ram-affected track at Oamaru.

A cold has interrupted Gay i Do.-tor’s autumn programme recently but the top-weight ' has much to commend his : chance on form. He won at 1 this distance at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s summer meeting, and was second over ' Ilf. at Wingatui before run-

ning a rather unlucky fourth in the Caltex Mlle on the final day at Dunedin. All against what he has shown in his last two races Pretentious might be one of the top contenders. He was unlucky when fourth in Gay Doctor’s C.J.C. Midsummer Handicap, and impressive in winning the corresponding race on the second day of that meeting. He was not quite himself when he. failed at Banks Peninsula, and the easier footing at Ashburton appeared to be against him, as it appeared to help Romal General, whose third was an improvement on anything he had shown earlier. Fields for doubles races: ON-COURSE DOUBLE Noon—

TEMPLETON.—Bogey Silver: Mrs N. H. F. Alford 2 down. Mrs J. McGavock 3 down, Mrs L. Bowis 6 down. Bronze A: Mrs S. R. Johnson 3 down. Mrs J. Marlow and Mrs B. J Lye 4 down. Bronze B: Mrs G. Day and Mrs J. McPherson 2 down. Mrs R. Millar 7 down. Bronze C: Mrs B Betteridge, Mrs W. Evans. Mrs N. Percy.

CUST HIGH-WEIGHT •600; Um. st lb 6756 David William (3) .. 9 u; 6009 Flowing Gold (10) .. 9 9 6915 Black Wonder (2) .. 9 5 4901 Domic (8» 9 4 8623 Lord Macquario (13) 9 4 7300 William Robert (6) 9 1 3006 Bimerah 14) 9 0 700 Dingo (12) 9 0 0740 Indian Chief (9) 9 0 0066 Pavoluss (11) 9 0 |0469 Pitskelly (7) 9 0 7687 Tinopai (1) .. 9 0, 0088 Wenew (5) 9 0 11.10 p.m.— OXFORD HACK HANDICAP No 1 S600: 7f. st lb 2264 Flying Melda (6) .. 8 10 0170 Sally Robe (3) 8 ,) 3223 Fair pay (2) 8 4 0333 Persian Crusade (4) 8 047 Gold Wood (1) 7 13 8394 You Tue (8) 7 13 9087 Burns Knight (14) 7 12 1052 Carafln (7) 7 12 8700 Danielle (11) 7 12! 0709 Farmer's Dream (3) 7 6907 Headwyn (10) 7 121 3641 Japita (15) 7 12| 0965 Munburra (12) 7 12; 7860 Sura Light <9) 7 12 1 0680 Strathghanistan (13) 7 12 ' T.A.B. DOUBLE 2.25 p.m.-— PRESIDENTS HANDICAP 4233 • 1550; Um. st ib Gay Doctor (9) 8 8 0412 Sandbank (3) 8 6 0319 Chota (7) 8 1 0729 Aeolian (12) 8 0 602 Royal Blue (16) 7 10 4167 Pretentious (1) 7 13 4239 Silver Fountain (2) 7 10 6333 General Boy (11) 7 8 6448 Golden Promise (6) 7 8 1575 Martha Bell (5) 7 8 0978 Aconite (8) 7 7 1465 Faraday (4) .. 7 7 7006 Kiowa (13) 7 y 0 Master Leigh (14) 7 7' 9033 Roman General (10) 7 7 7 Razamatazz (15) 7 7. Bracket: Aeolian and Royal 1 Blue 3.55 p.m.— KAIAPOI HANDICAP •1000; 6f. st lb 0361 Hombre (2) 8 10 1141 Shipboard <8) 8 3 0331 Gee Tee (4) 8 3 6125 Lady Fort (10) 8 1 4123 Watchman (6) 8 1 4239 Silver Fountain (7) 7 12 4124 Red Scarf (3) 7 11 5664 Tumble (1) 7 10 602 Royal Blue (9) 7 9 6 .Joe Doe <5) .. 7 7