FROM STUD AND STABLE John Grigg Stakes Will Trouble Handicapper

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32392, 3 September 1970, Page 4

FROM STUD AND STABLE John Grigg Stakes Will Trouble Handicapper

The Ashburton County Racing Club is fortunate that the John Grigg Stakes has attracted such as the three open-company entrants, Susan Jane, Igloo and Stormy Seas among the nomination of 17 in all.

The stakes was once a set-weight affair with allowances for fillies but this year’s event, which will be run on the second day of the meeting, September 12, is a limited handicap in which the maximum is 8-10 and the minimum 7-10.

cles, in this list was given Bst 21b while Stormy Seas, whose best form was not shown until he was three, has 7st 61b or 11b above the minimum. Reverting to the first day’s sprint, what would be the position if Igloo won from Susan Jane? She, at the moment is the obvious top-weight for the John Grigg Stakes and in any case could not be given more than Bst 101 b. But how would Igloo fare? The form chart for Susan Jane reads five wins from eight starts with two seconds and a fourth completing her record for her first season. She won $5020 and her wins included the Dunedin Champagne Stakes and the C.J.C. Challenge Stakes. She was second in the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton and second to Topsy, when conceding 141 b, in the Fitzberbert Handicap at Trentham last January. Igloo’s record from four starts shows a distant third to Susan Jane and Bosa Nova at Wingatui last October—and three successive wins, the best of which was the Juvenile Handicap of six furlongs at Trentham in July when he carried Bst 111 b to an easy victory. ! His three wins and a fourth

have earned him in stakes $2020. Like Susan Jane he has not raced this season.

of the others. He won three races in his first term. His first winning bid was in the Haldon Handicap at the Hororata meeting last December and he won again two days later on the same course at the Westport meeting. But possibly his best performance was his second under Bst 91b to Brass, 7st 111 b, in the Nursery Handicap at Trentham last January. In winning stakes Pericles has gained $ll7O and he looks ideally placed in the weights to improve on this winning record on opening day at Ashburton. He is weighted to give the minimum horses only 41b in the Eiffelton Hack Handicap of six furlongs. This 41b will be offset by an apprentice allowance. Pericles, after his encouraging last-start performance and his excellent gallop on Tuesday appears to be in for an early win and he is sure to be a real force in the longer races for his own age. such as Guineas events or Derbies.

Southland Colt

A most interesting entrant is Stormy Seas. This big colt from R. Pankhurst’s stable in Invercargill showed his best form when Susan Jane and Igloo were resting. He had his introduction to racing in Susan Jane’s Dunedin Champagne Stakes last December when he was fifth of the nine runners. He raced next on June 20 and finished fourth at Ashburton after disputing the lead.

With three open class horses eligible and their ratings fairly well established, the handicapper is not going to have an enviable job trying to please all owners of the horses engaged. Especially will this be so in the event of a win for Susan Jane or Igloo in the open sprint next Tuesday.

That run was highly indicative of success at his next appearance and so it proved. At the Waimate Hunt he won over 6 furlongs and 44 yards and shortly after won again at the South Canterbury Hunt. That finished his two-year-old racing. At Riccarton where he successfully contested two three-year-old hack events, one over six furlongs and one over seven. I Spy finished the closest of seconds to him on each occasion.

So it is the more desirable that the weight allotted will be well received by the owners of at least the four principals. That these four are induced to line up is the important thing, in the interests of not only those closely concerned but for the racing public generally. The South Island is badly off in the early spring with: regard to three-year-old events for the best colts and fillies. Hands Tied There will be some difficulties in the path of the' handicapper, who has his hands tied so effectively with his tight limit, so it is to be hoped that he comes out of the encounter successfully. For instance a glance at the Two-Year-Old Free Handicap, seven furlongs (not to be contested), as issued at the close of last season shows that Susan Jane at Sst 131 b, the! top South Islander, was rated 101 b better than Igloo. Peri-!

He is the only Stakes contestant which has built up a record of four straight successes and is the only three-year-old winner of this season engaged.

Wingatui . Work

Promising Hack Pericles, with 15 starts behind him, 14 at two years, has had more racing than any

’•The Press" Special Service DUNEDIN.

Stormcrsst and Miss Slick were two of the most Improvlive trialists at Wingatui on Tuesday when the semi-final gallops for the Otago Hunt meeting were held in light rain. The sand provided firm footing but the Inside grass was cutting out.

Stormcrest <E. Oldham) was galloping easily alongside her stablemates Double Note (W. Roach) and Nickel <J. Brown) at the end of half a mile on the sand in 55 2-ssec after taking 14sec for the first furlong.

Miss Slick <N. Hunt) was galloping within herself over five Furlongs in Imin Osec. the last three furlongs in 41 2-ssec.

Gay Gabador (P. Silver) and Beladln ID. Parr) sprinted three furlongs down the back stretch on the grass in 39 3-ssec. Sliderule <D. Parr) and Abacus <E. Didham) were given similar work in 39 2-ssec.