DIABLE ROUGE LIKELY WINNER

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32553, 12 March 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

DIABLE ROUGE LIKELY WINNER

“The Pre&s” Specif Service AUCKLAND. Diable Rotige, a mare for any track or distance, looks well placed to get her fifth win of the season in the Paeroa Intermediate-at the Ohinemuri meeting tomorrow. She goes well whatever the footing and recent rain has in no way lessened her chanced

A four-year-old, Diable Rouge had her very first win over seven furlongs at Te Aroha in late September, on pretty heavy ground—and she won by eight lengths. Her good form continued through the summer and it seems a long way from ending.

- Last time out she . led all the way over 10 furlongs at Te Aroha on February 27. Her wins between then and the very first one were over 10 furlongs at Te Rapa in October and over the same distance at Avondale in December. Also to her credit is a close second behind Ansin over 10 furlongs at Ellerslie on January 2. And she might well have won except that her young rider used her a trifle too much during the middle stages of the race. With 8-10 Diable Rouge is a clear top-weight in the Paeroa Intermediate but the handicap, in a field of fairly ordinary quality, is not too severe, several of the dozen or so candidates are well out of form.

Antenor, a four-year-old from Te Awamutu, and Seminar, a Te Rapa five-year-old, promise to be the hardest for Diable Rouge to beat. The Paeroa Intermediate will be the first leg' of the T.A.B. concession double. The field for the second leg, the Electric Handicap, was not too strong at acceptance time and the chances are it will be weakened before starting time by the scratching of the top-weight, Licketyspit.