Jan’s Beau top prospect at Whangarei today

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

Jan’s Beau top prospect at Whangarei today

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. With important events at the Auckland autumn meeting on their programmes, the three-year-olds, Jan’s Beau and Ruth’s Edition, will attract special interest when they compete at Whangarei today. Both are in the first leg of the T.A.B. double, the Whangarei Handicap, and it seems more than likely they will dispute the finish. '

Jan’s Beau is already a foremost entry for the $12,000 A.R.C. Easter Handicap and he has been freely nominated through the whole three-day Auckland carnival, Ruth’s Edition is in the Great Northern Oaks, for which the Whangarei Handicap, over 10 furlongs, should be a good trial. In between this weekend and the Ellerslie meeting, Jan’s Beau will be in the Stars Travel Invitation Stakes, a middle-distance at weight-for-age. He will be required to carry 8.6 in that one—slb less than his handicap this time.

The Whangarei Handicap course wijl be the longest Jan’s Beau will have run. His longest assignment so fat was the 9Jf. of the Rotorua Challenge Stakes, on February 13, in which he finished second. That was right on top of his fine second behind Panzer Chief in the George Adams Handicap, a mile, at Trentham.

Jah's Beau had to give Breathalyser 181 b in the Rotorua event so he did not discredit himself, especially in the light of Breathalyser’s winning the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha in her next start.

Panzer Chief finished only fourth at Rotorua, with 21b more than Jan’s Beau carried. CONSISTENT Altogether Jan’s Beau has been one of the most consistent horses with three firsts and five minor placings in 10 attempts this season. When out of the money, in the Wellington Guineas, he was certainly not himself. The next time he finished fifth in the A.R.C. Railway Handicap. The determined way in which he goes the shorter courses suggests Jan’s Beau will not have much difficulty over a mile and a quarter. Then again he is a halfbrother to Beauzami, which, after being a good sprinter, reached even greater heights as a stayer.

Ruth’s Edition, with 8.0, has 51b less than she won with in her last race, a mile restricted to fillies and mares, at Pukekohe on March 6. Oh that occasion she kept up well and ran the race right out in a very good imin 36 l-ssec.

Ruth’s Edition is by Sovereign Edition which has very quickly made a name for himself as a sire of fast horses, from Royal Ruth, by Ruthless. Royal Ruth was not much out of the ordinary but she did distinguish herself, as a four-year-old, by winning over a mile and a half, in hack company at Paeroa. Even if she does not become a real stayer, Ruth’s Edition should manage lOf. on the small Whangarei course sufficiently well to be right in the finish. Sandpiper has a liking for left - handed tracks, and Whangarei in particular, and that makes her worth respect in tomorrow’s big race. King Amber is a solid stayer which could be dangerous if the pace is on all the way. Thunder Gold and Big Time are other prospects. SECOND LEG

Horses which once run well at Whangarei generally continue their good form on the course, so Madiera is due for attention in the second leg, the Mackay Memorial. Madiera won the corresponding event last year. As a three-year-old, the season before, he won a hack sprint at the same meeting. Madiera has not had many races this year and he very likely improved a good deal with the one at Paeroa last Saturday in which he finished unplaced. But for all his ability and liking for the track, Madiera might be hard pressed to contain Liketysplit, the topweight. Liketysplit has often shown the speed to run prominently in pretty good sprint company. The weather continues fine and the going promises to be fast.