FROM STEP AND STABLE Golf millionaire tries to buy Sir Ribot

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32587, 22 April 1971, Page 8

FROM STEP AND STABLE Golf millionaire tries to buy Sir Ribot

The globe-trotting South African millionaire golfer, Gary Player, intends to extend his team of New Zealand-bred thoroughbreds with the purchase soon of mares in foal to the Riccarton-based Ribotlight.

He telephoned the Riccarton studmaster, Mr G. H. Murfitt, jun., from Japan last Thursday and on learning that Sir Ribot, a promising son of the stud sire, had won at Riccarton the day before he made earnest efforts to buy the youngster.

Raced by Mr and Mrs Murfitt, Sir Ribot was having only his second start when he won the Autumn Nursery Handicap at Riccarton.

The features of Sir Ribot’s performance was his dogged qualities when crowded in a packed finish. Sir Ribot’s partner in that win was M. J. Skelton, who less than an hour later was seriously injured when the Murfitttrained Beau Leigh fell in the Dominion Handicap. The Murfitt’s have no immediate plans to sell Sir Ribot, a youngster they consider will be best served by time, and possibly one with Derby potential.

Sir Ribot is out of Smuggler’s Bank, a half-sister to Narcotic, which won at Flemington after showing outstanding form beforehand as a hack in New Zealand. The next dam. Smuggles, an open class performer, was

by Treasure Hunt from Tan Lady, by Nightmarch from Charmeuse. Charmeuse won a Great Easter Handicap; her halfsister, St Cloud, won 19 races and produced the Caulfield Cup winner, Grey Boots. Howe was another notable member of. this family. Other winners Blank Cheque and Centre■ Gallery were other successful representatives for Ribotlight at Riccarton at Easter,! and his five-year-old daughter, Shimmering, won impressively in the Auckland Rac- ' ing Club’s Islington Handi- 1 cap, one mile, at Ellerslie to record her fifth win for the season. Baco was another winner for Ribotlight in the North Island at Easter, and the sire’s influence has also been felt in Australia recently through the efforts of Daryl’s Pride in Adelaide. Bon Ribot in Victoria, and Ribbide in Queensland. Ribbide made a big impression in winning in three successive starts in Brisbane. Miss J. Edgar-Jones, of Riccarton, bred Daryl’s Pride, winner of two races recently in South Australia, the most recent one being the Encourage Handicap, one mile and a quarter, in Adelaide last Saturday. Daryl’s Pride won by a length and a half from Eternal Land, a halfbrother by Agricola to the brilliant Cadiz. At the same meeting Laelia, a filly by Oncidium out of Froth, won the Breeders’ Plate, one mile, and Bluffing (Faux Turage-Granada) won the hurdle race. Bonribot, whose win in an intermediate race at Cranboume. Victoria, recently was his third in succession is a three-year-old gelding by Ribotlight out of Allemende, was bred at the Langleylea Stud by Miss J. E. Storry, I and was sold for $l6OO. Bonribot belongs to the same family as Galilee. Big offer With such a good crop of autumn winners for Ribot-: light, Mr J. G. Alexander, of Wanganui, will almost certainly feel thankful he turned down a substantial Japanese offer for the horse earlier this year.

Mr Murfitt holds Ribotlight on lease from Mr Alexander. A rich patch of autumn form by Flipper has also focused fresh interest on Afghanistan as the sire of horses capable of getting a bit of ground. Flipper saved the home brigade from a so-so record for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting by winning the Great Autumn ■ Handicap last Saturday. He did so in the style of a horse capable of making his influence felt in one or more of the big staying races next season.

And, being adept on soft tracks, he should have more rewarding moments before his present campaign ends.