Top-weights’ double at Te Aroha likely

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32588, 23 April 1971, Page 8 (Supplement)

Top-weights’ double at Te Aroha likely

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. Ahjay, in the Somers Mile, and Lochiel Fair, in the Sleepy Fox Intermediate, seem to make certain a top-weight T.A.B. double at Te Aroha tomorrow. If there is any further rain to bring the conditions Ahjay’s way the two will be a very popular combination indeed. Only three or four of the other acceptors in the Somers Mile have reached anything like the form which Ahjay has to his credit. One of them, Long Shot, has been reported unlikely to run and Ahjay’s prospects have become all the brighter in consequence. Ahjay had none the best of the running when he failed in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie a fortnight ago. In the meantime he ran prominently all the way before finishing third over six furlongs on the third day of the Auckland meeting. It is op the very soft tracks of the. winter that Ahjay excels and his improvement, now the ground has eased, is no surprise. Ahjay has 8-10 in the Somers Mile, one pound

more than Grizzly and 161 b more than the four-year-old gelding. Antenor, which promises to be one of the best light-weights. Once an excellent miler, Grizzly seems to have lost form altogether. The fact that his connections propose to spell him straight after this one hardly encourages confidence in his prospects. Antenor failed in his last race, a mile at Ellerslie on April 12, but won in good style the time before that, over a fast 11 furlongs at Paeroa. The very soft track at Ellerslie might have had something to do with his failure.

Anterior has often looked good, one occasion being at Te Aroha on February 27, when he won a sevenfurlong hack event. Charon failed the last time he ran a mile, at Ellerslie on April 12, after winning over 10 furlongs a couple of days before. But he has proved himself over the shorter distance, against tougher opponents than he will be meeting this time. Lord Syntax, Licketysplit and Waioname look the best of the others. While worsening track conditions would make Ahjay’s chance better it is hard to visualise Lochiel

Fair being beaten whatever the going, even in such a large field as the one expected for the Sleepy Fox Intermediate. Lochiel Fair has a remarkable record for. consistency, with three firsts in 21 starts this season and no fewer than 12 minor platings. What is more, he seems to have improved with all his racing and he ioked as well as ever when working at Takanini this week.

Last Saturday Lochiel Fair won easily over 11 furlongs in the wet at Ellerslie and he came home in great style the time before, over a mile, on the second day of the Auckland meeting. Lochiel Fair has 8-7 in the Sleepy Fox Intermediate—the same weight he carried in his last race at Ellerslie. The amount includes a 61b rehandicap for his Ellerslie success. The class this time is a bit better, but Lochiel Fair should win for all that. Large sale (N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY Next week’s annual standard bred yearling sale at the Royal Show Grounds will be of a record size. The sale has attracted 316 lots, forcing the auctioneers to extend the sales to three sessions.