RACING AND TROTTING Form might be tricky at meetings today

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32589, 24 April 1971, Page 8

RACING AND TROTTING Form might be tricky at meetings today

Form in the main today might prove a bit tricky. Although fine weather is forecast for each of the six meetings the footing at four will vary from easy to heavy.

The two exceptions are in the South Island. Fast footing is predicted for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting and the same conditions are expected at Blenheim for the opening day of the Marlborough Racing Club’s three-day annual meeting.

The form followers of fine weather horses at Forbury and Blenheim should be right on the mark. Horses from Canterbury stables are expected to be heavily involved in the fin ishes of both legs of the T.A.B. double at the Forbury fixture. More than likely Black Label, which will be trying for his third successive win and Walk Alone, the Cheviot Cup winner the start before last, will be the bestbacked combination.

There are high hopes of a “home-town” victory in the main race at Blenheim. It wfli certainly be a popular result if the locally-trained mare, Silver Fountain, wins the Marlborough Cup. The other open class race on the Marlborough card, the Stewards’ Handicap, is xpected to go to Funny Way. This Riccarton sprinter is of little account when the ground becomes soft, but on firm going he should be hard to peg back.

Pole Stan and Watallan are expected to represent the South Island with distinction on easy going at Hastings. These two might prove more than a match for several formidable northern opponents in the $lO,OOO Hawke’s Bay Cup.

Redlo, which gained a runaway win in high-weight company on easy footing at Riccarton last Saturday, should keep his winning record intact under similar con-

ditions at Riverton. He is the ruling favourite for the Wairio Cup. Mudlarks will have conditions to suit at both the Te Aroha Racing Club’s meeting and the trotting fixture at Stratford. The tracks will be heavy at both of these fixtures. This has brought Ahjay right into favour fot the Somers Memorial Mile, the main race on the Te Aroha programme, and Blanket Valley is “The Press” correspondent’s first choice for the Stratford Trotting Cup. For local trotting fans not prepared to travel far afield for the racing there is a fixture quite close to home. This is the Akaroa Trotting Club’s equalisator meeting at Motukarara.