Half-brothers form horses

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 1 (Supplement)

Half-brothers form horses

By

J.J. Boyle

The half-brothers, Hay Burner and Lord Nelson, might manage to make a family affair of the Ashburton club’s “straight” T.A.B. double tomorrow.

Hay Burner win be back to a middle distance in the Ashburton Cup after a dose second to Red Chips at a mile on the first day of the meeting. Probably he is at least half a stone better at 11 furlongs than a mile, and none of the others will be backed with great confidence to beat him. Lord Nelson has the right background of form to make him a short-priced favourite in the Spring Handicap, but this 6f race offers the prospect of a bold run fresh up from Palley. This speedster looked very good at times last season In running up a sequence of five wins after a second in her first start last season. In two of those races, both at the 1970 New Zealand Cup meeting. Lord Nelson was one of Palley’s beaten rivals.

Improver The Christchurch-owned, Invercargill-trained Meldie was a well beaten fifth—Hay Burner was third—in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Islington Handicap last month. Meldie is seldom shown to much advantage in middle distance races run at a muddling pace because he has done best when ridden from the back.

His easy win against the milers at the South Canterbury Hunt meeting was more in character and if he runs within half a stone of that form tomorrow he might make first-day form valueless.

Red Chips will be rested tomorrow, but C. McDonald’s Riccarton stable will still have a strong representative in Carafin. There was a lot to like about Carafin’s bold finish for a close third behind

Red Chips and Hay Burner at the end of a mite on Tuesday. On her form in the lower grade Carafin was a good bit better at a middle distance than at a mile and her first win in open company should not be far distant. Bright Girl could not find the pace to match Red Chips and company at a mile on

Tuesday, but she manages a bit of ground pretty well and apart from Carafin she might be the best in the tail of the handicap. Fast start If Palley has not changed her ways since she last raced, Mr L. R. G Macfarlane’s speedster will be in front in a few strides in the Spring Handicap.

However it is not at all certain whether she will evei be allowed to get far away or whether she will be able to contain the seasoned Lord Nelson on one of Canterbury’s most testing courses. Lord Nelson is probably better at seven furlongs than six, but he had the class to win fairly comfortably over the. shorter distance on Tuesday and if he approaches this task with the same zest he stands a great chance of capturing his fifth win in his last six starts. Flying Melda will come in for some backing, at least for a place after her stronglyfinishing third behind Lord Nelson and Awocato on Tuesday. I Spy has been unplaced in three races since her Paparua Handicap victory on Grand National day. She had the odds heavily against her

when she drifted from the start of the corresponding race on Tuesday, and it was late before she made much headway for her sixth.