GOOD ADVICE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 8

GOOD ADVICE

HAMILTON.

The English joikey, Lester Piggott, never saw Sailing Home until yesterday, but he did not want for advice on how to ride the grand Riccarton stayer. J. P. Riordan, who has been Sailing Home’s regular rider this season, drew Wiremu as his mount for the Invitation Stakes, and this four-year-old was never a hope, but he was delighted that the Riccarton mare had given Piggott a victory in his first race in New Zealand.

“I gave Piggott a few Ideas on how I thought she should best be ridden,” Riordan said after the race. “I told him she could run anywhere in the field, so if there was no pace on to let her run handy. What else could I tell a rider of his cup experience?” Riordan will renew his association with Sailing Home in the Awapuni Gold Cup and the Stars Travel Gold Cup next month, and wiU also ride her at Ellerslie at Easter. THANKS

“The Press” Racing Editor was thanked by Mrs Piggott after the race. In conversation the day before, Mrs Piggott was keen to learn about Sailing Home’s characteristics and her style of going. I ventured the opinion that Sailing Home would bow to none if it was a hard-run race, and that none would show to greater advantage if the race developed into a hard slog rather than one that demanded ability to muster a sharp finishing spurt. Mrs Piggott said her husband had planned to ride his race accordingly, and it had paid off handsomely.

The former South Island jockey, R. J. Skelton, improved his great record on stayers when he won the Waikato Stayers’ Plate Intermediate Handicap at two miles on Kartika.

Skelton has now ridden the winners of 11 two-mi le races. Eight of those victories have been at Trentham, five of them being in the Wellington Cup, in which his successful mounts were Great Sensation (three) Ark Royal, and City Count He won the W.R.C. Autumn Handicap once, and has twice won the Chalmers Handicap—a race that succeeded the Autumn Handicap. At Riccarton he has won New Zealand Cups on Oreka and Princess Mellay. Betting on the Invitation Stakes totalled $344,814. Off-course doubles accounted for $203,639, win bets totalled $53,320, and place betting accounted for $67,693. Course patrons spent $4525 on the qulneUa on the race, and $15,637 on doubles.