RACING Koral seeks his seventh Homeby Steeples win

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 8

RACING Koral seeks his seventh Homeby Steeples win

Although the field for the Homeby Steeplechase at Riccarton on Saturday is srnall there are six acceptors and five totalisator numbers the material is there to provide a first-class contest.

Koral, whose record in the Christchurch Hunt’s feature cross-country event is six wins and a close second to Robert Earl in 1967, will lead the field out.

The hardy Kurdistan gelding has the topweight of 10-11, 211 b more than his stablemate, Free Frenchman, which will also carry Mr W. E. Hazlett’s colours in Saturday’s race.

Koral, one of those greys which never seems to age, will be attempting his seventh Homeby victory on a preparation of only four races — two over hurdles, a steeplechase and one on the flat. He made a successful debut to his present campaign as a hurdler at Gore in March — the Wellington Steeplechase winner and his stablemate, Bright Blue, was the runner-up. In the meantime, the rising 12-year-old finished fourth in the Great Western Steeples at Riverton, was unplaced among the staying hacks at Wingatui last month and among the hack hurdlers at Washdyke on July 8. Although Koral failed to pay a dividend last time out his condition could not be faulted and it will come as a surprise if he fails to turn in a bold run this week.

About the only good recent performance by Free Frenchman was his close second in the Winton Steeples in May. But he seems to reserve his peak efforts for the toughest of country and Riccarton has

been the scene of some of his great triumphs. It takes an exceptional steeplechaser to win four races in four starts over the Riccarton country but Free Frenchman did just that two years ago. He was one of the casualties in the Homeby 12 months ago, but many considered him unlucky not to have taken the Grand National honours a week later. He was in front and appeared to have the result in safe keeping, but he bungled his landing at the last fence. Even after that mistake he finished fourth.

Sabaean Summer will represent the North Island in Saturday’s steeplechase. This hardy Sabaean gelding, from M. B. Andrews stable at Bulls is no stranger to Riccarton. Two years ago, he carried off the honours in the Grand National Hurdles and looks one of the top prospects for the “big” steeples this year. First-class record Sabaean Summer comes into Saturday’s field with a first-class record in three starts over country this winter. He made a successful

debut to another campaign at Wanganui early last month, ran second to Mountain Lion in the Haywards Steeples at Trentham last Saturday week, then carried off the main prize in the Manawatu Hunt Cup last Saturday.

But the Riverton stablemates, and Sabaean Summer, might not have things all their own way if any one of the other three runs up to peak form. Abebe’s recent form includes a victory over Free Frenchman in the Winton Steeplechase, Drum Call has won twice over country on his latest campaign, and Silver Savant has won three races, one as a hurdler and two over country, including the Great Western Steeplechase, this winter. Brabazon Handicap A field of 30, including Cantostan from the north, was left in the field for the Brabazon Handicap, the principal flat race and second leg of the T.A.B. concession double, at acceptance time yesterday. Six have been placed on the list of reserves and one, Winbum, was eliminated.

The first leg of the main double, the Camla Hack Handicap, attracted 25 acceptors.

A concession double for course patrons only will be run on the Longbeach Hurdles and the Montgomery Handicap and the terminating five-race jackpot, which will open with a pool of $3986, will operate on the Montgomery Handicap, the Camla Hack Handicap, the Homeby Steeples, the Brabazon Handicap and the Kennels Hack Handicap.

Acceptances are:— 11.20 a.m

LONGBEACH HURDLES $900; IJm and 60yd.

Noon— MONTGOMERY HANDICAP $600; 7f.

Larrikin (27) 8 8 Brackets: Anniversary Boy and Big Puff; Cup Day and Campore; Citronenell and Good Comrade; Hayama and Larrikin; Mirific and Rustikhan; Silvina and Tzigani. Eliminated! All Silk, Dirleton, Fountain King, Ivory Fashion, Lofty Lass, Linlight, Outrider, Ortanique, Rose Arnie, Symbolic, Shezan.

12.50 p.m.— LAWFORD STEEPLECHASE $1000; 24m.

Brackets: Barrier and Classic Legend; Dalkeith Lad and Escali; Five Grande and Frosty; Gibran and Jury; Nyanza and Misplaced; Mr Chisholm and Outlaw; Parthian and Raumanu; Scotch William and Stoney Burke; Tiger Hunt and The Searcher; Telabrae and Triella; Tristan and Varuna; Wairewa and Brown Satin; Campoli and Casa Dal; Countess Mellay and Foxfun; Eastern Fiord and Daiquiri; Fresh One and Jeu d’Amour; Grecian Garden and Sambal; Immortal and Top Knot; Little Muggins and Lomition; Lady Mallanna and Mairee; Magic Day and Montalee; Perfect Pride and Replique; Semaphore, Sierra Sue and Tantallon; Spyglass Hill, Special Lady and Welcome Ahead.

2.15 p.m.— CAMLA HACK HANDICAP $800; 7f.

2.50 p.m.— HOMEBY STEEPLES $2500; 2£m.

3.35 p.m.— BRABAZON HANDICAP $1600; 7f.

I Spy (24) 7 11 Ribolita (2) .. 7 11 Brackets: Lord Nelson and Hay Burner; Al Azhar and Belphegor; Cally Rai and Graeme; I Spy

and Lynwood Lass; My Mellay and Ribolita; The Pines and Tine Kaha. Eliminated: Winburn.

KENNELS HACK HANDICAP $900; 9f.

Stranger (16) st lb . 10 0 Sony (8) Channel Command (10) . 9 13 . 9 8 Edinburgh (1) . 9 8 Huss (3) Prince Tim (9) . 9 6 . 9 5 Ruffino (12) Star Flight (15) . 9 5 . 9 4 Aidershot (11) . 9 1 Chilli Bean (13) , 9 1 Japita (5) . 9 1 Bimerah (4) . 9 0 Bonzer Luck (14) .. . 9 0 General Simm (6) .. . 9 0 Loppy (?) . 9 0 Lord Manfred (17) .. . 9 0 Mission Boy (7) . 9 0

Bold Act (14) st lb .. 8 10 Green Grass (25) . . 8 10

Hogan (30) . 8 10 In The Dark (1) . 8 10 Kimbell Lad (16) 8 10 Shirley’s Last (18) .. . 8 10 Billetty (12) . 8 9 Big Flight (5) .89 Crusade (21) .. . 8 9 Dantic (24) . 8 9 Diphon (23) . 8 9 Glenmhor (9) . 8 9 Gold Last (13) 8 9 Jan Kerry (26) . 8 9 King Boa (19) . 8 9 Lady Glamour (15) .. . 8 9 Mon ole to (22) . 8 9 Tiffanique (28) . 8 9 Anniversary Boy (3) . 8 8 Big Puff (10) .. . 8 8 Campore (4) .. . 8 8 Citronenell (20) . 8 8 Good Comrade (2) .. 8 8 Mirific (17) .. 8 8 Rustikhan (8) . 8 8 Tzigani (11) .. . 8 8 Balloted out with the right of re-entry:— Silvina (6) . 8 8 Hayama (29) .. . 8 8 Cup Day (7) .. . 8 8

st lb Casca (8) Opstan (5) Doomsday (7) Boldway (3) .. Maliron (9) Officers’ Mess (6) .. Phenomenal (2) Silver Idol (4) Strike a Light (1) .. 1.30 p.m.— HAL DON STAKES $840; 6f. First division Barrier (1) . 10 9 . 10 8 . 9 13 . 9 9 . 9 7 . 9 7 . 9 7 . 9 7 . 9 7 st lb . 8 5 Dalkeith Lad (23) Five Grande (5) . 8 5 . 8 5 Gibran (3) . 8 5 Nyanza (22) . 8 5 Mr Chisholm (25) . 8 5 Parthian (19) . 8 5 Scotch William (16) Tiger Hunt (18) Telabrae (21) . 8 5 . 8 5 . 8 5 Tristan (2) . 8 5 Campoli (6) . 8 0 Countess Mellay (10) Eastern Fiord (20) .. . 8 0 . 8 0 Fresh One (14) . 8 0 Grecian Garden (7) .. . 8 0 Immortal (15) . 8 0 Little Muggins (8) .. . 8 0 Lady Mellanna (12) Magic Day (4) . 8 0 . 8 0 Perfect Pride (11) .. . 8 0 Semaphore (17) . 8 0 Spyglass Hill (24) Tantallon (9) . 8 0 . 8 0 Balloted out with right entry:— Wairewa (13) of re- . 8 5 Second division Classic Legend (18) Escali (22) st lb . 8 5 . 8 5 Frosty (17) . 8 5 Jury (6) . 8 5 Misplaced (14) . 8 5 Outlaw (1) . 8 5 Raumanu (19) . • . 8 5 Stoney Burke (10) Triella (7) . 8 5 . 8 5 Varuna (25) . 8 5 Brown Satin (5) . 8 0 Casa Dal (12) . 8 0 Daiquiri (13) . 8 0 Foxfun (3) . 8 0 Jeu d’Amour (16) Lomition (9) . 8 0 . 8 0 Mairee (15) . 8 0 Montalee (4) . 8 0 Replique (21) . 8 0 Sambal (24) . 8 0 Sierra Sue (20) . 8 0 Special Lady (11) .. . 8 0 Top Knot (8) . 8 0 Welcome Ahead (2) Balloted out with right entry:— The Searcher (23) . 8 0 of re- . 8 5

st lb Kurd Mahal (21) .. 8 10 Red Gae (25) 8 9 Solar Flight (10) .. 8 9 Sudden Change (7) .. 8 9 Maling (8) 8 8 Little Willie (11) 8 7 Atabell (9) 8 4 John Porteous (19) 8 4 Zarnia (16) 8 4 Jeanie Park (2) 8 2 Best Game (1) 8 1 Diamond King (20) .. 8 1 Dirleton (15) 8 1 Maclane (22) .. 8 1 Sir Ribot (5) 8 1 All Delight (18) 8 0 Billowed (4) 8 0 Bonavia (17) .. 8 0 Glentavia (14) 8 0 Little Sue (13) 8 0 Nureyev (3) 8 0 Ribeiro (23) 8 0 Rebel Lad (24) 8 0 Splashdown (6) 8 0 Timothy Francis (12) 8 0 Bracket: Sir Ribot and Bonavia.

st lb Koral (4) 10 11 Sabaean Summer (2) 9 12 Abebe (1) 9 5 Free Frenchman (3) 9 4 Drum Call (6) 9 4 Silver Savant (5) .. 9 0 Bracket: Koral and Free Frenchman.

St lb Treiay (23) . 8 13 Lord Nelson (8) . 8 8 Quetta (11) . 8 7 Red Boy (12) . 8 3 Donnybrook Fair (6 . 8 2 Hay Burner (9) . 8 2 Cantostan (3) . 8 1 Frosty Light (19) . . 8 1 No Defence (20) . 8 1 Bev Leigh (10) . 8 0 Grippie (30) Lloyd (18) . 8 . 8 0 0 Stanley Girl (17) . . 8 0 Sliderule (1) . 8 0 Warlight (7) . 8 0 Ali Cat (4) . 7 13 Blank Cheque (21) . Circus Girl (13) . 7 13 . 7 13 Quario (25) . 7 13 Totara Maid (28) . 7 13 Al Azhar (16) ; 7 11 Cally Rai (14) . 7 11 Graeme (27) 7 11 Lynwood Lass (15) . ' 7 11 My Mellay (22) . 7 11 The Pines (5) . 7 11 Balloted out with right of entry:— Belphegor (29) . 7 11 Tino Kaha (26) 7 11

Otaku (6) st lb .. 8 8 Custodian (22) .. 8 7 Diamond Hunter (8) .. 8 7 Offensive (5) .. 8 7 Tally Simm (21) .. 8 6 Jenoar (1) .. 8 4 Volante (11) .. 8 4 All Silk (7) . . 8 3 Bold Ribot (23) . . 8 3 Disdained (20) .. 8 3 Enniskillen (15) .. 8 3 Joust (13) .. 8 3 Kriste <16) .. 8 3 Laurious (9) .. 8 3 Leylan Lass (17) .. 8 3 Minegojo (18) .. 8 3 Parwin (19) .. 8 3 Power (10) .. 8 3 Prince Tawa (3) .. 8 3 Solved (2) .. 8 3 Starboarder (12) ..83 Stormy King (4) ..83 Thapa (14) ..83