Northern sprinters should dominate

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 8

Northern sprinters should dominate

It will come as something of a surprise if North Island sprinters are not heavily involved in the finish of the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton today. When Sharda, from Otaki, the Awapuni stablemates, Bompa and Kaukapakapa and Cambridge’s Pinotage completed their fast work for the big sprint at Riccarton on Thursday they each looked

healthy, fit and ready for anything. Sharda’s trainer, C. A. Bowry, is not normally the type of person who gets carried away with a training gallop but he was in high spirits after Thursday’s trial by the Stewards’ Handicap top-weight. Obviously Sharda has thrived since he began a fresh campaign with a second to Patrida in the Shorts Handicap at Trentham last month and, if looks count for anything, Mr W. Howell’s Pakistan II gelding is ready to run the race of his life in the second leg of today’s main double.

The only thing about which W. G. Ivil, who prepares Bompa and Kaukapakapa, seemed a bit uncertain after the stablemates had run a fast three furlongs on the plough, was which would be the better prospect. D. H. Harris had to give some thought to the same question. He rode neither in their final gallops but had to make a choice of which would be his race mount. It took him until yesterday morning before he settled for Kaukapakapa. The Wingatui jockey, A. K. Robinson, has been engaged to ride Bompa. MORE SEASONED Robinson will have the more seasoned runner of the two. Bompa’s four starts in a fresh campaign have already yielded two wins over the Stewards’ Handicap distance.

Kaukapakapa has been off the scene since January, but the five-year-old Gold Sovereign gelding races well fresh. Twelve months ago he began a new campaign, after being away from racing since the previous autumn, with a third to Ajasco and Lord Nelson in this race, so no-one will be surprised if he runs equally as well, or better, this time.

Pinotage left his trainer, B. M. Kennedy, in no doubt that he is right at peak when he dashed home from the threefurlong peg on the plough brilliantly on Thursday. Pinotage, a highly-strung but striking chestnut by Even Stevens, knows only one thing about racing and that is “go.” These tactics have earned him only two open class wins — both over the Stewards’ course — but they have also earned him a brace of minor placings. He has been second on no less than 12 occasions and, at times, in fairly distinguished company. One of Pinotage’s seconds last season was behind Count Kereru in the Short Handicap at the Wellington Cup meeting. Among those which finished behind him were such speedsters as Lilt, Patrida, Kaukapakapa, New Moon, and Palley. Although one of the big sprint prizes has eluded Pinotage so far, he certainly looks as if he will be in the battle for the honours today and perhaps this time his tearaway tactics will carry him through. SOUTH’S BEST If recent form proves the best guide the south’s strongest hopes will be Baltic Blue and Zarnia.

The Christchurch-owned Baltic Blue certainly looked like Stewards’ Handicap material when he managed six furlongs successfully at Ashburton and Orari at his first two attempts in open class. At his only start since, at Rangiora on Labour Day, he wilted to sixth at the end of seven furlongs, but a twosided battle for the pace between him and Palley more

than likely proved his undoing. Baltic Blue is prepared at Riccarton for Mrs D. W. J. Gould by J. C. Tomkinson, who has already saddled three Stewards' Handicap winners. His stable was represented successfully by Hush Money in 1954, Cadiz in 1959, and Manana in 1964. Zarnia’s open class record cannot be faulted. Mr S. G. Mackenzie’s Afghanistan mare has had .two starts in the top grade for two wins. She managed six furlongs successfully on her home course — she is trained at Orari by L. H. Pratt — last month then beat the open sprinters hands down over seven furlongs in the Le Bons Handicap at Motukarara last Saturday,