RACING Inter-island race has more North riders than horses

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33445, 29 January 1974, Page 6

RACING Inter-island race has more North riders than horses

In only three years, the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Benson and Hedges Inter* Island Handicap has become a strong attraction on what was once a lack-lustre February' programme of racing.

When Silver Knight, the first winner went on to win the Melbourne Cup nine months later, it captured the attention of students of form beyond New Zealand.

This year’s race, which will be run on Friday, for $lO,OOO over 2000 metres, has lost some of its straight interisland team flavour. The Canterbury Jockey Club had difficulties in filling the quota of North Island horses to match, numerically, the southerners. The situation has demanded adjustments, where three invited North Island jockeys — R. J. Skelton, G. L. Willetts and B. P. Thomson — will ride South Islandtrained horses. Red Gae, owned in the North Island but trained at Riccarton by R. B. Taggart, will be R. J. Skelton’s mount.

The Waikato jockey, G. L. Willetts, who won last year on the Auckland stayer, Duty Free, will this time be on the Southland three-year-old, Pakistan Flight. B. F. Andrews, who won on Silver Knight in 1971. will ride Glengowan’s stablemate, Sharif.

M. J. Skelton, who won on Golden Sam in 1972, has drawn Mister Pompous, the Christchurch-owned, Riccar-ton-trained winner of the Wellington Stakes-Welling-ton Derby double at Trentham this month.

Mister Pompous is in the right form to throw down a strong challenge to Glengowan, a close third when favourite in this race last year.

Glengowan, a close second in the last Melbourne Cup, was runner-up to Battle Heights in the Trentham Stakes last Saturday. The Benson and Hedges Inter-Island Handicap will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double. The second leg will be the Kingston Handicap. There will be an on-course concession double on the Vancouver High-weight and the Cardiff Handicap. Acceptances:—

11.30 a.m— FIRST AUCKLAND HANDICAP >1100; 1400 m. Campoli 01) ~ 56.5 Donna Lomond (190 .. 56.0 Glasgow (18) .. 56.0 Jimjon (14) .. .. 36.0 Prince Avon (3) .. 56.0 Angel’s Pride (4) .. .. 55.5 Baronette (1) .. .. 55.5 Bill Blyth (12) .. 55.5 Celcius (16) 55.5 Domitian (13) .. 55.5 Funfui (5) 55.5 Grey Lonzo <8) .. 55.5 Ivory Fashion (9) .. .. 55.5 Liberal (10) 55.5 Merry Lass i 7) .. .. 55.5 Montage (15) .. .. 55.5 Monteling <2) .. .. 55.5 Raumanu (17) .. 55.5 Stelios Beau (6) .. .. 55.5 12.10 p.m.— VANCOUVER HIGH-WEIGHT $1300; 1800 m. Classic Legend (13) .. 62.5 Uncle Felix (9) .. .. 61.0 Royal Clover (1) .. 60.5 The Medico (7) .. 60.5 Beau Prince (5) .. .. 60.0 Ice Pack (3) 60.0 Cromo (12) 58.5 Foxfun (2) 58.5 John Porteous (6) .. .. 58.5 Jemma (10> 57.5 Darnley Fair (81 .. 57.0 Eastern Fiord (It) .. .. 57.0 Mexicano (4) .. 57.0 17.50 p.m— SECOND AUCKLAND HANDICAP $1100; 1400 m. Laome (2) 56.5 Escall (3> .. .. 56.0 Jack's Wish (9> .. 56.0 Lizile (4i .. 56.0 Altogether <6) 55.5 Anthea (1) .. .. 55.5 Bidi 112) .. 55.5 Blue Diamond (18) .. 55.5 ( lassie Line (81 .. 55.5 Elvln's Pride il6> .. 55.5 Heriah (17) .. .. 55.5 Lignum Vitae (14) .. 55.5 Mellacious (15) .. .. 55.5 Miss Darnley (17) . 55.5 Oliver Twist (11) , .15,5 Robin Grav (5) .. 55.5 Shezan (10) ~ .. 55.5 Windsor Wave (13) 55.5 1.3$ p.m — CARDIFF HANDICAP $1300; 1400 m. Entourage (4) 560

William Brown (6) . 54.0 Panagor (3) 52.5 Dream of Arragon (10) .. 51.5 Royal Dell (2) .. .. 51.0 Beau Trie (7) .. 50.5 Butch (5) 50.5 Kara Sea (1) 50.5 Meralay (9) 50.5 Ramada (81 .. 50.5 Lord Sedlck (11) .. .. 50.0 Myr (12) 49.5

2.20 p.m— CANTERBURY CHALLENGE STAKES $5500; 1200 m. Jealous Lover (11) .. .. 54.0 Aristarchus (5) .. 52.5 Gem Flight (3) .. .. 49.5 Videlco (16) 49.5 Clockwork <6> .. . 48.3 Fiddler’s Dream (12i .. 48.5 Galapan (8) 48.5 King Willy (9) .. .. 48.5 No Decision (14) .. 48.5

Star Gate (15> .. .. 48.5 Tommy Gun (2) .. 48.5 Zebak (10) 48.5 French Step (7) .. .. 47.0 Megan's Pride (13) .. .. 47.0 Tanita’s Charm (4) .. 47.6 Trayoss (1) 47 0

3.0$ p.m— BENSON AND HEDGES INTERISLAND HANDICAP 510,250; 2000 m.

Glengowan (1) N. Harris 57.5 Show Gate (13) A. Robinson 55.5 Sharif (15) B. Andrews .. 54.5 Redlo (7) J. Dowling .. 52.5 Audaciter (16) G. Mein .. 52.0 Mister Pompous (6) M. Skelton 52.0 i Peter Puckle (8) W. Skelton 52.0 iTotara Maid (3) .. 51.0 I Red Gae (4) R. Skelton .. 50.5 1 Mellay Vite (2) R. McAra .. 49.5 ! Shudup (14) D. Reed .. 49.5 I Coorabin (10) K. Morton .. 49.0 Bel Cavallo (5) B. Thomson 48.0 | Graven Spa (9) D. Peake .. 48.0 : Lomax (11) . 48.0 | Pakistan Flight (12) G. Willetts 48.0 1 Emergency runners: Totara (Maid, Lomax. 3.4$ p.m.— PERTH HANDICAP $1800; 2000 m. 1 Lomax (16) 57.0 1 Hurryby (a) 56.5

Mellie <3) -, .. 56.0 Grey Pride (14) .. -.55.0 Classic Legend >4) .. .. 54.0 Dalkeith Lad (6) .. .. 54.0 Passpatu (2) 53.5 Bettylyn (1) 53.0 Flush (11) 53.0 Lynwood Lass (13) .. .. 53.0 Nlp-o-Scotch (15) .. .. 52.5 Lady Glamour (7) .. .. 51.0 Hyperbole (9) 50.5 All Out (17) 50.0 Big Beam (12) .. .. 50.0 Power (8) 50.0 Winburn (10) 50.0 4.2$ p.m— KINGSTON HANDICAP $2500; 1200 m.

Lovely Honey (8) .. .. 55.0 Donnybrook Fair (5) .. 54.0 Town Major (11) .. .. 52.5 Bun Tuck (1) 49.5 Baltic Blue (6) .. .. 49.0 Hombre (4) 48.5 Jury (10) 48.5 Sub Indian (3) .. .. 48.5 Condor (7) 48.0 Hagens Joy (9) .. .. 48.0 Surge Again (12) .. .. 48.0 The Head (2) 48.0 5.5 p.m— EDINBURGH HANDICAP $1300; 1400 m.

New York (25) .. .. 57.0 Distract (6) 55.0 Lorenzo (2) 54.0 Kel Sabaean (7) . 53.0 Havn (4) 52.5 Eros (19) 52.0 Scotch William (14) .. .. 52.0 Star Keys (22) .. 52.0 Lucky William (3) .. .. 51.5 Mace (11) .. .. .. 51.5 Shieldo (15) 515 Trix’s Sister (26) 5L5 Abdi Cat (10) 51,0 Cents Able (1) .. 51.0 Eastern Command (20) .. 51.0 Eastern Lord (16) .. .. 51.0 Glamis Knight (12) .. .. 510 Irel (17) 51.0 Mhorsel (8) 51.0 Miss Idaho 19) .. .. .. 51'0 Sweet Delight (23) .. .. SLO Windvale Lady (5) .. .. 51.0 Balloted out in order of reentry: Classic Sun (13) .. .. 51.0 Rustikhan (24) .. .. 51.0 Patrick John (21) .. .. 51.0 Yarrabee (18) .. 51.0 Brackets: Rustikhan and Sweet Delight: Windvale Lady and Yarrabee.