Heavy track certain at Trentham

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33579, 6 July 1974, Page 8

Heavy track certain at Trentham

The biggest “certainty” at Trentham will be the track condition. It will be very heavy, in spite of clearing cloud in Wellington yesterday and hopes of fine weather today.

At Washdyke, where the South Canterbury Hunt Club runs the second day of its winter meeting, the track should be much the same as it was last week, soft and cutting out.

And at Avondale, first day form on the track might hold firm. There, too, the track will be heavy, just as it was on the first day. South Island race fans will have widespread interest during the day at all three meetings. Besides the meeting at Washdyke, feature races from Avondale will be on the television, and there are five South Island gallopers engaged at Trentham.

These are three from Washdyke — Scotch William, Mexicano and Maling, all from B. T. Jones’ stable I — Jak Tat from the Wingatui stable of H. T. Anderton, and Blend from E. A. i Winsloe’s Gore team. i Jak Tat and Mexicano are iform runners with better than outside prospects of being placed in the Wellington Steeples, especially Jak Tat, a tough old Kurdistan I certain to appreciate the tes-

Iting winter elements today. Scotch William will have his class -challenged to the utmost when he meets the best of just about every North Island training centre iin the Whyte Handicap. He jis up to it, and so is his [youthful Riccarton rider, L. J. Molloy. 1 Blend' is the form horse | but Maling might be the [best bet in the First Te Aro Handicap. He went a pretty (good race when eighth out lof 18 at Washdyke last Saturday on a track that was nowhere near as heavy as he likes it. Washdyke

The Gore trainer, R. J. Cochrane, could win four or five races at Washdyke today, including both jumping events. Providing the track is no worse than soft, Haste Ye Back looks the favourite and the winner of the Elworthy Brush Hurdles and Crunch should do better than his stablemates, Shirley’s Last and Deep Cove, in the Orbell Steeples. Deep Cove should be in the money, though, after his pleasing sixth last week. Bella Brava, Ayrshire Prince and Lobelie are other members of Cochrane’s team with the form, and the ability, to race well.

Avondale Executive has to improve only slightly for a win in the first leg of the T.A.B. double, the Rawson, Memorial, at Avondale. The Members’ Handicap last weekend was Executive’s first race for three weeks and he probably paraded a trifle too fresh in consequence. He should be the better for that racing and his work at Takanini this week.

The Members’ Handicap was run slowly through the middle stages, a help to Head Ruler which was able to stay in front from there to the finish. At a stronger pace Head Ruler might have had serious trouble running the course out, Executive would have settled better and it is unlikely Ballandine and Valiant Warrior would have suffered the checks they did.