Versatile Guest Star tipped to win $15,000 race today

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33777, 25 February 1975, Page 8

Versatile Guest Star tipped to win $15,000 race today

The veteran Takanini trainer, Ivan J. Tucker, moved a vote of thanks at Riccarton yesterday. It was addressed to no-one in particular, but it reflected his reaction to the light week-end rain which will give the Tucker-owned-and-trained stayer, Guest Star, footing to suit in the $15,000 Benson and Hedges InterIsland race todav.

While Guest Star has done much of his ! earnest and rewarding toiling on summer tracks he has versatile qualities which have I helped him to keep his record moving when theground is soft.

His only victory at twoi (years was ort ..a track i officially described is easy. Within the last year he (has won the Gloaming ■Stakes and the Watkins (Handicap at Trentham, and (the Ormond Gold Cup at Hastings on soft tracks, and !these deeds backing victories (on firm ground, notably the I Wellington Racing Club ! Handicap last month, make I him a strong claimant for the Canterbury Jockey (Club’s feature race. Hopes for steady drying in the track f’ded with the reappearance of soft rain in mid-morning yesterday. It was an unwelcome reappearance for the connections of the wellperformed Rebel Lad and Four Leaf. Moved freely Rebel Lad has been un' r treatment for a bump to a foreleg. This was not considered likely to cost him a start, and the six-year-old moved freely when running 600 m in 42 on an inside grass at Riccarton e=m- J qy. Four Leaf did striding . work on the sand in the (hands of his race rider, (Brian Andrews. Andrews, who is on his i first visit to Riccarton since he recovered from an arm injury, which kept him out of action for 32 weeks, also rode Black Rod in pace work yesterday.

>i Black Rod, one of the : most talented three-year-olds about, two seasons ago, has ; not raced at Riccarton since ; his stablemate Topsy beat ; him in the Canterbury Gold Cup in 1972. But he made it ; clear that he has returned in I high fettle by sprinting at- ; tractively at Riccarton on( : Sunday morning. > Unbeaten on course Fury’s Order, whose two appearances at Riccarton have yielded wins in the 1974 New Zealand Cup and the 1973 New ’ Zealand Two Thousand Guineas. ‘ was Hown into Christchurch from Palmerston North yesterday with Guest Star. Timon, lechyd. Duty Free, and Fort Hagen. : There could be no more popu- . Jar winner on the course than Fury’s Order. But the big chestnut’s most recent performance I when unplaced at Avondale less than three weeks ago perhaps argued that a season’s programme that has included starts in the three big cups has taken the edge off him. Rain in the last two or three days might have won the Suburban Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double, for Zebak. This chestnut speedster looked) a cut above the average on rainaffected tracks as a two-year-old last autumn, winning his last race at that age by eight lengths in heavy ground. Zebak goes into today’s race as a last start winner, the only one in the field, and Grey Way might need all the luck going, as well as the best possible footing. to beat him at the weights Zebak’s trainer-jockey. Ron McCann, has another bright hope on his list of mounts today. This is River Scene, a winner at two of his three starts, and topweight in the $5OOO Canterbury Challenge Stakes. Guest Artist will lend northern interest to the Challenge This’Crest of the Wave gelding is a half-brother of Tiparillo. an able performer on winter tracks, and he has improved the family record by recording a win. a second, and a fourth at his last three starts. His last start fourth was in the Auckland Racing Clubs Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie. Two davs earlier he beat 14 others in the Calliope Handicap on the same course.

Noon— RUSSLEY HANDICAP *1650: 1400m. First division 1 2203 Sell Rock (2) M. Skelton 57.01 7333 Tanita's Charm (6) P. Thomas 56.0 0739 Fair Orbit (14) A. Eastwood 55.5 5600 Gay Debbie (13) R. McCann 55.0 0904 Prince Avon (7) W Skelton 55.0

10090 Townley (5) 55.0 > G Willette 00 Allenson >2) 54.5 G. Mein 0 Buteley (18) 54.5 i ; P. Tibbles ; 0078 Coincidence >9) 4 .. 54.5 J. Dowling Doreen Mary (4) 54.5 M. Batkin 7956 Grey Commond (20) 54.5 B. Thomson 0 Jeanette's Joy (15) 54.5 E. Low Jetsetter (17) 54.5 R. Wakefield Montialto (12) 54.5 R. Skelton 7600 Motaway (8) 1 54.5 L. MoUov rNesaru (19) 54.5 D. Sanderson >6595 Our Emma (1) 54.5- > S. Ching 1 0 Quick Bid (10) 54.5 G. Gullery 0000 Wee Fellah (11) 54.5 0 Shebonya (3) 54.5; I. Grant Scratched: Marske (16). Second division 223 Immortal (16) 56.0: D. Peake 7445 Benneiong (3) 55.5 M. Thornley 6627 Shuoton (5) 55.51 N. Harris 8384 King Bid (13) 55.0 M. Mein 4448 Tip Lord (18) 55.0! G. Heaton 000 Dark Shadows (12) 54.5! D. Walsh Donna Rosa (14) 54.5 8 Hellenic (6) 54.51 B. White 1 0000 Lady Helene (10) 54.5 0 Lady Troy (19) 54.5! Macavin (4) 54.5 i Megan's Pride (17) 54.51 G. Lee 905 Misplaced (1) 54.51 W. Berry ■ Our Clare (8) 54.51 P. Hillis 0 Pat's Bebe (7) 54.5 ■ P. Thistoll i Ronnie Renald (2) 54.5 1 A. Robinson 8950 Tar Treaty (15) 54.5 i P. Johnson Scratched: Akela (9), Same Court (20). Blue Beau (11). Brackets: Prince Avon and King Bid; Townley and Tip Lord; Butelev and Blue Beau; Coincidence and Dark Shadows; Doreen Marv and Donna Rosa; Grey Commond and Game Court; Jeanette’s Joy and Hellenic Jetsetter and Lady Helene; Marske and Lady Troy; Montialto and Macavin; Motaway and Megan s Pride; Nesaru and Misplaced; Our Emma and Our Clare; Quick Bid and Pat’s Bebe; Shebonya and Ronnie Renald; Wee Fellah and Tar Treaty. 12.40 p.m.— FERRYMEAD HIGH-WEIGHT S1300: 1600m. 3590 General Boy (3) 62.0 O. Anning 2162 Laurious (10) 61.0 7182 Kara Sea (2) 59.0; 4323 Young Mavis (13) 59.0 A. Robinson 5 Eastern Command (11 57.5 R. McCann 2703 Lord Rizxio (1) 57.5 M. Thornley 2224 Rouge d'Or (4) 57.51 P. Thistoll 3331 Subaltern (6) 57.5 J. Pankhurst 5468 Archie's Pal (12) 57.0 5318 Justan (7) 57.0 9679 Melanie Rank (8) 57.0 W. Gye -

,9799 Sc i (5). Rustintohan (9) patched: Devil's 57.0 Advocate 41.15 p.m.— HILLMORTOH HANDICAP $1300; Wm. 2178 Robanna (2; 57.0 L. Moliov : 3959 samara (8) v . 56.5 R. Skelton » 12011 Delganey (9) l 56.0 •J. Dowling 0662 Lord Sahib <10i 54.5 M. Skelton 19219 Deep Mystery t.7> . 53.5 G. Mein 6421 Karnak (6) 4 53.5 P. Thistoll 10007 Airily til | 53.0 I. Grant 6150 Alacer <4> 53.0 ! G. Gullery , 0607 Ascot Boy (5) ■; w 53.0 S. Ching '4387 Mr Richmond (3) 53.0 W. Skelton 1.45 p.m.— REDWOOD HANDICAP $2000; 2000m. ' 0207 Kai Tak (3) 57.0 P. Tliistoll 11400 Audaciter (4) 56.0 L. Molloy 4201 Gi-a-Rook <1> k 56.0 J. Dowling 9820 Beau Trie (2) 52.5 R. McCann 5871 Three Sevens (5) 50.5 M. Skelton Scratched: Grey Pride (6). 12.20 p.m.— i CANTERBURY CHALLENGE STAKES $1500; 1200m. 112 River Scene (1) 53.5 R. McCann i 5214 Guest Artist (3) y 52.5 W. Skelton i 01 Jipcho (5) , J 51.0 M. Skelton ’ 1 139 The Elms (8) I: 51.0! ■8316 Petite Fleur til) 49.51 R. McAra i u 15 Rabakale (12) , 49.51 1941 Sharon Jane (7) » 59.51 L. Moliov 1 1 814 Trade Secret (9) 5 49.0 R. Skelton X : i 26 Mhorlight (2) . 48.5 P. Thomas v 50 Oncelle (4) ' 47.0 B. Thomson 8956 Soldier Girl (10) 47.0 D. Peake Scratched: Curds n’ Whey (6). T.A.B. DOUBLE-FIRST LEG 3.5 p.m.— BENSON AND HEDGES INTER-ISLAND $15,000; 2500m. 6726 Fury's Order (5) 56.0 B. P. Thomson 2812 Duty Free (4) 55.0 W. D. Skelton 2100 Guest Star (12) 55.0 B. J. Skelton 1141 Magic Touch (13) 55.0 A. K. Robinson 8815 Timon (6) 54.5 P. D. Johnson 1062 Black Rod (16) 53.51 N. G. Harris 1 0160 lechyd (3) 52.51 G. L. Willetts 1231 Rebel Lad (14) . 52.0* L. J. Molloy 358 Fort Hagen (8) * 50.5 i D. A. Peake a 1149 Totara Maid (15) k' 49.5 R. E. McAra 0232 Four Leaf (2) i 49.0 B. F. Andrews i; 7387 Bel Cavallo (11) . 48.0 S. C. Ching I 8005 Bettylyn (10) . 48.0

R. McCann - I 4436 Regal Ration (1) G. W. Mein 5161 Warlight (17) M. J. Skelton Scratched: Bonny Alouise Red Ruby (7). 48.0 48.0 (9), 3.45 p.m.— DALLINGTON HANDICAP $1300;, 1800m. 5086 Hi Miss (4) 57.0 0005 Sobieski (21) 56.0 D. Peake 0066 Aristarchus (6) 55.0 J. Dowling 8052 Coda (2) 55.0 L. Molloy 067 Elcano (25) 54.5 M. Skelton 2355 MactiP- (7) 54.5 G. Gullery 0644 Persian Market (16) 54.5 B. Thomson 5223 The Grange (9) 54.5 G. Mein 0240 War Flight (24) 54.5 R. Skelton 0268 Brucenhall (1) 54.0 M. Batkin 5414 Cappello (18) 54.0 I. Grant 7167 Coradell (19) 54.0 00 Country Chat (10) 54.0 4600 Grey Lonzo (20) 54.0 0166 John Doe (3) 54.0 G. Lee 3634 Markus (5) 54.0 G. Sanderson 1070 Silver Sonnette (22) 54.0 6010 Terex (15) 54.0 A. Robinson 3897 Windsor Wav> (11) 54.0 5605 Meralay (17) 53.5 W. Skelton 8778 Allanbrook (12) 53.5 0070 Stoney Burke (14) 53.5 S. Ching Balloted out in order of reentry:— 04 Lemon's Note (23) 53.5 R. McAra 9000 Camyar (8) 53.5 Brackets: Lomond Note and Meralay. Scratched: Princeling (26). Double Scotch (13). (T.A.B. double — Second eg) 4.25 p.m.— SUBURBAN HANDICAP $2500; 1400m. 3312 Grey Way (11) 60.0 J. R. Dowling 3337 Pakistan Flight (10) 54.5 J D. Pankhurst 3195 Sub Indian (5) 52.0 W. D. Skelton i: 6044 Surge Again (2) F 52.0 M. J. Skelton ’* 2110 The Blues (4) 50.5 S. C. Ching 1351 Zebak (1) 50.5 R. J. McCann 4210 Baltic Blue (9) 50.0 G. W. Mein 9974 Scotch William (3) 50.0 L. J. Molloy 2547 Senator Kennedy (7) 49.0 B. P. Thomson 2198 Havn (8) 48.0 I. Grant 1506 Revell's Road (6) 48.0 R. E. McAra

; 55 p.m.— 1 BURNSIDE HANDICAP S1300; 1600m. ! 1654 Blue Dey <9i J. Pankhnrst 56 5 7702 Europium (5i P. Thistoll 56 0 i 1237 Peter's Pick <81 A. K. Robinson 56.0 Royal Clover <10) M. A. McPhie 56.0 4540 Danish Girl <1> R. J. Skelton 55.5 ' 1318 Good Nip (4) J. Dowling 55.5 7085 Royal Deli <3> L. MoUov 55.5 8342 Buzzin Along (2) S. Ching . 55.0 4200 Romio (151 I. Grant 54.5 8963 Willie Beware (6) G. Heaton 54.5 7121 Juneau (12) G. Mein 54.0 <0116 Nashki (ID G. Gullery 54.0 1 Scratched: Bar (7), Horatius 1 (14), Bella Brava (13).