Elcano the form runner in Riccarton first leg

Press, Issue 33844, 16 May 1975, Page 1 (Supplement)

Elcano the form runner in Riccarton first leg

Elcano has been one of the signal successes of autumn racing in the South Island, and, in every respect, ideal material to meet the demands of the Linwood Handicap, first leg of the I lororata Racing Club’s T.A.B. double tomorrow.

Unlike many of the stock of Copenhagen 11, Elcano goes through mud like a cheerful duck. And he is no less competent on top of the ground, as he has shown as recently as last Saturday when he was an unlucky second behind Europium in the Amberley Cup. Elcano started his golden patch for the autumn with a double in lower grades at Riccarton. He did not lose momentum when pitted against Class I horses, and had three victories on the Marlborough ■ Nelson - Westport circuit last month. Elcano was a length and a half from the winner, Europ ium, in the Amberley Cup last Saturday, but had lost vital ground and time in a rails pocket behind Regal Ration close to home.

Europium will meet Elcano less than one kilogram better on Amberley Cup weights —a handicapper’s recognition perhaps that the fortunes of the running favoured .he winner more than the runner-up. But Europium could not have been more impressive in her charge from the back

By

J. J. Boyle

to win by a length arid a half. If she can reproduce that brand of form here she might strike up an immediately-rewarding pan nership with the Wingatui horseman, John Dowling. Sudden Change, the Amberley Cup third without lead-up racing, has been by no means Mr Derrick Gould's best winner. But he has a way with him in the merry month of May. His lone win last season was in the Am berley Cup, run in May.

That was his first victory since he carried off the Canterbury Jockey Club's May Handicap in 1973. And in the season' before that, when he was three, the Mellay geld ing racked up two of his ibree wins at May meetings. My Mellay and Donnybrook Fair, other represents tives of the deceased Mellay in the field, did not look far from winning form when fourth and fifth respectively in the Amberley Cup Rebel Lad the top-weight, has a background of North Island form, none of it pro ductive. But his rewarding campaign earlier in the sea son on South Island courses will, or should, be given re spectful attention if the track is good. Sprint fancy Sub Indian will be ai the top of the short list of fan cies for the Corbans Handl cap, second leg of the I A B double, if conditions are sirm la to those of last Satiir day when he trotted up against the sprinters at the Amberley meeting The distance of the Am berley race was 1200 m Sub Indian is equally com I petent at 1400 m and waItwice successful al that [distance at Riccarton earlier in the season besides running (second to Zetland at Easte* I Deep Mystery, a strongly i finishing fifth behind Sub (Indian at the Amherle\ meet png, seems likely to be a stronger force at 1400 m ate’ (from the minimum the 'stablcmate of Sudden Ch’iiw i should throw down a slronf [challenge to the others Any softening in th'[ground will suit Scotch Wi> Mam but it is hard In i iak< out a good case fur mans ■ ■ rhe others The Wingat" nair Off Drive and Ann<ni< ind the powerful four vear •Id Castle Hill minhr per haps, be the best of th m *#*//*##««*#*####*«/#***«