Spry Guy should test stayers today

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33965, 4 October 1975, Page 8

Spry Guy should test stayers today

Next to the Flying Stakes the race which will probably attract most attention at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting today is the President’s Handicap.

John Regal is the obvious choice on form for this 3200-metre event for class-six pacers, but he might not have things all his own way if Spry Guy and Rolon Waitaki come up with peak runs.

In a race in which stamina is certain to have a major bearing on the outcome these three seem to

stand out. Along with Master Dean, they were the principals in the finish of the Methven Cup last Saturday. Rolon Waitaki improved on a fairly bleak patch of form to take the honours in that 3200-metre event; John i Regal was third and Spry Guy a weakening fourth. But from a point of view of the merit of each per- | formance, perhaps Spry Guy’s was the most impres-

Isive. It was not surprising; ithat he wilted slightly after! trying to lead for the last 2900 metres on a gruelling! course like Methven. On the other hand, except 1 for the first 300 metres, John Regal enjoyed a perfect trail in the Methven Cup and Rolon Waitaki too had cover in the line behind John Regal until the home turn. There seems no reason why Spry Guy, from the 20metre mark — the same handicap as he had at Methven — should be left to do the pacemaking again today. If his driver elects to play the waiting game in the nine-horse field his prospects of reversing the situation on his Methven conquerors will be bright. The major attraction today will be the Ashburton Flying Stakes, in which the bulk of the Dominion’s top pacers will clash. This race will be the first leg of the T.A.B. double. The second leg of this double will be the Durbar Handicap. There will be a double for course patrons only on the divisions of the Eiffelton Handicap and there will be quinella betting on all races except the Eiffelton Handicap and the Flying Stakes.