Eric Tempertoil may rewrite records book

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 19

Eric Tempertoil may rewrite records book

The successful Awa-| puni trainer, Eric Temperton. will give the turf historians a fresh cltap-i ter for notable racing records if he wins the Grand National Hurdles; with either Charger or Bleu Streak at Riccarton today. Temperton is chasing the Grand Nationals double — Thun brilliantly won the first leg last -Saturday — and a fifth victory for his stable in the big hurdles. A win for Bleb Streak today would also be another highlight in Temperton’s ■ long and successful association with members of the Duncan family of Hunt-, erville. Thun won this year's: Grand National Steeples tor Mr John Duncan. The Otago-bred Bleu Streak is owned by Mr and Mrs Eric Duncan. For another brother, Mr; Ken Duncan, Temperton won the . 1968 Grand National, Hurdles with Lordtuckey.i and the 1970 race with Sa-; baean Summer. Temperton's winning ways with Grand National Hurdles> winners do not end with victories by Duncan-owned horses. He came to Riccarton 26; years ago with Gay Fellow; Io make a clean sweep of: the Jumpers’ Flat, the Sy-; denham, and the Grand National Hurdles in the colours; of the late Mr Tom Coltman,; of Wellington. In 1965 he produced Ba-i gush to beat the hot favourite Kumai and others. The successful rider that day jwas Peter Wilson, who is Snow training at Matamata

and has High Chief in today’s race. Temperton bought Charger out of a South Island sale catalogue primarily with a view to a jumping career. But 'he Southland-bred Kurdistan gelding toiled to such good purpose on the flat for Sir Walter and Lady Norwood. of Wellington, that his race debut as a hurdler was delated until last Saturday. MEMORABLE DEBL 1 That debut was unrewarding but memorable for Charger's dual-personality role, as it applied to his jumping. If he devotes himself con sistently to the job in hand today he might run the' others ragged. But. if he repeats last Saturday’s tricks the likes of Owhata Chief. Lomond Note. Koiro Scott, Idunno and. of course, his stablemate Bleu Streak should best capitalise on the situation. Owhata Chief has the good horse's weight of 66.5 in a race that has often dealt expensively with topweights. But. the big Matamata bay will go into the race at his best, and probably as favourite after a most rewarding winter. Otago has high hopes in Lomond Note, buf many are left to wonder if he can succeed for that province where the great. Kumai failed with the equivalent of 3kg less in Bagush's year. Lomond Note will be ridden today by Russell McAra. a former apprentice in the stable of Mr J. S. McKay, owner-trainer of Baghdad Note’s half-brother. Binkie will be the brightest of the South Island hopes in the Islington Handicap, second leg of today’s T.A.B.

double, but the northern hand looks strong, containing as it does Princess Eulogx Fore Dollar. Karu, Saso and Aubrey Cobble O was scratched from the Kora I Steeples yesterday. leaving Sharzan to run for the Robinson stable at Matangi. sharzan was tripped b\ Cult's in the Grand National, but was runner-up to Thun in the Homeby a week earlier. If his jumping does not land him in trouble today he should be one of the dominating figures. Another should be Ballymore, a dog-

ued it distant sciei'n behind Thun in the National Butch the Winter iup third, is one of the brighter chances, to interrupt the sequence >f northern vie tories in ihe more valuable races at the meeting He is owned b\ Binkie s trainer., tom Lalor. and trained bv the owners brother. Inn. at Ashburton Butch will be ridden by the stable apprentice. David Walsh thi winner if the f D tone?, Cup tor Canterbury* most promising apprentice m tile season hist ended.