Thomas Mellay in formidable form

Press, 23 February 1977, Page 24

Thomas Mellay in formidable form

Thomas Meilay and Lady i Aristoi will be two formidable fresh runners for Riecarton ! stables on the second day of . the Otago Racing Club's meeting at Wingatui on Saturday. Thomas Meilay will be racing on his former home track in i the Wingatui Handicap, and will : engage the respect of everyone after a brilliant run into second : in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s ; Midsummer Handicap on February 5. His Wingatui rider will be the ! apprentice. Stephen Laughton., who won the Midsummer Handi:cap on Entourage. Thomas Meilay had Laughton up when he galloped on a rainaffected trial grass at Riecarton yesterday. They paired up with Zebak to run the last 800 m of about 1400 m in 51.9 sec. Zebak. a talented performer on soft tracks won the trial by a neck, but there was much to Hike about Thomas Mellay’s gal-; i lop in conditions not altogether to his liking. The Riecarton trainer. Gary Marfin, will take Ladv Aristoi south for the Otago Mannequin! Stakes, the first of the 1600 m

races in th? series for three- ? year-old fillies. j Yesterday Lady Aristoi E sprinted 800 m with Denosera in •: 53.65ec. Steve Allen, the southern I horseman who won the Prini cess Meilay Stakes on Lady I Aristoi at Gore on February 5. : will ride the Riecarton filly I again this week. > Ernest. another Riccarton- ■ trained form horse for the sec-j ond day of the Otago meeting. : yesterday sprinted 600 m with Many Reasons in 38.9 sec. Graeme Mein, who has ridden Ernest in three consecutive vici tories in the last few weeks. . will again have the mount in ; the Mosgiel Handicap at Winga- , tui. ! The former northerner, I Phoenix Lad, handled yesterday's, conditions well to run his 800 m i in 51.7 sec. I Anthos and Dolman were In i from the 800 m on terms in' 52.2-1 ' sec. . I Fleet, a winner at the Canter-j bury Jockey Club's summer I r meeting returned 55.tsec for II ROOrri. Her stablemate. Deep, i' Mystery followed in 53.65ec. Ful-

bak took 53.45ec and Lord Sahib 54.65ec. Rustique started 800 m in a gap i of five lengths behind Tachyon but recovered three lengths ■ while recording 52.45ec. Manuka Street, which has freshened well after summer , racing, sprinted 800 m in 52.8 sec, and was keen to go on with it. i He is owned in Nelson, and the ; Nelson Cup will be on his 1 iautumn programme. Grey Way made an early appearance on the tracks and worked easily on the trial grass. He was flown to Hamilton later in the morning and will run ini a quality field of sprinters at the Royal meeting at Te Rapa today.