Marlborough Cup for South this time?

Press, 22 April 1977, Page 17

Marlborough Cup for South this time?

By

J. J. Boyle

The Washdyke-owned and trained Sir James is expected to put the South Island back into Marlborough Cup records tomorrow. Totara Maid won this race for Maurice Jones’s Washdyke stable in 1973, but North Islanders have won the last three contests. In Sir James the South Is-/ land has excellent material to do something to restore the balance. Miss Andrea , Peddie’s Mellay gelding has taken on some stature since' he performed without distinction in a lower grade at the Marlborough meeting last year. He found success elusive in two starts at Riccarton last week, but there was no sign of a fall-away in his form in his second behind San Ardo in the Great Autumn Handicap. Ron McCann, the Riccarton horseman who has had a rewarding association with.

Sir James this year, can claim marks for “good ' attendance" in Marlborough Cup records. He was third ; on Beau Trie last year; that following seconds on Regal 1 Ration and Kai Tak. VERSATILE Bleu Streak, one of the most versatile of the versatile tribe of Bellborough, might present one of the i strongest of North Island challenges to Sir James tomorrow. This Southland-bred. Awa-puni-trained grey was run-ner-up to Fraxy in the 1976 Martbomugh Cup. Since then he has raced successfully on the flat and over hardies, and his Last start

fourth in a high-weight at Hastings carried the almost certain promise of early re-| wards for his backers. Sound Barrier will be attempting to end a sevenyear drought for Riccarton horses in the race. Every Post was the most recent winner for Riccarton. His success came a year after that of his half-brother, His Lordship, in 1969. | Sound Barrier has not sustained a high level of form ifor any length of time this season, but he rates something of a chance on his third in his only start at the C.J.C. Easter meeting. Heckle’s Choice and Ar-! hour are North Islandtrained horses with South Island wins close up on their records. Sloth failed in the Great Autumn Handicap, but both won over less ground earlier in the week. Heckle’s Choke on the second day of the Riccarton

t|carnival, and Arbour on the : final day at Riverton. j Stunnamede will represent the powerful Awapuni Ivil ■stable in the Marlborough jCup, and a win would be i, well within his reach if he found his best form of last year. He did not win in the spring, but came up with ■ good placed runs, one a second behind the talented Paul ide Brett at Hastings. Tom Bowling a stablei mate of Stunnamede. is high ■ on the short list of fancies for the Gilbeys Handicap, ■ second leg of the T.A.B. double. I A winner at two of his last three starts. Tom Bowling is of an age — he is i three — where be shoo’d be i still finding improvement, i He has the additional advan , t*ge tomorrow of one of the i inside position-. from a bar- . rier which usually p esents • problems for horses drawn i. wide.