Age may not stop Hunting Chief

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 15

Age may not stop Hunting Chief

Special correspondent Wellington

Hunting Chief is the oldest horse in the field for the Palmerston North Handicap at Awapuni tomorrow and he may be the best. Noel Eales has the veteran back in form and his close second to Irish Duke at his last start constitutes some of the best form in the field. He has a kilogram and a half more but is still near the minimum in a field which does not boast a lot of form.

May 28 saw Hunting Chief tackle 2200 m after turning up over 1600 at Trentham and in soft ground he came from near the rear of the 16-horse field to run the outsider. Irish Duke, to a nose. The big track will suit him and if the going is heavy again he will be the one to beat.

St Benedict raced once at Wanganui and ran a satisfactory third to Shaitan in the sprint on the first day. He is best known as a sprintermiler but before that ran a bold race over 2200 m, finishing filth, at Masterton.

El Shaddai failed at Masterton but blew after the race. He also failed to stay the trip in his previous start at Trentham, but his earlier form had been sound. It included a spectacular lowergrade victory at Awapuni in April.

Charger is a mystery. He won magnificently at Hastings in April but in three starts since his form has deteriorated. Bamboozle beat him by two lengths at Trentham last month, then on the second day the best the Awapuni galloper could manage was fifth. His next start came last Saturday at Wanganui and he failed completely. The ground was bad, of course, and might have accounted for that to a large extent. The handsome grey must be taken on trust now, however, though at best he would beat this field easily. Solo showed the expected improvement at Masterton, finishing third only a nose and a neck from Irish Duke.

Surgemaster is a Resurgent four-year-old from Te Awamutu. His form is mixed but his last two middledistance runs, split by a 1600 m race, have been good. He was an unlucky third to Prince Royal at Marton last month and at his last start made a lot of ground for fourth at Ruakaka. Noire Dore, third in this race last year may be a little later starting his winter campaign this time but should be watched for improvement. He looked well when he had his first start since November in the sprint at Foxton on May 21.

Unlucky at Wanganui and otherwise in good form, Baccalla should win the second leg, the Stewards Handicap. The Resurgent mare tried a middle distance at Wanganui on Saturday and looked a marked danger when she ranged up toward the leaders near the turn. She was carted very wide, however, and did not run on but still managed eighth.

Before that she had been sprinting well, winning at Marton, running third in the Cuddle Stakes and then fourth over 1400 m at Foxton.) Ranga’s Lad looks best of the others. His form is mixed. He won three starts back at Blenheim and at his last run pushed Monfair to a neck at Masterton. Jester Boy has won at two of his last three starts but has not raced since March. Ron Saxon is an old hand at producing sprinters forward, however, and any son of Red Jester is entitled to respect in the winter especially in a field as modest as this. Marebello ran an attractive race at Wanganui on Monday. He was slow from the start in the field of 16 but ran on strongly for fourth. He has won impressively at Awapuni before in winter conditions. Alwick’s victory on Monday was typical of his best ability in wet ground and this field is not as strong as the one he beat then. He should show up again.