Waronui has the class

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 19

Waronui has the class

Bv

W. R. Carston

AU hough Waronui lacks competitive racing lor almost three months his class and courage should carry him to a first-up winning bid as a four-year-old in the Tally-lh> Handicap on his home course tomorrow.

Hector Anderton's talented Mcllay gelding has topweight of 58kg in the first leg of the Otago Hunt Club’s TA.B. double but that is no

more than he mastered successfully over tomorrow’s distance at Wingatui last time out.

But Waronui, the winner of 12 races last season —

the last five in the top grade, will be only one of several bright hopes for the “home side.”

Arcello, and Candyboy are well-performed five-year-olds which will strengthen the prospect of a Wingatui victory. and if Mi Ay Bee,

which is in the same age 'group as Waronui, has benefited from his race at lOamaru last Monday week he, too, might be heavily involved in the finish. | On recent form Judge I Obadiah, Charlson and Dia- ; mond Pal should be Southland’s best but if Run I’rue or Alfee, both minor place-getters in the mud at ! the Grand National meeting ) last month, come up with peak runs they could get some of the money.

i If form is going to prove the most reliable guide in the second leg, the G. .1. Barton Memorial Handicap, the issue should definitely be between Catastrophe, Dawnway, Trixette and, perhaps, Charles Dickens.

Now that plans for Cata strophe have been settled—he is to race on his home course in spite of the mud —that should just, about settle the question of favouritism. There was a suggestion earlier in the week that the talented three-year-old might miss the “home meeting' 'and race at Ash burton next Tuesday if there | was no improvement in the going. But his trainer, Rodney Marsh, said yesterday that he would start at Wingatui—mud or no mud