Racing and trotting Mack Dougal looks top chance

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 18

Racing and trotting Mack Dougal looks top chance

Bv

G. K. YULE

If Roydon Scott is. as appears likely, a top chance in the Pan Am Mile this evening, Mack Dougal should extend his rivals in the S. J. Moore Stakes at Addington Raceway.

This race over one mile looks to be one of the most interesting on the programme and betting will cover a wide range. It will prove a real puzzler for oncourse treble betters and also for those off-course who invest on the quinella. The T A B. has changed its format for selecting quinella i

races and the Moore Stakes is an ideal subject for this betting medium. Two starts back Mack Dougal came on steadily for second, slightly more than: two lengths from Roydon: Scott, which recorded imin 59.55, in the Ollivier Stakes on November 14. Mack Dougal will prob-; ably start from No. 5 at the

barrier and he will need luck to avoid covering much extra ground. However, his form at the Cup carnival was good enough to suggest he will be a top winning prospect. Haughty Romeo's leg injury proved nowhere as serious as his trainer, Maurice Skinner, thought towards the end of the Cup carnival and a couple of runs at trials have kept him in fine racing trim. He is a record-holder over the distance and should extend Mack Dougal. Tom Pepper and Gentle George will also be in demand, while bold runs are likely from Smokey Lopez, Miss Pert and Sally Belwin. Particular interest will centre on the reappearance of last season’s Great Northern Derby winner, Main Star. He has been to trials in Mid-Canterbury, but whether he is quite ready for a sub-2min mile remains to be seen. He is talented enough to match most of his rivals and it might not be wise to leave him out of calculations.