David Walsh on Top Grade in Caltex Cup today

Press, 25 March 1980, Page 22

David Walsh on Top Grade in Caltex Cup today

From

J. J. BOYLE

in Nelson

There will probably be more feathers than fowl for South Island hopefuls in major races on the second day of the Nelson Jockey Clubs meeting today.

The combined talents of Top Grade, Varnamo and Sousa should give North Island stables a stranglehold on the Caltex Gold Cup. the first leg of the T.A.B. double and second leg of the T.A.B. treble. But a win for the Otakitrained Top Grade would also be a win for a locallyowned and locally bred runner. Top Grade was bred and is owned by Mr Alex Newman, patron of the Nelson Jockey Club and won bis first two races on the Nelson club’s Richmond course. He was unlucky not

to add a third in the Nelson I Cup on Saturday, but he should break through for a I well-earned win today. David Walsh, who was at; ■ Awapuni for the first day of] . the Manawatu meeting on Saturday, will ride Top ■ Grade today. He will probI ably plan his race to be placing preessure on the ■ Nelson Cup winner. Var--1 namo, early in that long run : home on' the Richmond course. i If Ron Taylor-. is. allowed • to dictate the pattern of the brace, as he did in the Nelson :'Cup, Varnamo, with firm I

[ ground lb suit him again,, r-will take all sorts of beat-] i ing. ■ But the final clincher j • could be the four kilos sep-j ’larating an eight-year-old i i* (Varnamo) and a five-year-1 >' old which gave every I ■ ! appearance yesterday’ that; ; .he had come up well after I : his Nelson Cup run. * -i The Singapore-owned, Tei H Rapa-trained Giovanni also I impressed on the tracks yesterday with his brightiness and" general air of well ■being. If. his performance i jtoday matches his looks he [will take beating in the!

..Transport Nelson Handicap • second leg of the T.A.B. ■ double. •: Giovanni is owned by the • Isuccessful Singapore trainer 11 Ivan Allen and is trained by (Graeme Rogerson. I Giovanni found Avonova Htoo strong in the final pinch •lof the 1200 m Dominion BreIweries Handicap on Saturday, but with assistance > from a 3kg allowance to be ; claimed by Peter Tims, the • Music Teacher colt is ex- [ pected to turn the tables on f Varhamo’s stablemate today. > Other runners for the RoJgerson stable in the second

leg of today’s T.A.B. double twill be Tai Michelle and Classic Dream. * Classic Dream is a newcomer at the meeting but Tai Michelle was a deadheating third on Saturday. The Washdyke trainer, Maurice Jones, yesterday engaged the Awapuni jockey. Maurice Campbell, for Colada in the Transport Nelson Handicap.

Philip Jones who rode Colada on Saturday returned south to ride at the Oamaru meeting yesterday and will not return to Nelson for today’s racing. The highly promising Barkerson one of several double acceptors in lower grade races was scratched yesterday from the Wakatu Handicap. His rider in the Turuturu Lodge Apprentice Handicap will be Wayne Jeffcoat, who won on him on Saturday.