General Francis likely Washdyke winner

Press, 18 July 1980, Page 8

General Francis likely Washdyke winner

; BY J. J. BOYLE General Francis is in form to extend a family record in the South' Canterbury Hunt Club’s-Clareont Handicap at Washdyke tomorrow. In the 1960 s his halfbrother, Morris Francis, won the Claremont as a three-year-old and again at four and in between those wins was the South Island’s best when he was third in the Gillin’s Winter Cup. General Francis is now a six-year-old. He has not had the same amount of early racing as his half-brother, but he has still had time to

show signs of a real talent on soft tracks and a breakthrough for a win against class-one horses did not look far distant at his most recent start. That was on July 5, when he was runner-up to Midknight over the Claremont Handicap distance on the second day of the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting. . General Francis, with 52.5 kg, is 6.5 kg below the top weight, Candyboy, and 4kg below Belle Camille, two interesting runners for Wingatui stables. Belle Camille was pointed

fer the Winter Cup after attractive, wins in May, one at Riccarton and the other at Wingatui. If she can win tomorrow, after .starting from the outside of a capacity field, hopes for a South Island win in the historic Riccarton race will receive a great boost. Riccarton-trained hopefuls in the field include ’Ernest and Pennianne, both laststart winners. Washdyke has a second likely runner in Lady Creosote, which did well fresh up to beat all but Ernest over 1400 m at. Ashburton last month.

Keeko and Hunting The Snark, the next best to Hi Roona over 1200 m on the first day of the South Canterbury . winter meeting, may quinella the Belmont Handicap, the second leg of the T.A.B. double and the first of the T.A.B. quinella races. Keeko, a stablemate of Pennianne, is being raced on lease for a term, that ends with the present season. Tomorrow may be his last opportunity to win in the colours of Mr and Mrs G. R. Tuaine. ' \