High-class performers engaged at Orari today

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 27

High-class performers engaged at Orari today

By

W. R. CARSTON

The clash between the two high-class Wingatui mares, Mellseur and Belle Camille, in the $12,000 South Island Thoroughbred Stakes and the prospect of a battle for honours between Orari’s Flying View and the “Washdyke wonder,” Grey Way, in the Derrick Gould Handicap should be features of the racing at Orari today.

Another major attraction | on a well-balanced pro-! gramme at the Geraldine : Racing Club’s meeting will! be the Geraldine Cup, which caters for the open-class stayers and will be the first leg of the T.A.B. treble. The field for this 2000 m event was reduced to 10 yesterday by the scratchings of General Francis and Halfaya. Neither would have been considered among the brighter prospects which are

| generally expected to be ! Sweeney Todd, Good way and the out-of-form Candv- ' boy. Last time out Sweeney Todd and Good Way were the principals in the finish of the Ashburton Cup. In that race the honours went to Sweeney Todd by a nose but on weight adjustments meantime Good Way could well reverse the situation today. Candyboy, which shares the top spot in the handicap

with Sweeney Todd, represents top class at his best. He was unable to come with anything like a peak run in two starts in the mud at the Grand National meeting last month but often his form has failed to reflect his true ability. He could be a different proposition altogether on the top of the ground on a course where he has already won two major middle-dis-tance handicaped.

The issue in the second leg of today’s treble, the

Second Ohape Maiden, might be between Bouvet and Mid Day Nip, and King Kaka is expected to keep a winning record moving by taking out the third leg, the Strathconan Stud Handicap. The T.A.B. double will be run on the South Island Thoroughbred Stakes and the Derrick Gould Handicap. Lady Creosote has dropped out of the first leg but the second-leg field remained intact yesterday.