Thumbs Orf likely to complete ’chase double

Press, 1 June 1981, Page 17

Thumbs Orf likely to complete ’chase double

From J. J. BOYLE Auckland A rich jumping double won by Loch Linnhe six seasons ago and by Guess Who last season is well within reach of Thumbs Orf at Ellerslie today.

The Wanganui-owned and,l trained Thumbs Orf won theli Grand National Steeplechase'I at Riccarton last August andh has thrived and pleased in hisn build-up for the Great North-|i ern Steeplechase today. He i won the big one at Riccar-|i ton with 62.5 and goes in to-:! day’s .$29,000 marathon with], 66kg. Loch Linnhe won the 1974 i Grand National with 58 and i his first Great Northern later : that season under 65.5. A year later he won his second Great i Northern with 69, two kilos more than Guess Who will : carry if there is sufficient rain '.o allow her a tilt at his second Great Northern victory today. , But Guess Who, a comfortable winner of the Grand , National Steeplechase in 1979 ! With 60kg, was on the list of doubtful starters last evening for today’s marathon.. Michael Gillies, who has Cartnered the South Islandred Royal Ridge gelding in the majority of his crosscountry wins, said last evening that Guess Who had become restricted in his action because of the firm tracks and would probably be scratched from the. Great Northern this morning. .Thumbs Orf, a seven-year-old gelding by Sylvago from Red Duchess, is trained at Wanganui by David Mac Nab who races the chestnut in partnership with Mr B. J. Thomas. Stephen Jenkins, who will tide Thumbs Orf today won last year’s Great Northern on Guess Who. He was substituting for Michael Gillies, who was out of action with a broken leg. Bill Hillis the Southland trainer and part-owner of ■ Paulmont, is another who would welcome any easing in • the track today. 1 Hillis said yesterday that ( Paulmont has thrived since ’ his arrival at Takanini from j the South Island but feels his |ough chestnut would em- j ploy his talents to best effect [n soft or heavy ground. How- 1 ever, he remains confident s that his Bellborough gelding i kill manage the 6400 m and I three strenuous runs over the ~ famous Ellerslie hill with all j the doggedness he showed in ( Winning the Riverton Great ’ r estern Steeplechase at Eastbr. Paulmont will be ridden by . Richard Collett, aged 17, Who had embarked on a sue- < tessful race-riding career 1 before he left St Paul’s College in Gore. j "Patrone is the best regard- : td of the chasers from the Auckland district. He was third in last year’s Great Northern when he was a six-year-old and won the r?.rk Lane Steeplechase over fcl’erslie last month. Patrcne has 65kg, also the y eight he carried into second ' 1-’mid Cloudy Lease in the’ V •uk’ r o Steeplechase on ■ L IS. J I: Dsnbv Fox emerged as a

lightweight with real possibil-i ities in winning the Greenlane Steeplechase on Saturday. He finished the 4150 metres of that race at a great rate for Tony Gillies, who will ride him again today. Denby Fox is a nine-year-old by Fox Myth, one of the best stayers of his time. The parade for today’s Great Northern will be led out by Brockton, winner of the race in 1971 and again in 1972, also winner of the 1971 Great Northern Hurdles. The Great Northern is the first leg of today’s T.A.B. treble. Other treble races are the Second Manukau Handicap and the Ranfurly Handicap. The T.A.B. double will, be on the York and King George Handicaps. Selections — 11.10 a.m—Panmure Hurdles: Tudor Chief, Roylyn, Hine's Charm. 11.45 a.m.—Tamaki Steeplechase: Trigon, Denzami, Johnny Fair. 12.25 p.m.—First Manukau Handicap: Hawaiki, Oakdale, Parlistic. 1 p.m.—Cardinal Handicap: Sir Emir, Darren Boy, Mark My Word. 1.35 p.m —Great Northern Steeplechase: Thumbs Orf, Paulmont, Guess Who. 2.20 p.m.—York Handicap: Aghios Nikalaos, Silver Scribe, Our Shah. 2.55 p,m.—Second Manukau Handicap: Wadsworth, Catena Gold, My Test. 3.30 p.m.—King George Memorial: Silver March, Divine Poem, Blue Devil. 4.5 p.m.—Otara Handicap: First Sight, Chick's Vain, Alvaro's Fashion. 4.40 p.m.—Ranfurly Handicap: Cardsharp, Mimic, Top Ruler. RACE 1 11.10 a.m— PANMURE HURDLES, 53575; 2760m.—Rovlvn (10) 67.5: Tudor Chief (2) 67.5; Ngai O’Dc'e f4> 67; Hine’s Charm (7) 60.5; Craigman fl). Doo Da (9). Fair Silver (6), Fair Steve (11), Five Crowns (12), London Pride (8. Mikailee (3), Peter Ruler (5) 60. RACE 2 11.45 a.m— TAMAKI STEEPLECHASE, $3575; 4150m.—Call Nine (2>. New Blue (14) 67; Tfigon (10) 66; Bardacin (6) 65.5; Noess (5) 64; Treghan (111 63; Denzami (16), Tiva (13) 62.5; Fleet Symbol (4). Johnny Fair <3). King’s Legend (8), Sean’s Marl: (9) 60.5; Don Emery (151, Gold Palm (1). Princess Egret (12), Timroy (7) 60. RACE 3 12.25 p.m.— FIRST MANUKAU HANDICAP, $3375 ; 2200m—Perlistic (15) 60; Oakdale (10) 57; Hawaiki (14) 55.5: Inca (13) 54.5: Janstep (5) 54: Battle On (8). Vilna (6) 53.5: Red the Gent (3) 53; Jancalei (2), Noble Master (4) 52.5; Davtsar (12). Jinco (16). Tiaki (1). Autumn Hain (9), Mikailee (11), Roccofella (7) 51. RACE 4 1 p. CO.CARDINAL HANDICAP, $3375; 1200m.—Special Devil (12), 58; Darren Bov (7) 55.5; Sir Emir (2I 54.5; Mark My Words (1) 54; Fritz (91, Klltzbah (5) 52.5; Light Purple (14), Quarter Share (13), Silver Baron (6). The Jones Boy 1(4) 52; Dark Red (3). Duke of Hazzard (10), Star Parade (11) 51.5; Flying Dream (8) 51.

[RACE 5 11.35 p.m— GREAT NORTHERN STEEPLECHASE (See field next column.) RACE 6 T.A.B. DOUBLE T.A.B. QUINELLA 2.20 p.m.— YORK HANDICAP

4.5 p.m.— OTARA HANDICAP, $3375; 1200m.—Amigacho (10) 57; Bold Getty (9) 56.5; Alvaro’s Fashion (8) 56: Neshabur (4) 55; Tamalane (19) 54.5; Au Revoir (17), Vainmaster (14) 54; Chick’s Vain (7), First Sight (6). Linda Gaye

ill. Watermark (11). 53.5; Caenarvon Prince (3>. Foil <2O». High Decree (15). Sonny Park (2), Taipanui (12) 53. Emergencies: Silver Emblem (13). Count Silver (IS). WaveRider (16) 53; Precious Candy (5) 52.5. RACE 10 T.A.B. TREECE T.A.B. QUINELLA 4.40 p.m.— RANFURLY HANDICAP

1 0073 88000; 1600m. Bunvaro (16) 58.0 2 1925 Our Shah (.14) 56.5 1 8041 Aghios Nikalaos (9) 55.0 4 3869 Hotsand (.13) 54.5 0 Golden Fox (7) 54.0 6 7008 Morven Chief (6) 54.0 7 6906 Washington (3) 54.0 3 0 Young Bing (19) 53.5 9 1077 Silver Scribe (2) 52.5 10 0142 Stylish Dude (4) 52.0 11 6142 Turanganui (12) 51.5 12 0700 Azeden (17) 50.0 13 0960 Danger Boy (8) 50.0 14 4264 tnuvik (18) 50.0 15 4808 Lemonade (10) 50.0 16 8339 Macloud (5) 50.0 17 7050 Optica (1) 50.0 18 0159 Principal (15) 50.0 19 0470 Conductor (11) 50.0 Emergency: Conductor. RACE 7 T.A.B. TREBLE 2.55 p.m.— SECOND MANUKAU HANDICAP 83375: 2200m. 1 7184 Catena Gold (14) 57.0 2 1012 Wadsworth (12) 56.5 3 6750 Goldcraze (2) 55.0 4 0510 Grand Vizier (4) 54.0 1 0007 Sovereign Lady (8) 54.0 6 0606 Fire God (11) 53.5 7 1092 Cool Mood (10) 53.0 8 0789 Sasoledo (7) 53.0 9 5030 Bourbon Street (3) 52.0 10 0058 King Aneas (1) 52.5 11 3109 Inspiration (13) 52.0 12 9560 Purple Loch (do) 52.0 13 1007 My Test (.6) 51.5 14 8700 Hi Moss (5) 51.0 15 9760 No Risk (9) 51.0 RACE 8 T.A.B. DOUBLE 2.30 p.m. KINS GEORGE MEMORIAL $5000; 1200m. 1 1202 Divine Poem (6) 55.5 2 9304 Silver March (8) 53.5 3 0200 Cullimore (3) 53.0 4 9880 Oakvale (5) 52.0 7035 Blue Devil (2) 51.0 6 5066 Swaps (1) 51.0 7 4006 The Shifty Kid (10) 51.0 8 2095 Uncommon (7) 51.0 9 5580 Wild Fire (9) 51.0 10 7000 Yen Fille (4) 51.0 RACE 9

$3675: 1400m. 1 "818 Ruthless Charles (11) 60.0 2 6 Mountain Gold (21) 57.0 3 4505 Devaney (221 56.5 4 4900 Homage (10) 56.5 6000 Cracker Prince (13) 56.0 6 1113 Leggy Lee (17) 56.0 7 2137 Mimic (20) 56.0 8 8553 Cardsharp (2) 55.5 9 6600 Pheroz Fortune (4) 55.0 10 5311 Precious Ness (18) 54.5 11 0821 Top Ruler (8) 54.5 12 7611 Cosnaim (6i 54.0 13 6874 Dawn Raider (9) 53.0 14 0350 Proud Avon (16) 54.0 15 1934 Travolta (1) 53.0 16 6095 Deino's Ruler (5) 52.5 17 0087 Easter Parade (15). 52.0 18 9700 Orchid Gold (7) 52.0 19 092 Shifvaughan (19) 52.0 20 0460 Kenworth (12> 52.0 21 0008 Anna De Tolia (3) 51.0 22 979 Just Kay (14) 5J.0 Emergencies: Shifvaughan. Kenworth, Anna De Tolia, Kay. Just