Magellan likely to pose problems for Oamaru rivals

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 26 (Supplement)

Magellan likely to pose problems for Oamaru rivals

By J. J. BOYLE Magellan, an impressive sprint winner at Oamaru in August, will return there for what could be a successful assault on the DB South Island Brewery Handicap tomorrow. The four-year-old Riccarton speedster has the youthful talent to pose problems for the others in a .capacity field for the first leg of the Oamaru Jockey Club’s T.A.B double. He has not raced since mid-April, but he has been an enthusiastic worker on

the tracks recently, and a placed run in a race trial last week-end will have put an edge on his fitness. Magellan is a four-year-old and has 57, the highest rating of one of his own age group, which is not surprising as he has a race like The Stewards at Riccarton on his record. Only Flying View and Magellan's stablemate, Ernest, have to carry more weight. The eight-year-old Flying View has 58kg. Ernest, a perky looking 10-year-old, is on 57.5. Ernest came from last for

fourth in the corresponding race, won by Decor Doll, at Oamaru on May 29. Decor Doll will attempt to improve her record on the course tomorrow, and it might be more prudent to weigh her chance on her Oamaru victory rather than a failure in the heavy stuff at Wingatui on June 5. Kade, from Wingatui, and My Friend Blue, from Gore, might pose the biggest problems for Canterbury’s best. Kade has been admirably consistent in the lower grades, and will command

additional- support as the mount of the South Island's most successful jockey, Jim Collett. Collett rode ’ My Friend Blue in his two most recent starts, which yielded a second at Invercargill and a fifth at Wingatui. His substitute on the four-year-old this time will be Jim'Pankhurst. Soaring High has to prove he is as good at 1600 m as he is over shorter trips, but his youth — he is three — allows him plenty of scope for improvement. Red Rebel was an expen-

sive failure here last month, and his win at his only start in the meantime was as a hurdler. Retep has the sharp turn of speed at 1200 m the others will find hard to match in the Elderslie Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double. He made easy work of a 1200 m sprint in.the wet in his first of two starts at the Otago winter meeting. When tried at 1400 m two days later he finished fourth after slipping and striking the running rail.