McGinty popular choice in George Adams Handicap

Press, 28 January 1983, Page 17

McGinty popular choice in George Adams Handicap

By

J. J. BOYLE

McGinty will be a popular fancy to beat a star-studded field in the George Adams Handicap, second leg of the Wellington Racing Club’s T.A.B. double tomorrow.

The brilliant Takanini colt is the only three-year-old in the field and is being given his chance while he is being rated just below weight-for-age.

Connections of the speedster decided on a start when the colt was weighted for the George Adams with 51.5, which is half a kilo below the scale.

McGinty’s programme for the autumn will probably be based largely on how he shapes tomorrow. Present plans are to take him to Sydney. But he will probably do much if not all his racing there against those of his own ,age with the Canterbury Guineas. in March. a starting point. McGinty has thrived since he won the Wellington Stakes

last Saturday. His connections do not consider McGinty beat a good lot in that feature race for three-year-olds, but they were greatly encouraged by the silky smoothness of the colt’s run. and just as much heartened by the way he has progressed in the meantime.

“The Wellington Stakes was only his second run this time up, and we would be surprised if he didn't come up better for the next one,” McGinty's part-owner, Mr Keith Haub, said yesterday.

Mr Haub rates the Matamata four-year-old, Jon, as McGinty’s’ strongest rival.

Jon showed his qualities in the lower grades at Trentham a year ago. even while

he was showing early signs of a wind affliction. The operation to clear that condition has been successful and that was made abundantly clear when, at Te Aroha on December 11, he won the 1600 m Potter Stakes with a superb piece of galloping. He won that 1600 m weight-for-age race in the spectacular time of lmin 33.815. His only start since produced a close third in the Avondale Cup. but did the job in style. Sovereign's Ace goes' into the Adams as winner of his last three races, the latest at the expense of Dig In and company in the Anniversary Handicap on Wellington Cup Day.

Silver Darling will be attempting to complete a rich metric miles summer double without being greatly bur-

dened. She has 51. the weight she also carried when she won the corresponding race at the Auckland Cup meeting.

Mary Wake, a stablemate of Dig In. will be the only runner for the South Island in the Terrace Regency Handicap, first leg of the T.A.B. double. She owes her position as topweight largely to her Dunedin Cup victory last month.

In the Wellington Cup last Saturday she finished about half way down the field but finished more strongly than the Takanini-trained Rama, which had pulled hard close to the lead. Rama, a stablemate of McGinty, was an unlucky third in the corresponding race, won by Joyarty. a year ago.

But a more immediate guide to her chances for this one will be her wide and handsome win of the Nathans Memorial on the final day of the Auckland Cup meeting.

Amrica will be a second worthy runner for Takanini if this race is chosen for her. A wide barrier position could have cost her victory — she finished second — in the Summer Handicap on Monday.

Macloud. the Wellington Cup third, and Lucozade. which had little luck in the running when fourth in the Summer Handicap, might be the pick of the others which have already raced at the meeting. No less interesting is the newcomer, Wai Baillie, a last-start winner over 2600 m in track record time at Avondale on January 15.