Clansman sprints fast in trial for Ashburton

Press, 5 September 1983, Page 23

Clansman sprints fast in trial for Ashburton

By

J. J. BOYLE

Clansman started his three-year-old racing last season with a win at Ashburton. He will return there tomorrow with bright prospects of achieving the same result from his four-year-old debut.

Mr Don Cameron’s big chestnut will resume in the Hurley Mazda Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double, and top weight of 57 should not stop him from leaving his stamp on the race.

Clansman’s trainer, Dave

Kerr, also has top winning prospects in two of the Ashburton club’s feature races earlier in the day — Gaffa in the DB John Grigg Stakes and Charles Beaufort in the Ashburton Cup. Gaffa has won the only two races he has contested and Charles Beaufort has won at his last four starts.

Clansman, Ali Robinson’s mount tomorrow, was the first tried at speed on the outside of the course proper at Riccarton yesterday. He returned 49.8, and made it look easy.

Charles Beaufort started slowly from the 1600 but

quickened near the 1400 and kept up a strong gallop through the home straight. He ran his 1600 in Imin 48.85, the lasts 1400 in Imin 33.85, the last 800 in 53.6, and the final 600 in 40.4. Charles Beaufort will be another of Ali Robinson’s mounts tomorrow.

Gaffa was paired with Just a Rebel for 800, run in 53.6, the last 600 in 40.8. They show no great keenness in training, but Gaffa has shown he knows there is business afoot when he goes into the starting gate for his races.

Chris Johnson will ride

Gaffa in tomorrow’s feature race for three-year-olds. Astronomus, a candidate for the first maiden race at Ashburton tomorrow, yesterday sprinted 800 in 53. Jack Spratt and Gaelic King followed in 51, and Buffy Beaufort and Accelerate in 53.8.

Marche Noir, which cast a plate before his race on Saturday, was showing some signs of tenderness in a foot later, but appeared to be sound when plated yesterday morning. He will be John Dowling’s mount in the DB John Grigg Stakes.