Charles Beaufort tipped for Benson and Hedges

Press, 4 November 1983, Page 18

Charles Beaufort tipped for Benson and Hedges

By J

J. J. BOYLE

As winner of his last six races Charles Beaufort has emerged as one of the brightest of talents on the South Island racing scene.

of the feats of the Grand National meeting at the start of the season by capturing a treble with him. By then Dave Kerr could see signs of cups potential in Charles Beaufort. His close study of overseas racing left him with the impression that Charles Beaufort has many of the characteristics of St Paddy, a high class stayer and sire of Sucaryl, the maternal grandsire of Charles Beaufort. Whether he is in fact a horse capable of getting the 3200 m of next week’s New Zealand Cup could be established in tomorrow’s race, run at 700 m short of the cup trip. An immediate problem for Charles Beaufort’s rider, Ali Robinson, tomorrow, will be one of the wide berths in the starting gate. The search for a snug

He has been in the small league in terms of financial awards so far but it will be somewhat different next time. His immediate target is the 131,000 Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (2500 m first leg of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s T.A.B. double tomorrow. A four-year-old bay, strong in conformation and equable in temperament, Charles Beaufort failed to attract a bid when offered in a Christchurch sale ring in August of 1980. Mr Alan Mclntosh, Charles Beaufort’s Ashburton breeder, then sold the youngster privately to Ron and Nancy Simpson, who were later joined in partnership by John Campbell, also of Christchurch. The Riccarton trainer, Dave Kerr, has guided Charles Beaufort with skilful patience through the grades and brought off one

position with cover to help the four-year-old to settle to his race might not be easy, but Charles Beaufort is in the hands of one of the South Island’s most experienced riders, and the combination is already well established. Charles Beaufort has 54.5 and has only Myra May, Short Stops, Sirtain, and Gun for Fun above him in the handicap. Myra May has won at two of her last three starts on southern courses but her 56kg at this level is a formidable challenge. Short Stops will run for the powerful Ray Verner stable, assured of heavy northern backing after a dogged win over 2200 m on a heavy track on October 24. A Noble Bijou mare bought by Mr Wally Borisch in the South Island in the season before last, Short Stops has made contribu-

tions to the success story of the Otago-based sire Noble Bijou, which will have a second Benson and Hedges prospect in Noble Jewel.

Noble Jewel was third behind Charles Beaufort over 2200 m at the Banks Peninsula meeting last week, that following a third in John Peel’s North Canterbury Cup.

He ran out both races solidly, to invite confidence in his ability to meet all the demands of the Benson and Hedges distance. Taranaki stables will put two veterans into the race, but Gun for Fun compels attention as a last-start winner at Hastings, and Sirtain, also a nine-year-old will be trying to regain the form that gave him the Benson and Hedges-New Zealand Cup double last year.

Woodville has a form runner in Payco, which ran

Short Stops close at Trentham, and Bold Monarch is back from Waikanae trying to improve on his second in this race last year. John Peel, the Benson and Hedges third two years ago, has claims for consideration again as the North Canterbury Cup winner and a creditable second to Charles Beaufort at Motukarara. The Riccarton trainer, Garth Jackson, will saddle two runners, Paddy Speed and Pamdora, and no long odds would be offered about the chances of either of them at the distance.