Page Boy appeals in ‘Classic’ at Blenheim

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 18

Page Boy appeals in ‘Classic’ at Blenheim

k By W. R. CARSTON r Page Boy has the right credentials to make a successful bid for Radio Marlborough Classic honours at Blenheim tomorrow. The consistent Foxton-trained five-year-old goes into the first leg of the Marlborough Racing Club’s T.A.B. double as a last-start place getter at Riccarton. Page Boy’s lone start at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Easter meeting yielded a fourth over 2000 m in the 3ZB Easter Classic. That was his fourth consecutive minor placing since his Rangitikei Cup success at Awapuni in February. Although a victory over the longer journeys has eluded the Busuttin-trained hopeful — the Rangitikei Cup distance was 1600 m and his two earlier successes this season were at 1400 metres — perhaps the best guide to his prospects this time is his meritorious second behind the talented Commissionaire in the weight-for-age Ormond Gold Cup at Hastings on April 14. Foxton could have a second worthy representative in Four Crowns. This eight-year-old from Dave Enright’s team shaped as if his first success for the season could be close at hand when he finished strongly from far back for fourth in the Qantas Stakes at Riccarton last Saturday. Errol Flynn, from Takanini, and the Awapunitrained Pacific Charger are other northerners assured of solid backing. The former came up with one of his best runs last Saturday to chase Unique Wonder home

in the Foley Handicap at Avondale and Pacific Charger has toiled consistently for minor placings in six starts in the lower grades since winning a highweight at Trentham in March. But the in-form northerners are unlikely to have things all their own way. If Kintail Lad strikes a track to suit, preferably going with the sting out of it, he could keep a winning record intact and give Southland stables their second consecutive victory in the race. Kopara won for that province 12 months ago.

The Pleasant Pointtrained Flying Milley, as the winner of three highweights from his last five starts, is a free-goer which will command respect. With only

49.5 kilos he could take pegging back. If Riccarton’s Helen Preston can produce Magellan at his peak — and recent gallops in training suggest he is fast approaching that standard — that should be adequate to enable him to begin a fresh campaign successfully in the Double Brown Handicap. Although the No. 10 position is not the most favourable draw from the 1410 m barrier at Waterlea few, if any, would match the brilliance of a thoroughly fit Magellan in tomorrow’s second leg. One of the obvious chances among the more seasoned runners is Cadmium. The worst that this Invercargill-trained sprinter has been in three starts since winning at Wai-

mate early last month was fourth and that was over 1400 m in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton last Wednesday week. Rebel Star, the runner-up in each of his last two races on his home track — his most recent second was behind Machiavelli in the Merivale Handicap on Easter Monday — will strengthen the possibility of a Riccarton victory. Weight of North Island money could well make Purple Crown the popular fancy and if one race in a fresh campaign, a 1400 m weight-for-age event at Feilding last Saturday week, has been sufficient to bring him to peak this highly promising Foxton-trained three-week-old might carry his backers through.