McGinty’s programme is uncertain

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 28

McGinty’s programme is uncertain

Special correspondent Auckland Plans for McGinty before he goes to Australia this spring could include a race at Hastings on September 15.

Continuing wet tracks have had the trainer Colin Jillings, just about at his wits end regarding McGinty’s preparation for Australia.

McGinty has an aversion to heavy ground and Jillings has been reluctant, on that account to press the horse in his work lately. It is expected though that McGinty will go along at some speed today — he was restricted yesterday morning to trotting and pacework — to help become ready for a return to racing at Avondale on Saturday.

The Avondale race Jillings has in mind is the West End Stakes, a weight-for-age 1400 m event. He is pretty well resigned to having to start McGinty whatever the going. As he explains, the horse is much in need of a race or two — his last one was back in April. Hastings could well be an attraction because from all reports the tracks in Hawke’s Bay are firm, the district having enjoyed a dry spring. The race to suit McGinty is the Wishart Classic (a weight-for-age 1400 m), which has a stake of $lO,OOO. Just when McGinty will go to Australia is not yet certain. His proposed racing in Sydney could be abandoned, and his programme would then be concentrated

on the W. S. Cox Plate in Melbourne on October 27, a weight-for-age 2050 m race worth sAust2s7,ooo to the winner.

Jillings would seem to have a number to choose from if he needs company for McGinty on his Australian trip. The stable’s runners these past few weeks having shown such excellent form.

Ringtrue, which has never looked better, must be a consideration, and Our Charlie, which returned to racing with a second placing at Ellerslie on Tuesday, is another. In the first month of the season the stable has started seven horses and between them they have gathered six wins and only one failed to reach the monev.