Strong Canty team for Wingatui

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 45

Strong Canty team for Wingatui

By

J. J. BOYLE

Canterbury stables will put form runners into most races on the opening day of the Otago Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday.

The combined talents of Dios, In the Glen, Soaring High, Black Arrow, and others, will make for a solid "team” to oppose Otago and Southland’s best in the Noble Bijou Handicap, first leg of the T.A.B. double, and their stocks will in no way slump if there is a return to Wingatui’s traditional brand of winter footing. Shady News is a Riccar-ton-trained last-start winner in the Noble Bijou Handicap, but not a certain starter. However her stablemate, Donizetti, goes south for the Stayers’ Plate, second leg of the T.A.B. double on Saturday.

Donizetti, a last-start second to Dios at Riccarton, supplied one of the features of the training at Riccarton on the No. 1 grass yesterday in sprinting 1200 m in Imin 19s, the last 800 m in a brilliant 45.65. Jan Cameron has been engaged for Donizetti on Saturday. Jackie Oakeshott will rise Shady News if it is decided to tilt at Noble Bijou Handicap honours.

Yesterday Shady News sprinted 800 m comfortably in 50.25.

Later, In the Glen made better time in beating her stablemate, Samasaan, by four lengths. In the Glen had started easily near the 1400 m, but quickened for the final 800 m in 48.85.

Black Arrow, the only three-year-old in the Noble Bijou Handicap field, was up to speed near the 1600 m and joined his stablemate, Maxispot, to run the last 800 m in 48.45.

After a good second to Buffy Beaufort at Riccarton on May 15, Black Arrow has something going for him as a light-weight prospect in Saturday’s feature race. He will be ridden by his trainer, Ron McCann. Natural Star led Prince Eugen by a length and a half finishing 800 m in 46.65. Natural Star gave every sign of enjoying his work, and in the Telegraph Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday he gets a chance to find something like the form

that made him look so promising as a two-year-old last season.

Hide the Loot, one of Natural Star’s rivals on Saturday, was paired with Johnny’s Pal yesterday for 1200 m. Johnny’s Pal was just showing clear at the end, finishing a promising trial in Imin 15.45, the last 800 m in 50s. Jan Cameron will ride both members of Peter Jones’s team on Saturday. Famiilion and Purple Tone came up with 48 for their 800 m.

Later, their stablemates, Tipsy Too and Sweet Chat, hurried over 1600 m in Imin 39.85, the last 800 m in 48.85, the final 600 m in 36.25.

The robust Tipsy Too has done his most recent racing as a hurdler, but will not be the least of the chances in the second leg of the Otago T.A.B. double.

Pronto King and Million Joys, two more members of the Michael Pitman team, dashed in from the 800 m in 46.55.