Walsh hopes to avoid another travel hitch

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 30

Walsh hopes to avoid another travel hitch

By

J. J. BOYLE

In his quest for a record number of wins this season David Walsh has become one of the racing fraternity’s most frequent air travellers. But, not from his own choice, he was back behind the driving wheel yesterday to fulfill engagements at the Cambridge meeting at Te Rapa. Fog at Hamilton thwarted his plans to fly to and from

Palmerston North, but he is hoping there will be no such hold-up when he moves back to the South Island for tomorrow’s Timaru meeting. Walsh has Jonny Alone (Marac Handicap) as the likely spearhead for a strong book of rides at Washdyke. This combination triumphed in a weight-for-age feature race on the course last spring, and Jonny Alone has kept his

record moving in recent weeks with wins at Otago and the first Timaru winter meeting. The Marac Handicap is the second leg of the T.A.B. double and treble, and it will be looked to closely for encouraging signals from entrants for the Winter Cup at Riccarton next month. Jonny Alone is one of the entrants for that $32,500 metric mile and the brilliant chestnut could show tomorrow that he has gath-

ered strength which, when allied with sharp speed, will make him one of the top chances for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s feature flat race. Queen’s Pal, Noble River and Shady News, which will be attempting to give Jonny Alone weight in tomorrow’s 1200 m race, are also Winter Cup entrants. Shady News has a win close up on her record. Both Queen’s Pal and Noble River are likely to come in for stronger regard at 1600 m, but could show enough tomorrow to allow judgments to be made from their countdowns for Riccarton. The Donald Grant Handicap, first leg of the T.A.B. double, looks wide open. The race has lost a young stayer of high promise in Samasaan, and it might be left to Royal Adder, Soaring High and Nobel Jewel to supply much of the action at the end. Early scratchings Race 2: Schwepping. Race 4: Man Mountain. Race 7: Samasaan. Race 10: Ratify.