Seven runners for Michael Pitman stable at Wingatui meeting

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 48

Seven runners for Michael Pitman stable at Wingatui meeting

By J

J. J. BOYLE

The Riccarton trainer Michael Pitman will travel south tomorrow with seven members of his team engaged on the opening day of the Otago Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday. The stable will have two runners, Cahir and Kitango, in the Crofters Arms Handicap, second leg of the T.A.B. double, and Pokare will reBresent8 resent it in the first leg, le Hazlett Stakes. Other members of the Pitman team engaged on Saturday are Bodica, Torchstar, Winaray and Gilligan.

Cahir has been away from racing since the Grand National meeting, but he kept up a strong gallop to the end of 1600 m in training at Riccarton yesterday. Working on the No. 1 grass he cleared out from Reckon So to finish his task in Imin 40.45.

Danny Frye has been engaged to ride Cahir on Saturday. Kitango was given a solo 1600 m on the No. 1 grass and ran through his last

800 m in 49.75. After minor placings in his only two previous starts this season, this Last Tango gelding rates a chance on Saturday. He was third behind Harbor Flo at Riccarton last Friday and should be improved by that run. Harbor Flo goes to Wingatui this week for the James Hazlett Stakes. Yesterday she was paired with her stablemate, Samasaan, to run 1400 m on the plough in lmin 345, the last 600 m in 38.45. Paul Richards will ride Harbor Flo on Saturday.

Canterbury Belle gave more evidence of pleasing progress for another campaign when she sprinted 800 m on the No. 1 grass in 48s. Her appearance in the Timaru Cup should be one of the big attractions of South Island holiddy racing. Noble Note, which will oppose Canterbury Belle at Washdyke, but before then will run in the Hazlett Stakes, was restricted to pace work on the chip track yesterday. He is thriving and his class as a metric miler

might allow him to surmount the task of giving weight all round in the Otago Racing Club’s feature race. Grant Davison, who will ride Noble Note, has been engaged for Cellarmaster in the second leg of the T.A.B.

double, also for Star Fraction and Catential in minor races. Lord of the Dance galloped the reverse way on the outside of the course proper in the hands of his trainer, Chris Mol. He will be flown north on

Monday and will run in the $lO,OOO Nathans’ Memorial, 2200 m, on the second day of the Auckland Cup meeting. The Nathans’ is a penaltybearing race for the Auckland Cup and if Lord of the Dance wins it he will be given his chance in the big. one on January 1.