Noble Note to miss Wingatui Courier Flight now favoured

Press, 20 December 1985, Page 24

Noble Note to miss Wingatui Courier Flight now favoured

By

J. J. BOYLE

Noble Note, the early favourite for the James Hazlett Stakes on the first day of the Otago Racing Club’s meeting tomorrow, is to be withdrawn today because of an expected hard track. His withdrawal in the first leg of the T.A.B. double now brings Courier Flight into prominence.

Chook a Rook and Courier Flight, the closest to’Noble Note in the weights, are last-start winners, both at Invercargill on December 4. Courier Flight will be coming back from 2200 m, and Chook a Rook stepping up from 1400 m. Both opposed Noble Note in the Jockey Club Handicap at Riccarton on November 9, but neither made a race of it with him. There was some merit in Courier Flight’s fifth, but Chook a Rook was disappointing in failing to finish in the first 10.

Bi Noble, at four years, one of the youngest in the field, is one of the brighter emerging talents in the ranks of South Island stayers.

The 1600 m of tomorrow’s race might be short of a distance that would show him to best advantage, but the Wingatui metric mile makes some demands on stamina, and Bi Noble, with his 54kg, could be a forceful presence in the final struggle.

Riccarton’s Harbor Flo and Pokare are others capable of good runs from their positions in the lower half of the handicap. Harbor Flo won a class 2 1600 m in smart time at Riccarton last week and gets 3kg relief in weight for this one. Pokare, fifth behind Harbor Flo in that race, drops 4.5 kg. Cellarmaster, winner of two races since he joined the Ray Pankhurst stable in the spring, might get the stiffest opposition from Spectacular turn, Treaura, and Kitango in the Crofters Arms Handicap. The Gore-trained Spectacular Turn was given a programme of 30 races last season but has recaptured something like her best form for minor platings at her last two starts. Treaura was a last-start third behind Courier Flight at Invercargill and will appreciate the easier class for this one. Kitango has started his five-year-old racing promisingly

Race 5 D, TF 1.35 JAMES HAZLETT STAKES HANDICAP $12,600; 1600 m 11152 Noble Note 6 G. Davison 59.0 Back to something more like his best distance after fast finishing second over 1200 m at Riccarton last week. 2 5721 Chook A Rook 2 J. Pankhurst 57.5 Competent southerner, and an attractive winner over 1400 m at Invercargill at last start. 3 1521 Courier Flight 12 .... A. Robinson 57.0 Fifth behind Noble Note, this distance, at Riccarton before running second in Canterbury Cup and winning over a middle distance at Invercargill. 4 94 Miles Better 10 S. Allen 57.0 Resuming. Last-start fourth was over 2000 m at Grand National meeting. 5 3313 Noble River 7 . . . . R. Montgomery 55.0 Win two starts back was in highweight at Riccarton. Holding his form well for veteran, but won’t find this easy. 6 6128 Peat 8 55.0 Expensive failure against sprinters at, Tapanui last week. Runner-up to Chook A Rook at' Invercargill the time before. 7 1612 Bi Noble 5 J. Dowling 54.0 Probably better over more ground, but will be fresh for this, his first start since second in Benson and Hedges at Riccarton. 8 0401 Harbor Flo 9 P. Richards 52.5 Won attractively at this distance against lesser lights last week. Not the least of the chances on that run. 9 1325 Pokare 14 J. Woledge 51.5 Fifth behind Harbor Flo when favourite at Riccarton last week. Gets enough weight relief here to assure him of a following.

10 9846 Amacola 1 W. Foote 52.0 Showed flash of form for a fourth in Scenicland feature, 1650 m, at Hokitika. Most recent start was over 2000 m at Greymouth. 11 4753 Briny Girl 3. .... . 52.0 Gets close at times but wins have been well spread. 13 35 Nipper’s Son 13 ..... .C. Johnson 52.0 Fair run behind Chook A Rook at Invercargill two starts back. 14 4028 Vrintk 4 52.0 Ran himself out pacemaking, 2000 m, at Riccarton last week. Scratched: Chapel Hill. Race 6 D, T 2.10 CROFTERS ARMS HANDICAP $4000; 2200 m 1 0421 Cellarmaster 4 G. Davison 56.5 Performed very well on soft and heavy tracks at Hokitika and Omoto on recent West Coast campaign. 2 00 Cahir 5 D. Frye 55.0 Showed nothing in two starts on heavy track at Grand National meeting in August and has not raced meantime. •3 096 Chokebore 7 J. Dowling 54.5 Has been battling this time up to improve record but better effort last time out when running on for sixth at Invercargill early this month. 4 1677 Highland Peer 1 P. Richards 54.5 Beat lower grade metric-milers at Waimate in September but form meanwhile has not been encouraging. 5 8532 Spectacular Turn 3... .T. Matthews 54.5 Minor placegetter at Beaumont and Tapanui at latest attempts so must rate sound chance in this field. 6 3073 Treaura 9 R. Montgomery 54.5 Does not win out of turn but always a chance over a bit of ground. Last-start third behind Courier Flight at Invercargill was encouraging. 7 Double Mystery 2 L. Didham 54.0 Winner at this distance on course in June but has been off the scene since so would have to be taken on chance. 8 23 Kitango 6 J. Woledge 52.5 Sound races for minor placings among metric-milers at New Zealand Cup meeting last month so must be rated among the brighter prospects in this field. 9 6055 Mullah 8 C. Johnson 52.5 Fair run at Tapanui last Saturday but has been battling to make much of an impression this time .up Race 7 2.45

Jetbet: 4 Race 1 11.10 SMITH HIGHWEIGHT $2800: 1600m 1 802 Katrina Gold 2. . . . . . P. Richards 61.0 2 3571 Allez Cheval 8. . . . R. Montgomery 60.5 3 1453 Bacton Abbey 11 . . . . . C. Johnson 60.5 4 4107 No Techie 5 ... . K. Scott 60.5 5 6781 Take Guard 1 . . . 60.5 6 6593 Toumeur 7 M. Brick 60.5 7 7803 Bodica 3 D. Frye 60.0 8 0365 Four Nuts 10... . . . . J. McIntosh-60.0 9 0 South Pacific 12. . . . .A. Robertson 60.0 10 5445 Entreat 9 59.5 11 080 Falklands Victory 6 59.5 12 00 Skipton Road 4 . . .... J. Dowling 59.5 13 0506 Transaction 13. . . . . . . C. Edmond 59.5 Race 2 11.45 FIRST BARGAIN MAIDEN $2500; 1600m 1 00 All Over 3 S. Cook 55.0 2 7624 Beau Geste 8. . . . . R. Montgomery 55.0 3 05 Boldem 7 . . . . G. Davison 55.0 4 66 Courage 12 . . . G. McIntyre 55.0 5 0 De La Triomphe 2. P. Van Wanrooy 55.0 6 43 II Comandante 14. . . . . L. Didham 55.0 7 0500 Instant Flight 10. . ... .J. Dowling 55.0 8 557 Karetia Lad 4. . . . G. Foote 55.0 9 Our Turn 15 ... . C. Bain 55.0 10 Royal Trelay 6 . . . . . .J. Pankhurst 55.0 11 5 Seventy Cents 9. . . . . P. Richards 55.0 12 2 Sowick 5 D. Frye 55.0 13 6693 Torchstar 1.... . . . . . C. Johnson 55.0 Scratched: Two Step. 15 7329 Yippmont 11 ... . 55.0 Race 3 12.20 SECOND BARGAIN MAIDEN $2500; 1600m 2 Bijoumai 14 . . . .T. Kennedy 55.0 3 90 Chatton Ladd 10. . . . . P. Richards 55.0 4 Cup of Honey 7 . . . . . H. Goscomb 55.0 5 0400 Diamond Blaze 13. G. Foote 55.0 6 Imperial Thyme 4 . 55.0 7 663 ivette 5 . . . . J. Dowling 55.0 8 5256 Next Lot 11 . . . . C. Edmond 55.0 9 08 Peppermint Kid 6. . . . J. Pankhurst 55.0 10 9252 She’s Noble 2 ... . C. Bain 55.0 11 Shogun 8 . . . G. Davison 55.0 12 2640 Super Sea 9 R. Montgomery 55.0 13 Turning Grey 12. . . . . A. Robinson 55.0 14 873 Village Guy 15... . . . . C. Johnson 55.0 15 098 Winaray 1 ... J. Woledge 55.0 Alma's Secret. Race 4 12.55 FIRST WILSON MAIDEN $2500; 1200m 1 6 Amora 4 S. Allen 55.0 3 Aussie’s Pal 9 ... . . . A. Robinson 55.0 4 2460 Duisburg 14 . . P. Richards 55.0 5 70 Fantan Fox 8 . . .C. Edmond 55.0 6 Free Bijou 10 i . T. Matthews 55.0 7 4794 Kiwi Boy 3 ..... . ... J. Dowling 55.0 8 0 Lane’s Ace 11 ... . . . . . R. Bruce 55.0 9 2 Miss Puff 6 . . . C. Johnson 55.0 10 980 Riwai 15 . . . C. O’Brien 55.0 11 5 Royal Partner 5 . . . . . . G. Davison 55.0 12 79 Spread the Risk 2. . R. Montgomery 55.0 14 000 Tough Nut 12 . . . . G. Foote 55.0 15 Westwood Girl 1. . . . . . L. Didham 55.0 16 White Wine 13... . . . . . S. Prince 55.0 17 Congo River 16 . . . . . .T. Kennedy 55.0 Scratched: Arracess, The Maltese Cat.

SECOND WILSON MAIDEN $2500; 1200m 1 Arolia Boy 3 . . . . . . . .S. Allen 55.0 2 Beau Style 12 . . . . . . G. Foote 55.0 3 070 Double Acre 10 . . . . C. Johnson 55.0 4 False Start 7. . . . .J. Pankhurst 55.0 5 Highway Boy 6. . . . . . S. Prince 55.0 6 624 Hot Jazz 15 . P. Richards 55.0 7 8004 Karona 8 . A. Robinson 55.0 8 Mel’s Gem 16 . . . . .T. Kennedy 55.0 0 9 Overseas 13 .... . T. Matthews 55.0 10 83 Rome Ridge 2 . . . . H. Goscomb 55.0 11 0060 Silver Ike 1 . . G. Davison 55.0 12 0 Talisker 11 . ... C. Bain 55.0 13 0 The Rose 9 ,R . Montgomery 55.0 14 0 Torres Strait 4. . . .A. Robertson 55.0 15 Thundering Double 14 . -. J. Dowling 55.0 16 Turner 17 ..... . 55.0 17 Bowood 5..... . . . . . D. Frye 55.0 Emergency: Bowood. Race 8 ■ T 3.20 WILSON HANDICAP $2500; 1200m 1 8 Anzonetta 1 . . C. Johnson 55.0 2 507 Baliwick 8 . . . G. Foote 55.0 3 8647 Catential 11 . . G. Davison 55.0 4 Confide 17 . .T. Kennedy 55.0 5 08 Dear Sir 4 . T. Matthews 55.0 6 4301 False Economy 13. . H. Goscomb 55.0 7 14 Faraine 2 . . . . C. Bain 55.0 8 Joan’s Charm 12 . . . . S. Prince 55.0 9 0605 Jo Anne’s Jem 16. . A. Robinson 55.0 10 2401 Men Mountain 9. . . . L. Didharn 55.0 11 7622 Mi Classic 5 . . . . . P. Richards 55.0 13 Passive Chief 6 . . .J. Pankhurst 55.0 15 15 Red Rainee 10. . . , . J. Dowling 55.0 16 43 Wyllie Lass 7. . . . . C. O’Brien 55.0 17 0998 Segrey 3 A. Robertson 55.0 Scratched: Olivia Leigh, Pass the Mustard, Lord Degree. Race 9 T 3.55 VINCENT HANDICAP $3400; 1200m 1 2181 Danseuse Royale 2 T. Matthews 57.0 2 1110 Star Fraction 9. . . . G. Davison 57.0 3 006 Bernadone 1 . . . . P. Richards 56.0 4 3646 Soala 8 . C. Johnson 56.0 5 1568 Mill Creek 5 . . . . . R. Montgomery 55.5 6 0080 The Scud 11 A. Robertson 55.5 7 7773 Gilligan 6 . J.' Woledge 54.5 8 0460 Lady Lucretia 10. . . .Z. Mathie 54.5 9 0570 Mister Mac 7. ... . 53.5 10 65 Mundon 4 . J. Dowling 53.5 11 9 Warning Note 2 . . , H. Goscomb 53.5