Jimmy Mellay for Riccarton

Press, 1 July 1986, Page 37

Jimmy Mellay for Riccarton

Special correspondent Wellington While Jimmy Mellay won a thrilling Hawke’s Bay Hurdles at Hastings on Saturday, he will not be at Trentham for either the Trentham or the Wellington Hurdles on the next two Saturdays. The Trentham Hurdles this week are worth $BOOO and the Wellington Hurdles $15,000, but for the trainer and partowner, Kelvin Snell, the stake is not sufficient to get his hurdler to Trentham. , On Saturday, on an easy track, Jimmy Melhjjy was

right at home as Heindenburg set a hot pace. Jimmy Mellay had reached the lead by the home turn and he made the last fence quite easily. His winning margin was five lengths. Jimmy Mellay did not contest Sutter’s Gold’s Great Northern Hurdles but he won the Campbell Hurdles before coming to Hastings and five of his seven wins have been over fences. His last four hurdle races have all brought wins. Although he will .miss Trentham Snell to

bring Jimmy Mellay to Riccarton next month. There he will contest the $lO,OOO Sydenham Hurdles on August 2 and four days later the $26,500 Grand National Hurdles. Jimmy Mellay’s current form over the fences is reward for the judgment of Snell. Not long ago Snell raced the horse in partnership with Stan Harris, but an ownership disagreement put Jimmy Mellay on the market. Snell, along with the Johnson brothers, Eric and Alan, purchased the horse for about $30,000.