Tiger Bow, Gay Asset to provide turning point?

Press, 26 November 1987, Page 45

Tiger Bow, Gay Asset to provide turning point?

By DAVID MCCARTHY The return to racing of Tiger Bow and Gay Asset at Omoto on Saturday may be a turning point for Canterbury stables which have been almost devastated with setbacks this spring. One after another the top handicappers, and youngsters have gone amiss, slipped from the pedestal of their best form or otherwise met misfortune.

The untimely demise of Blovinski after the Lion Brown New Zealand Cup was the worst in a series of episodes for southern stables this season. The Ashburton stable of Peter and Dawn Williams had Moderation, Bacton Abbey, Kero Ann, Wreck the Tote and Catential go amiss and Sea Swift received a setback.

The Mills stable lost Ben Wilkinson at a vital stage of the spring when he had to be put aside with a paddock injury. Keen Pell and Eurhythmies caused problems for their West Coast connections, Samasaan had to be eased Just before the N.Z. Cup meeting and Advocate just after. St James had his Guineas preparation abandoned, Tirana suffered a serious injury at Wingatui and Palatable Prince was not raced after the North Canterbury Cup. Blyme failed to fire as he should have, Spangles continues to cause her connections concern and her stablemate, Mr Magoo, has to fight his way back from quite serious injuries received in a fall at Riccarton. Other prom-

islng horses, such as the talented Windsor’s Pal, have not been able to race as often as their trainers would have liked. South Island riders, too, have had more than their share of injuries and setbacks. Tiger Bow and Gay Asset know all about injuries and setbacks but both have fought their way back in fine style. Tiger Bow was put aside last autumn after suffering a tendon injury. He has been in work for some time with Owen Anning and has come up especially well. "It wasn’t a bad injury, just a bruise but enough to put him out of work,” Anning said yesterday.

Earlier in his career Tiger Bow had a long spell after a cannon bone injury.

He has come up quickly in the past and should pay his way at Omoto. Gay Asset had only one start from Jim Lalor’s stable last season with disastrous results. Sent out favourite at Rangiora in April she badly damaged a tendon in the running, finished last and spent most of the next three months in her box. Lalor has brought her back patiently and the Frassino mare should soon produce form.

She showed Lalor remarkable speed in private before racing after having transferred south from Bruce Marsh alon with Face the Music which races in the same interests. She won twice for Marsh and raced soundly in good company in her other ten outings.