Grant Elliot to ride Beks at Riccarton on Saturday

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 39

Grant Elliot to ride Beks at Riccarton on Saturday

By

DAVID McCARTHY

The Otaki-based rider, Grant Elliot, will ride Beks and other members of Michael Pitman’s team at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday.

Elliot’s trip south Comes at the expense of stable rider, Gary Williams, who has been sidelined from this week-end’s meeting as a result of a hearing of the West Coast District Committee yesterday. Williams was given leave to withdraw his appeal against a careless riding charge and his deposit was refunded. However the District Committee tribunal endorsed the original suspension of one riding day and it has been transferred to Saturday. Williams is also to pay $2OO costs. His lot has not been entirely without joy for he rode three winners at Reefton on the day the original suspension would have taken place. One of those, Noble Tango, will be ridden by Elliot this week but the prize Williams could regret losing most is . the mount on Beks in the South Island Breeders’ Stakes.

The mare looked fit for that assignment when tried over 1400 m on the plough at Riccarton yesterday morning, with Williams up, accompanied by Torchstar (Fallen) another ride for Elliot on Saturday. The pair ran 1:32.4, the last 1200 m in 1:19.4 and the last 600 m in 395. Beks was doing her

work nicely and the 1800 m of Saturday's race should suit her, freshened. Elliot has had considerable success with the Pitman team riding over 20 winners for the stable, including two on Pokare. The plough was in fine order yesterday, but not especially fast. Eye Full, one of Bek’s keenest rivals this week, worked earlier over 1200 m when fog obliterated the timing marks. She was not after fast time but seems to have thrived since a likely effort at the trials on Sunday.

Delphinium’s Blue sprinted the best 600 m of the session running that section in 36s and the 800 m in 495. It was a solo effort with Jan Kerr up and smart work. Her stablemate, Tide Mark (Kerr) and Naval Command (Woledge) didn’t waste much time either running in from the 600 m in 36.1 s while Shirley’s Pal worked as well as any over ground, runnng 1200 m solo with Bud Biddulph up in 1:18.3 the last 600 m in 38.65. Another of Bek’s stablemates, and an Elliot ride on Saturday, is Sound King which was one of the few workers on the grass. Sound King (Williams) had too much petrol in the tank for

Extra Smart (Fallen) after 600 m in 36.65. Impasha (Williams) showed out from Noble Tango (Fallen) a good triallist, in 36.75.

Plough gallops included.—

Mr Magoo (Kerr) 1200 m in 1:20 (no sectionals could be taken); Alicia (Quayle) shading Punch (Jane Jackson) and Kowhai Groom (Walters), 600 m in 38.35; Ysatis (Quayle) 1400 m solo in 1:33.3, last 600 m in 39.75;

Star Hope (Woledge) 800 m in 51.25; The Yapper (Baillie) last 600 m in 36.55; Langcliffe (Quayle) and Meiow (Aitkenhead) 1200 m, last 600 m in 38.55; Impound (Jackson) solo 1200 m in 1:20, last 600 m in 37.55.

Telerosa (Aitkenhead) 600 m in 37.65; Willybeleica and Bodie 1000 m, last 600 m in 36.65; Gums a Calling (McPhie) 800 m easily in 53.95; Kiwi Alley (Fallen) restrained to 600 m in 36.8 s