Bonecrusher out or Tancred Stakes

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 48

Bonecrusher out or Tancred Stakes

NZPA ( Sydney The champion New Zealand galloper, Bonecrusher, has been withdrawn I from Saturday’s fAuritl ( million Tancred Stakhs at Rosehill after disappointing his connections with his workout yesterday. Trainer Frank Ritchie ! said his gallop was (just not satisfactory from a Tancred Stakes viewpoint. “Ifmj sure he’d run a race but he would be flat out Ito win and we feel that! if Bonecrusher’s not a winning chance there’s no point in starting him,” he said. ißrinecrusher ran 1200 m i in a moderate Imih 19s on the inside of

the course proper at Ballarat in (Victoria. “It was not so much the time, but he didn’t work with' sufficient enthusiasm and didn’t go to the line (quickly enough,” Ritchie said, j | r I ; After (consulting Bonecrusher’s jockey, Gary Stewart,! Ritchie phoned owner geter j Mitchell in New Zealand to tell him of their (doubts; about (his readiness for the Tancred (Stakes. Bonecrusher,) a ; well-beaten third in the' Australian Cup at ( Flemington last week, will fly home on Monday! and his immediate future is undecided. Ritchie ( was doubtful about his chances of

travelling to the United States to race in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap- - J i: I 5 H ) Two blood tests taken from Bonecrusher since the Australian Cup failed to find anything wrong with the gelding. ) I “Since he raced in the Australian Cup I feel that he has steadily I improved, but I decided that he had to work well this morning to be very happy with him,” Ritchie said. Bonecrusher was a late withdrawal from the Tancred Stakes last year. He had put up a brave performance to win the Australian Cup, but was found to be tying-up

badly) in his action in his I lead- up to the Tancred in Sydney. Ritchie was still at a loss yesterday to explain Boriecrusher’s latest forir |! loss only weeks inspiring, last-to-fjtrst win in the Air New (Zealand Stakes at Ellei-slie. I “(There are lots of possibilities — maybe it’s his (fairly compressed programme which has seem him in a few races (cloiej-up after his injury problems,” Ritchie said. “The problem he? had las: year of tying-up was indicated in the way he moved and in the blood tes ISL That isn’t the case thiitime.” ■